• Pudutr0n@lemmy.world
      19 hours

      Diogenes was a “homeless” ascetic philosopher that radically rejected societal convention. He lived in extreme poverty by choice, living in one of those big market jars and begging. He frequently illustrated his beliefs by publicly mocking or ridiculing other citizens, philosophers and even leaders, and also by doing socially unacceptable things openly in the city square, like taking dumps, pissing and even masturbating. He’s considered on of the founders of cynicism (philosophical school of thought).

      There are a lot of colorful stories around him mocking or disrespecting others, the best being the ones @AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world posted in the other reply and are accurate portrayals of stuff written about him afaik.

    • AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world
      1 day

      He was a homeless man who shit in people’s lawns lol. I know a couple stories, he’s a huge troll.

      Plato was teaching a class, where they defined human as “hairless and bi-pedal”. So Diogenes plucked a chicken and brought it to class and said “Behold!! A man!”.

      Diogenes was washing some vegetables in a river (naked of course) and Plato approached him and said “Diogenes, if only you could pay taxes to the king, you wouldn’t have to wash your food in a river.” And Diogenes replied “Plato, if only you could wash food in a river, you wouldn’t have to pay taxes to the king.”

      Diogenes was sun bathing on a beach (naked) when Alexander the Great approached him. Being a fan he told Diogenes (who was still laying naked in the sand) that he wanted to give Diogenes a gift. Anything within Alexander’s power to give, just ask. So Diogenes asked “Could you take a few steps to the side? You’re blocking the sun.”

      I have no sources just things I’ve heard lol

      • Pudutr0n@lemmy.world
        19 hours

        you missed out on the best part of the Alexander The Great one (which is in only in a few of the many versions of the story iirc):

        After Alexander the Great is told to move to the side, he was so amused and surprised that not only he did, he said “If I wasn’t Alexander, I would like to be Diogenes” to which Diogenes replied: “If I wasn’t Diogenes, I would also like to be Diogenes.”

        :)

      • PotatoesFall@discuss.tchncs.de
        19 hours

        Half of philosophy is just people formalizing a simple concept so it can be referenced academically lol. Kants categorical imperative is basically just “do unto others as you want done unto you”

      • Kairos@lemmy.today
        1 day

        Toddlers asking questions is indistinguishable from greek or roman philosophers. Sometimes I wonder how these people made it into history, luck?

        • VeganBtw@piefed.socialEnglish
          1 day

          This is probably ragebait, but yeah, there is a luck factor in having writings survive through millenia. That being said, I doubt that what my toddler is asking will be considered important to people in 2000 years.

    • floquant@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      22 hours

      One of Diogene’s best known quotes is “in a rich man’s house there is no place to spit, but his face”