2021.06.04 18:34
Twisted humor and life advice from Diogenes the Cynic
https://bigthink.com/personal-growth/life-advice-diogenes-cynic
2021.06.04 18:40
2021.06.05 05:20
This topic brings me back to my third-grade year of middle school during my refuge life in Pusan.
During the summer vacation, I went to a small bookstore and bought a small book titled 'Short Stories",
where I found many valuable stories including "Mignon", "Alexander the Great and Diogenes, Alexander and Bucephalus", and more.
One day Alexander went to see the famous sage, who was enjoying the warm sunlight in the almost naked body while staying
in a large barrel. Alexander greeted him courteously and asked if there is anything he could do to this sage, who readily asked him, "Yes, indeed. If you move yourself a little bit away, I can enjoy this sunlight with a pleasant nap, which was interrupted by yourself."
Alexander was impressed greatly and said, "If I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes."
I read it and proudly translated it to mother, who said to me, "So, Alexander meant he was still the best. Only the next best one can be Diogenes!"
2021.06.05 08:51
Indeed, the episode of Alexander the Great and Diogenes of Sinope, ‘Diogenes asking Alexander to move aside, not to blocking the sun’ is so famous, as KwanHo mentioned – isn’t the story at our elementary school textbook? – but I never get his ‘Cynicism’ in depth.
So, this is a good review, very refreshing to read over the weekend casually, friend!
BTW, another cynical(?) comment Diogenes gave to Alexander was when Alexander said, “I am Alexander the great king.” to Diogenes, this Cynic philosopher replied back with “I am Diogenes the dog.”. When Alexander asked him why he called himself as ‘a a dog’, Diogenes said, “I fawn on those who give me anything, I yelp at those who refuse, and I set my teeth in rascals.”. Isn't that so funny? Such word by word is so cynical that I can't help but laugh after laugh. Yes, it is a very good warning to him he would 'yelp' when refused, and 'set the teeth' in rascal!!!!
BB Lee
P.S. Diogenes is such famous Greek philosopher but was born at Sinope, Turkey which still exists as 'Sinop' along the Black Sea, not much far from Samsun, one of the Black Sea resort areas with a lot of archaeologic sites, museums, and such famous Turkish ceramic factories, where I once planned to visit while I was in Ankara but gave up. Apparently, that area was not quite safe(?) for me, then, with my wife to travel as foreigners due to PKK/Kurdish insurgents so that I was advised to call off the plan - I traveled through the Western part of Turkey based on Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Konya, Antalya, and Kaiser through many occasions but not Eastern part due to the security reason!-.
The original cynicism by Diogenes is not what people nowadays think it is.
It is indeed something, true-life philosophy, people of 21st century need to
pay attention to in order to gain some useful insight into their daily living.