Diogenes the Cynic

[Jayson]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope

I've always felt a strong affinity with this man. A constant critic of the status quo, irreverent and courageous in the face of power. What a freethinker! What an individual. Some of my favorite anecdotes about him:

"When asked how he wished to be buried, he left instructions to be thrown outside the city wall so wild animals could feast on his body. When asked if he minded this, he said, "Not at all, as long as you provide me with a stick to chase the creatures away!" When asked how he could use the stick since he would lack awareness, he replied "If I lack awareness, then why should I care what happens to me when I am dead?"

"Diogenes once observed a thief (who had stolen a silver cup from the treasury) being led to the gallows by a group of police and magistrates. A bystander asked him what was going on. "Oh, nothing unusual," he replied. "It's merely the big thieves bringing the little thief to justice."

"While sailing in the Aegian, Diogenes was kidnapped by pirates and sold as a slave in Crete. While being auctioned, he was asked to enumerate his skills. "I can govern men," he replied. "Therefore sell me to one who wants a master." Xeniades was so impressed with his indomitable character that he promptly paid for Diogenes' freedom."

"The hedonistic - and fawning - philosopher Aristippus won a comfortable sinecure at the court of Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse. One day, Aristippus observed Diogenes preparing some lentils for a feeble meal. "If you would only learn to compliment Dionysius," he remarked, "you wouldn't have to live on lentils." "And if you would only learn to live on lentils," Diogenes retorted, "you wouldn't have to flatter Dionysius."

"Diogenes was once asked of which country he was a citizen. "I," Diogenes replied, "am a citizen of the world."

We can talk about Diogenes and his "philosophy" here, or you can answer a more general question of, who (or what ideas) do you admire, and why?

 

[Redados1]

He sounds cool. I like the awareness one.

 

[Kurama]

He really just seems like a jerk haha

 

[waynegg]

^ Nah he just took a practical real view of things instead of a glossed over here-let-me-make-you-feel-good-about-yourself-since-you're-too-feeble-minded-to-do-it-on-your-own approach.

I have it in my Will that my remains are not to be embalmed and that my body is to be carted out to sea on a ship with a rousing party going on. When we make it to international waters they're supposed to load me into a cannon and launch me to the depths. Horrified my wife at first, but she got over it. She offered a compromise the other day of having me cremated and made into fireworks to be fired off at Disney's nightly closing ceremonies. Now I'm debating...

I had never heard of Diogenes before today, but I think we may have seen the world through the same eyes. :lol:

 

[Benzo]

^ha ha! fireworks is also my prefered way of going out in a bang! Not yet in my will, but I want to be made into fireworks and launched at the Coast line in a town that I have been too every year the last 36 years!

This Diogenes guy seems like he had a good aspect on a reality that some people choose to ignore/notice because the "obviouse" is the only non-abstract line of thinking that is misunderstood the most.