Diogenes Unplugged: 7 Philosophical Stunts That Combine Truth & Wit
Diogenes Unplugged: 7 Philosophical Stunts That Combine Truth & Wit
When we think of the Ancient Greek philosophical pantheon, names like Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato inevitably come to mind. These intellectual missionaries laid the bedrock of Western thought, crafting ideas and allegories that still drive the engines of academia today. However, amidst this elite philosophical assembly, one figure stands out like a sore thumb at a toga party: Diogenes of Sinope (404-323 BC)1. Born in the 4th century BCE, he was the son of the infamous Tresius, a wealthy money-changer, whose adulterous and fraudulent activities forced him and his family to be exiled from Sinope to Athens. There, Diogenes lived his life as a mendicant, choosing to shelter himself in a ceramic barrel by the Temple of Cybele, where he transformed his life of poverty to virtue by embracing philosophy in a peculiar sense1. Today, he is regarded as one of the leading proponents of Cynicism, a school of thought that emphasised living in virtuous agreement with nature, rejecting societal conventions and avoiding material excess.
The peculiarity of Diogenes’s characterisation as a philosopher stems from the methods he chose to express his cynical ideas. While Socrates was busy questioning everything in sight and Plato was off in his ideal world crafting perfect forms, Diogenes was more concerned with turning the whole philosophical exercise into a comedic spectacle. Unlike his contemporaries who practiced traditional teaching methods, Diogenes chose to exercise his philosophical propositions through hilarious stunts that shocked the streets of free-speech-loving Athens. Unashamed by the defiance of social norms, these humorous stunts reverberate deep ideas that continue to be relevant to this day. From the very act of living in a barrel to his infamous lantern and mocking of Plato, I count down in this list 10 of my favourite philosophical stunts by Diogenes and what I believe their philosophical underpinnings might be.
1. The Barrel Affair
One of Diogenes’s most stand-out stunts was his enduring choice to live life in a large ceramic jar (affectionately referred to as a barrel in popular culture). Although one would rationalise this choice as exemplification of his exposure to poverty, it is impossible to assume that a man as ingenious as Diogenes would not make a conscious choice to live in barrel. This very act has continued to stand the test of time and has inspired thinkers to this day. Famously in 2007, during Dutch Philosophy week, philosopher, Eric Hoekstra emulated Diogenes by living the week in a barrel in order to highlight the essence of living a life that is free from the complex idiosyncrasies, constructs and trappings that define the contemporary era2.
Similar to Hoekstra’s stunt, Diogenes’ lifestyle choice shares similar philosophical underpinnings. As a cynic, his simple living choice questions the necessity of luxury and exuberance in sustaining a mortal human life. His message remains more evident than ever in the contemporary era that is often characterised by materialism and decadence from our infatuation with physical objects and desire to conform to the norms and constructs of the modern world. Diogenes reminds us to question the futility of our materialistic desires and free ourselves from living a sheltered existence in a calculated society. His message remains more relatable that ever to the elites of Ancient Greece as the elites of today, whose extravagant hedonistic lifestyles are hindered by an inner emptiness and desire for simplicity that one would forever remain unrealised. His simplistic choice embodies this cynical philosophy and establishes the school’s fundamental answer on how to live a mortal human life.
2. The Daylight Lantern
Another one of his clever stunts, was his daylight lantern, a frequent spectacle that involved Diogenes walking the sunny streets of Athens with a well-lit lantern. When questioned by onlookers of his bizarre behaviour, his response was that he was looking for an ‘honest man’. There is a current historic debate on the exact words he stated with some experts suggesting that he was looking for a ‘man’ or ‘human’ or any other word choice that reflects the idea of humanity3. This lexical dispute leads to two interrelated interpretations that I believe collectively convey the essence of his ingenious act.
If Diogenes was indeed looking for an honest man, it is palpable that he was highlighting the severe lack of authenticity and honesty in a society that is constrained by norms and constructs. By choosing to search this inexistent man in broad daylight, he highlights the scarcity of honesty and how it is instilled through society where people choose to act and enslave themselves to a status quo whilst jeopardising their own exercise of freedom. His choice to conduct this search with a lit lamp only further accentuates the gravity and relevance of his philosophical message to Athenian society that was at times stricken by instances of bad faith,
However, if we shift gears and focus on the second historic argument in that Diogenes was in search for a ‘human’ or ‘humanity’, it seems that he was questioning the very definition of humanity and how it was applied and practiced by the citizens of Athens. One could argue that his search for humanity was synonymous to an ordinary man’s quest for meaning as he climbs the ladder of life. However, his inability to search one, despite being in daylight with a lamp, serves as stark reflection on how many of us choose to live against the forces that strives us to find meaning in life and self-actualise. Consequently, Diogenes’s idea of the ‘honest man’ is more synonymous to a ‘genuine man’, a man whose quest for meaning is derived by his intrinsic desires as opposed to the expectations of society emphasising the importance of humans to self-actualise and celebrate their inner genuine self.
3. Don’t block my sunlight!
Many of the stunts mentioned thus so far were undoubtedly eccentric and wise but were relatively simple to translate actions to substance. The following stunt, however, is brief and implicit but carries profound axiological undertones. This is the tale of the day when the mighty King of Macedon, Alexander the Great, on an expedition to Corinth, encountered Diogenes, as usual, living life in his infamous barrel.
According to Plutarch’s writings, Alexander, having been educated by Aristotle, had himself become a fervent lover of wisdom and was thrilled to meet the iconoclastic Diogenes at the time. On that fateful day, Alexander approached the man whilst he was bathing in his barrel and in a brief yet memorable exchange, Alexander asked Diogenes if there was any favour he could grant him. Diogenes, reclining in his barrel, looked up and simply replied, “Move a little to the right; you are blocking my sun”. With a thoughtful smile and an expression of sudden clarity, Alexander then declared, “If I were not Alexander, then I should wish to be Diogenes”, subsequently granting his trivial request4.
This encounter represents a profound juxtaposition between two towering figures of antiquity: an ambitiously intelligent conqueror and a sagacious, ascetic philosopher. The stark contrast in their worldviews is immediately evident through our pre-conceived notions of both, and their humorous exchange illuminates several of Diogenes’s cynic philosophies. In essence, Diogenes extols simplicity as the highest virtue and his impudence to face the most powerful man in the Hellenistic world in such a casual manner. Diogenes positions himself as equal to Alexander and rejects the idea of titles and demographic markers that disrupt our humanistic need to bond with fellow humans. Alexander, despite his own grand pursuits, profoundly understands and acknowledges the wisdom in Diogenes’s words by fulfilling his simple request.
Furthermore, Diogenes’s emphasis on the ‘sun’ serves as a potent symbol of nature and the elemental needs of human life, urging us to reconnect with and celebrate the simple pleasures derived from nature. This interaction is thereby a timeless lesson that underscores the value of simplicity and contentment over the relentless pursuit of power and wealth by contrasting two juxtaposing figures in the history of Ancient Greece. As we navigate the complexities of modern existence, Diogenes’s message remains strikingly relevant: true fulfilment maybe found in the simple pleasures delivered by nature. In a world that is increasingly plagued by materialism and technological encroachment, we can revert to modest natural pleasures by the sounds of water gushing through fractured rocks or sun rays falling over a verdant vista of hills.
4. The Silence of the Statues
There are no limits to the eccentricity and ingeniousness of Diogenes’s philosophical stunts. Here is another peculiar one… Begging for food and money from statues. Diogenes would stand before the statues of gods and illustrious figures in public spaces, extending his hand and imploring them for alms5. Once again, his persistent pleas to these inanimate objects highlighted his willingness to engage in actions that defied conventional logic and decorum. However as accustomed as we are to Diogenes’ style of wisdom, we know this too was far from a meaningless stunt; it was a deliberate philosophical exercise that carried a deeper, profound message.
The underlying philosophy of begging from statues was a sharp critique of human behaviour. By choosing statues as the recipients of his pleas, Diogenes illustrated the futility of seeking help or validation from those who cannot provide it. This act paralleled the often-fruitless efforts of humans seeking approval from indifferent or incapable sources. Just as statues are lifeless and unresponsive, so too are many of the entities from which people seek validation- be it societal institutions, material wealth or superficial relationships. Diogenes’s actions underscored his cynic ideals of self-sufficiency and independence from societal expectations. He demonstrated that true strength and contentment come from within, rather than from external approval or assistance. Through this witty act, Diogenes challenged individuals to reconsider their dependencies and to cultivate a life grounded in self-reliance and inner fulfilment. This is key ideological fixture within cynicism and is indeed relevant in the present day, where external validation remains a key constituent of identity formation that has subsequently obscured us from our genuine self and our ability to stay independent and free.
5. The Featherless Chicken
Diogenes, our iconoclast, is also known for challenging his fellow philosophers at time who were ever-so infatuated with defining the metaphysics of reality through what he would have described as an absurd and ludicrous approach to inquiry. One of his most despised institutions would have been the Platonic academy where Plato himself had one day merely defined humanity as ‘featherless bipeds’ thus commanding Diogenes to perform yet again another philosophical stunt. In this provocative act, Diogenes was said to have entered the platonic academy with a featherless chicken and proudly declaring “Here is Plato’s human!6” This audacious act, which at first seemed like a mere joke or a mockery of philosophical discourse and was so influential that Plato himself was compelled to revise his definition of humanity.
The underlying message of Diogenes’s plucked chicken was to critique the superficial and abstract thinking instilled by the institutions of the time. By presenting the featherless bird as a “human” Diogenes exposed the inadequacy of defining humanity through theoretical thought experiments and reducing complex entities to narrow descriptions comprised of a few simple words. It emphasises the importance of looking beyond superficial attributes to understand the true nature of complex concepts as opposed to over-intellectualising and fetishizing them for the sake of pedagogy or philosophy. The holistic approach to understanding life through experience and living is what Diogenes advocates as the most ideal way to gage metaphysical concepts. This anecdote remains relevant to date, questioning figures in the academic field to seek deeper, more meaningful and more pragmatic definitions of complex phenomena that shrouding them in meaningless imagery and abstract thought that would never be understood by the layman.
6. Living Life Like a Dog
Diogenes is said to have lived life like a dog as the Athenians would says. He was known for his habit of scavenging for food, much like a stray dog. He would roam the streets, searching for discarded scraps and openly consuming whatever he found, regardless of how it might be perceived by others. This behaviour also said to have extended including acts such as urinating in public and masturbating on the streets of Athens7.The philosophy behind Diogenes’s ‘dog-like’ existence where he chose to make private acts a public spectacle is once again one of his many cynic metaphors. By aligning himself with the natural, unpretentious behaviour of dogs, Diogenes sought to demonstrate the transformation of humans from lawless animals to tamed beings highlighting a disparity that underscores the impact of societal norms and constructs in giving humans their new identity. By doing so , Diogenes reminds us that despite our complex human evolution we are still indifferent to animals and carry the same basic instincts, needs and desires which we must sometimes confronted in times of morally ambiguity. Therefore, Diogenes’s adoption of this lifestyle was a deliberate commentary on the false currency of morality and societal norms, which he saw as barriers to empathising with humans when we face scenarios where established morals are questioned and human instincts come into fruition.
7. King or Slave?
We close this list with one of the most striking of Diogenes’ philosophical stunts, this one involving human bones, slaves and once again the King of Macedon. According to Plutarch’s accounts, one ordinary day, Diogenes set foot on a marketplace where he was meticulously digging through a pile of human bones which attracted the stares of a few daily grocers. When asked what he was searching for, presumably by Alexander himself, he reportedly replied, “I am looking for the bones of your father (Philip of Macedon), but I cannot distinguish them from those of a slave”8.A deeply macabre and bone chilling act but nevertheless another one of his erudite stunts.
Diogenes’s search for bones was not a literal quest but a symbolic commentary on human equality and the futility of social distinctions making it one of his most progressive messages that surpasses the intellect of the time where inequality was weaved through the Hellenistic social fabric. By sifting through bones to find those of a king but unable to distinguish them from those of a slave, Diogenes was highlighting the inherent equality of all humans beyond their social status and roles. He highlights that in the face of death, all human distinctions become meaningless irrespective of whether they are by gender, status, wealth or role. It serves as a direct challenge to the social hierarchies and pretensions of his time, emphasising that material and social distinctions are ultimately irrelevant when faced with the fundamental truths of human mortality.
Diogenes’s bone-searching incident serves as a timeless reminder of the ephemeral nature of social status and material wealth. In today’s context, where societal divisions and the pursuit of status often overshadow our common humanity, Diogenes’s message is particularly relevant. It encourages us to recognise the inherent equality of all individuals and to reflect on the true value of our actions and judgments. By acknowledging the inherent sameness in all people, we can foster a more equitable and compassionate society, transcending superficial distinctions and focusing on shared human experiences and values.
There we go! 7 Philosophical stunts performed by Diogenes that despite being comedic gold hint erudite messages that are still relevant to modern-day as much as ancient humans. Since this is an article on Diogenes, let me end it by rejecting the academic convention of writing a conclusion and leave it to you synthesise and concatenate the wisdom and comedy of Diogenes’ stunts. He remains my favourite Classical philosopher and an eloquent reminder of how simplicity, honesty and equality among many others are great virtues that define humanity.
REFERENCES
1Diogenes of Sinope. (n.d.). In Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://iep.utm.edu/diogenes-of-sinope/
2Cook, W. (2007, April 5). The philosopher of fun. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2007/apr/05/features11.g2
3Zaretsky, R. (2016, Spring). Looking for an honest man. National Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/looking-for-an-honest-man
4Panagopoulos, A. (2023, October 18). The meeting of Alexander the Great and Diogenes the Cynic: A clash of philosophy and power. Greek Reporter. Retrieved from https://greekreporter.com/2023/10/18/alexander-great-diogenes-philosophy/
5Grout, J. (n.d.). Diogenes the Cynic. Encyclopaedia Romana. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/greece/hetairai/diogenes.html#:~:text=Asked%20why%20he%20begged%20in,hunger%20by%20rubbing%20one’s%20stomach
6Saul, H. (2016, April 4). Of Socrates, cynics and flat-nailed featherless bipeds. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://archive.nytimes.com/opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/04/04/of-socrates-cynics-and-flat-nailed-featherless-bipeds/
7Martin, D. (2023, June 1). Diogenes the Cynic: A Socrates gone mad? Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/hide-and-seek/202306/diogenes-the-cynic-a-socrates-gone-mad#:~:text=After%20being%20exiled%20from%20his,the%20false%20currency%20of%20morality
8Tsakonas, A. (2023, January 1). Diogenes of Sinope and Alexander the Great: A study of philosophical confrontation. Strategos History. Retrieved from https://www.strategoshistory.com
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