The necessity of the existence of a state was denied by Diogenes. Diogenes of Sinope - philosopher in a barrel
He was smart and sharp-tongued, subtly noticing all the shortcomings of an individual and society. Diogenes of Sinope, whose works have come to us only in the form of retellings by later authors, is considered a mystery. He is at the same time a seeker of truth and a sage to whom it was revealed, a skeptic and a critic, a unifying link. In a word, a Man with a capital P, from whom modern people, accustomed to the benefits of civilization and technology, can learn a lot.
Diogenes of Sinope and his way of life
Many people remember from school that Diogenes was the name of the man who lived in a barrel in the middle of the Athenian square. A philosopher and eccentric, he nevertheless glorified his name throughout the centuries thanks to his own teachings, later called cosmopolitan. He harshly criticized Plato, pointing out to this ancient Greek scientist the shortcomings of his philosophy. He despised fame and luxury, laughed at those who glorify the mighty of the world in order to be held in high esteem. He preferred to run his house using a clay barrel, which could often be seen in the agora. Diogenes of Sinope traveled a lot throughout the Greek city-states, and considered himself a citizen of the whole world, that is, of space.
The path to truth
Diogenes, whose philosophy may seem contradictory and strange (and all due to the fact that his works have not reached us in their original form), was a student of Antisthenes. History says that the teacher at first strongly disliked the young man who was searching for the truth. This is because he was the son of a money changer, who not only was in prison (for money transactions), but also did not have the best reputation. The respectful Antisthenes tried to drive away the new student, and even beat him with a stick, but Diogenes did not budge. He thirsted for knowledge, and Antisthenes had to reveal it to him. Diogenes of Sinope considered his credo to be that he should continue his father’s work, but on a different scale. If his dad literally spoiled the coin, then the philosopher decided to spoil all established cliches, destroy traditions and prejudices. He wanted, as it were, to erase from those false values that were implanted by him. Honor, glory, wealth - he considered all this to be a false inscription on coins made of base metal.
Citizen of the world and friend of dogs
The philosophy of Diogenes of Sinope is special and brilliant in its simplicity. Despising all material goods and values as such, he settled in a barrel. True, some researchers believe that this was not an ordinary barrel in which water or wine was stored. Most likely, it was a large jug that had ritual significance: they were used for burial. The philosopher ridiculed the established norms of clothing, rules of behavior, religion, and lifestyle of the townspeople. He lived like a dog, on alms, and often called himself a four-legged animal. For this he was called a cynic (from the Greek word for dog). His life is entangled not only with many secrets, but also with comical situations; he is the hero of many jokes.
Common features with other teachings
The whole essence of Diogenes' teaching can be contained in one sentence: live content with what you have and be grateful for it. Diogenes of Sinope had a negative attitude towards art, as a manifestation of unnecessary benefits. After all, a person should study not ghostly matters (music, painting, sculpture, poetry), but himself. Prometheus, who brought fire to people and taught them to create various necessary and unnecessary objects, was considered justly punished. After all, titanium helped man create complexity and artificiality in modern life, without which life would be much easier. In this, the philosophy of Diogenes is similar to Taoism, the teachings of Rousseau and Tolstoy, but is more stable in its views.
Fearless to the point of recklessness, he calmly asked (who had conquered his country and came to meet the famous eccentric) to move away and not block the sun for him. The teachings of Diogenes help all who study his works to get rid of fear. Indeed, on the path of striving for virtue, he got rid of worthless earthly goods and acquired moral freedom. In particular, it was this thesis that was accepted by the Stoics, who developed it into a separate concept. But the Stoics themselves were unable to abandon all the advantages of a civilized society.
Like his contemporary Aristotle, Diogenes was cheerful. He did not preach withdrawal from life, but only called for detachment from external, fragile goods, thereby laying the foundations for optimism and a positive outlook on all occasions in life. Being a very energetic person, the philosopher in the barrel was the direct opposite of the boring and respectable sages with their teachings intended for tired people.
The meaning of the philosophy of the sage of Sinop
The lit lantern (or torch, according to other sources), with which he searched for a person during the day, became an example of contempt for the norms of society back in ancient times. This special view of life and values attracted other people who became followers of the madman. And the teaching of the Cynics itself was recognized as the shortest road to virtue.
“MY HOUSE IS MY BARREL” (DIOGENES OF SINOPE)
Diogenes of Sinope - ancient Greek Cynic philosopher, student of Antisthenes. Lived and worked around 400-325 BC. e. He was a very extraordinary person, and during his lifetime he became the hero of numerous tales and anecdotes. His father was a government money changer, and Diogenes sometimes worked with his father. But they were soon expelled for deceiving and robbing the people.
Having settled in Athens, he became a student of Antisthenes, who, according to legend, first drove Diogenes away with a stick, but then still accepted him, seeing in the young man a deep desire to know life as it really is. Since then, he began to lead a very peculiar lifestyle.
Diogenes lived an interesting and unusual life, dying at a very old age. There are many legends not only about his life, but also about his death. Some say that he ate raw octopus and fell ill with cholera, others say that he died of old age, deliberately holding his breath. Still others say that Diogenes wanted to divide the octopus among stray dogs, but they were so hungry that they bit him, and from this he died.
Dying, Diogenes gave the order not to bury his body, but to throw it so that it could become the prey of animals, or throw it into a ditch. But, of course, the grateful disciples did not dare to leave the mortal remains without burial - and buried Diogenes near the gate leading to Isthmus. A pillar was placed on his grave, and on the pillar was an image of a dog and a huge number of copper tablets, on which words of gratitude and regret about his death were carved. It may seem strange that a stone dog was placed on the grave. The fact is that during his lifetime Diogenes called himself a dog (the philosopher considered himself a Cynic, and “kinos” is translated from ancient Greek as “dog”), citing the fact that he would lick the feet of good people who gave him a piece of bread, and evil ones - bite mercilessly.
Diogenes composed many works, including “The Athenian People”, “The State”, “The Science of Morals”, “On Wealth”, “On Love”, “Aristarchus”, “On Death” and others. In addition, he wrote such tragedies as “Helen”, “Thyestes”, “Hercules”, “Achilles”, “Oedipus”, “Medea” and others.
As mentioned earlier, Diogenes of Sinope had an extraordinary mind and practiced extreme asceticism, sometimes bordering on eccentric foolishness. He preached a healthy lifestyle. The simpler and poorer a person lived, refusing many of the benefits of civilization, the higher and more spiritual he looked in the eyes of Diogenes. He called himself a citizen of the world and, according to ancient legend, lived in an ordinary clay barrel at the temple of the Mother of the Gods, deliberately depriving himself of numerous benefits.
Diogenes understood how to live when he accidentally turned his gaze to a mouse running past. She was free, did not need bedding, was not afraid of the dark, was content with simple food, which she obtained through labor and care, and did not strive to receive any pleasures, which Diogenes considered superficial and imaginary, only hiding the real essence.
In his so-called home - in a barrel - Diogenes slept, putting a cloak folded in half under him, which he then put on and wore. He always had a bag with him in which he kept simple food. If he sometimes did not have to spend the night in a barrel, then any other place, be it a square or bare damp earth, was equally suitable for Diogenes for eating, sleeping, and for long conversations with casual listeners.
Diogenes called on everyone to harden their bodies, but he did not limit himself to just one call, but showed by his own example how to harden. In the summer, he took off his clothes and lay for a long time on the hot sand, and in the winter, he jogged barefoot on the cold ground and hugged snow-covered statues.
Diogenes treated all people without exception with contemptuous ridicule - and said that sometimes it seemed to him that man was the most intelligent creature on earth. But when on his way he met people who boasted of wealth or fame, or who deceived the common people for their own benefit, then people seemed to him much more stupid than the rest of God’s creatures. He argued: in order to live properly, you must at least have reason.
Diogenes by nature was a kind of cynic (it’s easy to guess that “cynic” is a corruption of “cynic” by the Romans), not sparing himself or anyone else. He said that people are inherently evil and insidious - and at any opportunity they strive to push those walking next to them into a ditch, and the further, the better. But none of them even makes attempts to become kinder and better. He was surprised that people look into the distance, not noticing simple and everyday things that happen very close. He was irritated by the fact that they prayed to God for good health, while at the same time engaging in gluttony at numerous feasts.
The philosopher taught that people, if possible, take care of themselves, eat simple food and drink clean water, had their hair cut short, did not wear jewelry or frilly clothes, walked barefoot as often as possible and were mostly silent, with downcast eyes. He considered people with eloquence to be empty talkers with a limited worldview.
Being a deeply religious man, Diogenes believed that everything that happens on earth is in the power of the gods. He considered the sages to be chosen people close to the gods, their close friends, and since friends have everything in common, then absolutely everything in the world belongs to the sages. He was sure that fate could be outsmarted if one showed courage and courage in time. He opposed nature to the law, and reason to human passions.
To those who were afraid of bad dreams, Diogenes said that it would be better for them to worry about what they do during the day, and not about the stupid thoughts that come to mind at night. But no matter how cynically he treated people in general and himself in particular, the Athenians loved and revered Diogenes. And when one day a poor boy accidentally broke his house - a barrel, this boy was subjected to severe punishment, and Diogenes was given a new barrel.
He often announced publicly that initially the gods gave people an easy and happy life, but they themselves spoiled and darkened it, gradually inventing various benefits for themselves. He considered greed to be the cause of all troubles - and he called old age, which overtakes a person in poverty, the most sorrowful thing in life. Diogenes called such a wonderful feeling as love the work of idlers, and noble and good-natured people as likenesses of gods. He considered human life to be evil, but not all life, only bad life.
He ridiculed fame, wealth and noble origin, calling all this the embellishments of vice. And the whole world considered it the only true state. Diogenes said that wives should be common and, therefore, sons should also be common. Denied legal marriage. He argued that everything exists in everything and through everything, that is, bread contains meat, vegetables contain bread; and in general, all bodies penetrate each other with the smallest particles through invisible pores.
Diogenes had many students and listeners, despite the fact that he was at least reputed to be an unusual and extraordinary person. They continued his work, thereby ensuring the development of the idea of asceticism in philosophy.
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One day, the famous commander Alexander the Great was passing through Athens and stopped to look at a local landmark - the philosopher Diogenes. Alexander approached the barrel in which the thinker lived and offered to do something for him. Diogenes replied: “Don’t block the sun for me!”
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People remember Diogenes. The first thing that comes to mind is that the sage renounced earthly goods and doomed himself to deprivation. No wonder they call him “the philosopher in a barrel.” Such knowledge about the fate of the sage and his scientific contribution is superficial.
Life arrangement
Ancient Greek thinker originally from Sinop. To become a philosopher, the man went to Athens. There the thinker met Antisthenes and asked to become his student. The master wanted to drive the poor fellow out with a stick, but the young man bent down and said: “There is no stick with which you could drive me away.” Antisthenes resigned himself.
Many sages led an ascetic lifestyle, but Diogenes surpassed the teachers and all other learned hermits.
The man equipped himself with a home in the city square, completely abandoned household utensils, leaving himself only a drinking ladle. One day a sage saw a boy quenching his thirst with his palms. Then he got rid of the ladle, left his shack, and went wherever his eyes were looking. Trees, gateways, and an empty barrel covered with grass served as shelter for him.
Diogenes practically did not wear clothes, frightening the townspeople with his nakedness. In winter I did rubdowns, hardening, did not hide under the blanket, it was simply not there. People considered the eccentric a beggar, without family and tribe. But the thinker deliberately led such a way of existence. He believed that everything a person needs is given to him by nature; excesses only interfere with life and lull the mind. The philosopher actively participated in the life of the Athenians. Known as a controversialist, the man started conversations about politics, social changes, and criticized famous citizens. He was never put behind bars because of sweeping statements. The ability to get out of difficult situations by forcing people to think was the talent of a sage.
Philosophizing and rejection of material things
The philosophy of the cynics reflects true judgments Diogenes on the structure of society. Shocking, antisocial behavior forced others to think about real values - why a person renounces benefits in favor of self-restraint.
His compatriots respected the thinker, despite his insolence, came to him for advice, considered him a sage, and even loved him. One day a little hooligan broke Diogenes' barrel - the townspeople gave him a new one.
The philosopher’s view was aimed at man’s achievement of unity with nature, since man is a creation of nature, he is initially free, and material excesses contribute to the destruction of personality.
Once a thinker walking along the shopping aisles was asked: “You are giving up material wealth. Then why are you coming here?” To which he replied that he wanted to see objects that neither he nor humanity needed.
The philosopher often walked during the day with a lit “lamp”, explaining his actions by searching honest people, which even in the light of the sun and fire cannot be found.
Sitting in a barrel, the sage approached the powers that be. Having become closely acquainted with the thinker, Macedonian said: “If I had not been a king, I would have become Diogenes.” He consulted with a sage about the need to go to India. The philosopher was critical of the ruler’s plan, predicted infection with fever, and in a friendly manner advised the commander to become his neighbor in the barrel. Macedonsky refused, went to India and died there of fever.
Diogenes promoted freedom from temptation. He believed that marriages between people were an unnecessary relic; children and women should be shared. He ridiculed religion, faith as such. He saw kindness as a true value, but stated that people had forgotten how to show it, and were condescending towards their shortcomings.
Life path of a philosopher
The biography of the thinker begins in 412 BC, when he was born in the city of Sinope into a noble family. In his youth, the Sinopian thinker wanted to mint coins with his father, for which he was expelled from his hometown. His wanderings led him to Athens, where he became the successor of Antisthenes.
A strange philosopher lives in the capital, preaching the main principle ancient philosophy– distinguishing the essence of things from familiar images. His goal is to destroy generally accepted concepts of good and evil. The philosopher surpasses the teacher in popularity and strictness of lifestyle. He contrasts the voluntary renunciation of material wealth with the vanity, ignorance, and greed of the Athenians.
The biography of the thinker tells how he lived in a barrel. But the thing is that in Ancient Greece there were no barrels. The Thinker lived in a pithos - a large ceramic vessel, laid it on its side and calmly took a night's rest. During the day he wandered. In ancient times there were public baths, where a man monitored hygiene.
The year 338 BC was marked by the Battle of Chaeronea between Macedonia, Athens and Thebes. Despite the fact that the opposing armies were equally strong, Alexander the Great and Philip II crushed the Greeks. Diogenes, like many other Athenians, was captured by the Macedonians. The sage ended up on the slave market, where Xeniades bought him as a slave.
The philosopher died in 323 BC. e. What his death was is anyone's guess. There are several versions - poisoning by raw octopus, a bite from a rabid dog, an unfinished practice of holding one's breath. The philosopher treated death and the treatment of the dead after it with humor. He was once asked, “How would you like to be buried?” The Thinker suggested: “Throw me outside the city, the wild animals will do their job.” “Won’t you be scared?” the curious were not appeased. “Then give me the club,” continued the philosopher. Onlookers wondered how he would use a weapon while dead. Diogenes sneered: “Then why should I be afraid if I’m already dead?”
A monument was erected at the thinker’s grave in the form of a stray dog lying down to rest.
Discussions with Plato
Not all his contemporaries treated him with sympathy. Plato considered him insane. This opinion was based on the lifestyle of the Sinope thinker, to a lesser extent on his philosophical ideas. Plato reproached his opponent for shamelessness, viciousness, uncleanliness, and disgustingness. The truth was in his words: Diogenes, as a representative of a cynical person, wandered, relieved himself in front of the townspeople, publicly masturbated, and violated moral laws in various ways. Plato believed that there should be moderation in everything; such unpleasant spectacles should not be put on display.
Regarding science, two philosophers entered into an argument. Plato spoke of man as an animal without feathers on two legs. Diogenes came up with the idea of plucking a rooster and presenting to observers “a new individual according to Plato.” The opponent retorted: “Then, according to Diogenes, a person is a mixture of a madman who has escaped from a mental hospital and a half-naked tramp running after the royal retinue.”
Slavery as power
When the thinker entered the slave market after the Battle of Chaeronea, they asked him what talents he possessed. Diogenes said: “What I know best is to rule over people.”
The sage was enslaved by Xeniades and became a teacher for his two sons. Diogenes taught the boys to ride horses and throw darts. He taught the children history and Greek poetry. Once he was asked: “Why don’t you, being a slave, wash your own apples?”, the answer was amazing: “If I washed my own apples, I would not be a slave.”
Asceticism as a way of life
Diogenes is an extraordinary philosopher whose ideal way of life was asceticism. The thinker viewed it as complete, unlimited freedom, independence from imposed restrictions. He watched how a mouse, needing almost nothing, lived in its hole, being content with insignificant things. Following her example, the sage also sat down in pithos and became happy.
When his compatriots were preparing for war, he simply rolled his barrel. To the question: “What are you doing on the threshold of war?” Diogenes replied: “I also want to do something, since I have nothing else - I’m rolling a barrel.”
The Cynics preach a natural and close to nature life. Moreover, nature is understood more as human instincts, rather than the earth’s flora and fauna. Antisthenes founded the first school of Cynics in Ancient Greece. However, his student, Diogenes of Sinope, received the greatest fame. It was he who brought to life the image of a true Cynic sage.
Life "before" philosophy
Diogenes was born in the city of Sinope. His father worked as a moneylender and the family's life was comfortable. However, after they were caught minting counterfeit money, they were expelled from the city. In hopes of redefining values own life Diogenes went to Athens. There he realized his calling in philosophy.
Diogenes - student
Diogenes of Sinope firmly decided to join the founder of the Cynic school - Antisthenes. The teacher, in turn, did not need students and refused to teach. In addition, he was embarrassed by the young man’s dubious reputation. But Diogenes could not have become the greatest Cynic if he had given up so easily.
He didn’t have money for housing, so he dug a pithos - a large clay barrel - into the ground and began to live inside. Day after day, he continued to ask the elderly philosopher for training, absolutely not accepting refusal. Neither blows with a stick nor rough persecution could drive him away. He thirsted for wisdom and saw its source in the person of Antisthenes. Ultimately, the master gave up and took on the persistent student.
Diogenes - Cynic
The basis of the philosophy of Diogenes of Sinope is asceticism. He deliberately refused any benefits of civilization, continuing to live in pithos and beg for alms. They rejected any conventions, be they religious, social or political. He did not recognize the state and religion, preaching a natural life, filled with imitation of nature.
Lying near the pithos, he read sermons to the townspeople. He assured that only a renunciation of the benefits of civilization can free a person from fear. It is necessary to discard conventions and prejudices in order to leave the position of being led. Living like a dog lives - freely and naturally - is a direct path to liberation and happiness.
You see before you a cosmopolitan, a citizen of the world. I fight against pleasures. I am the liberator of humanity and the enemy of passions, I want to be a prophet of truth and freedom of speech.
Diogenes said that every person has at his disposal everything he needs for a happy life. However, instead of taking advantage of this, people dream of illusory wealth and ephemeral pleasures. By the way, science and art, according to Diogenes, are more than useless. Why spend your life knowing them when you only need to know yourself?
Diogenes, however, revered the practical and moral sides of philosophy. He argued that it is the moral compass of people. Famous saying Diogenes of Sinope, addressed to a certain person who denied the importance of philosophy:
Why do you live if you don’t care to live well?
Diogenes strove for virtue all his life. He did this in unusual ways, but his goal was always noble. And even if his ideas did not always find suitable minds, the fact that we are reading about him now, after so many years, speaks volumes.
Diogenes vs Plato
It is a widely known fact about the eternal disputes between Diogenes and Plato. The two irreconcilable philosophers did not miss the opportunity to notice the mistakes of the other. Diogenes saw in Plato only a “chatterbox.” Plato, in turn, called Diogenes "the mad Socrates."
Reasoning about concepts and properties, Plato came to the conclusion that each object has its own properties. This theory was happily countered by Diogenes: “I see the table and the bowl, but I do not see the cup and the size.” To this Plato replied: “To see the table and the cup, you have eyes, but to see the table and the cup, you have no mind.”
Diogenes's most brilliant moment is his disagreement with Plato's theory that man is a bird without feathers. During one of Plato’s lectures, Diogenes burst into the hall and threw a plucked rooster at the feet of the audience, exclaiming: “Look, here he is - Plato’s man!”
Relations between them were generally tense. Diogenes openly showed his disdain for Plato's idealism and the very personality of the philosopher. He considered him an empty talker and despised him for his groveling. Plato, keeping up with his opponent, called Diogenes a dog and complained about his lack of reason.
Diogenes - the "rock star" of antiquity
What Diogenes was good at besides philosophy was extravagant antics. With his behavior, he clearly drew a line between him and other people. He subjected himself to severe training, tormented his body with tests. His goal was not only physical discomfort, but also moral humiliation. It was for this purpose that he asked for alms from the statues, in order to accustom himself to refusal. One of the famous quotes from Diogenes of Sinope reads:
Philosophy gives you readiness for any turn of fate.
One day Diogenes began to call people, and when they came running to his call, he attacked them with a stick and shouted: “I called people, not scoundrels!” Another time he walked down the street during the day with a lit lantern and looked for a person. By this he wanted to show that the title “man” must be earned good deeds, which means it’s very difficult to find one.
The famous case of the meeting between Diogenes of Sinope and Alexander the Great is noteworthy. Alexander, having arrived in Athens, wished to meet the sage living in pithos, about whom the whole city was gossiping. As soon as the king approached Diogenes, he hastened to introduce himself: “I am Alexander the Great.” The sage replied: “And I am the dog Diogenes.” Alexander, admiring the Cynic, invited him to ask for whatever he wanted. Diogenes responded: “Do not block the sun for me.”
When the philosopher was thrown dice, citing the fact that he calls himself a dog, he simply urinated on them. When Diogenes masturbated in public, he was dissatisfied with the fact that hunger could not be satisfied simply by stroking the belly. One day, while giving a lecture in the square, he noticed that no one was paying attention to him. Then he squealed like a bird, and a whole crowd gathered around him. To this he said:
This, Athenians, is the price of your mind! When I told you smart things, no one paid attention to me, and when I chirped like an unreasonable bird, you listen to me with your mouth open.
Although his antics seem quite strange and repulsive, he did it with a purpose. He was confident that people could only be taught to appreciate what they had by example.
Slavery
Diogenes tried to leave Athens, not wanting to participate in hostilities; any manifestation of violence was alien to him. The philosopher failed: the ship was overtaken by pirates and Diogenes was captured. At the slave market he was sold to a certain Xeniadus.
While raising his master's children, Diogenes taught them modesty in eating and eating, handling darts and riding horses. In general, he turned out to be a very useful teacher and was not burdened by the position of a slave. On the contrary, he wanted to show that the Cynic philosopher, even being a slave, still remains freer than his master.
Death
Death is not evil, for there is no dishonor in it.
Death overtook Diogenes in the same slavery. He, at his own request, was buried face down. On his monument was a marble figure of a dog, symbolizing the life of Diogenes.
The Rise of Cynicism
Diogenes of Sinope became a symbol of the Cynic movement. Diogenes was an older contemporary of Alexander. One source says that he died in Corinth on the same day as Alexander in Babylon.
Diogenes surpassed the fame of his teacher Antisthenes. This was a young man from Sinope on the Euxine, whom Antisthenes disliked at first sight; he was the son of a money changer with a dubious reputation, who was in prison for damaging a coin. Antisthenes drove the young man away, but he did not pay attention to it. Antisthenes beat him with a stick, but he did not budge. He needed "wisdom", and he believed that Antisthenes should give it to him. His goal in life was to do what his father did - “spoil the coin,” but on a much larger scale. He would like to spoil all the “coin” available in the world. Any accepted stamp is false, false. People with the stamp of generals and kings, things with the stamp of honor and wisdom, happiness and wealth - all these were base metals with a false inscription.
Diogenes decided to live like a dog, and therefore he was called "cynic", which means canine (another version of the origin of the name of the school). He rejected all conventions concerning religion, manners, clothing, housing, food, and decency. They say that he lived in a barrel, but Gilbert Murray assures that this is a mistake: it was a huge jug, such as were used in primitive times for burials. He lived like an Indian fakir, by alms. He declares his brotherhood not only with the entire human race, but also with animals. He was a man about whom stories were collected during his lifetime. It is widely known that Alexander visited him and asked if he wanted any favor. “Just don’t block my light,” Diogenes replied.
Diogenes' teaching was in no way what we now call "cynical", quite the opposite. He ardently strived for “virtue,” in comparison with which, as he argued, all earthly goods are worthless. He sought virtue and moral freedom in freedom from desire: be indifferent to the blessings that fortune has bestowed upon you, and you will be free from fear. Diogenes believed that Prometheus was rightly punished for bringing to man the arts that gave rise to the complexity and artificiality of modern life.
Diogenes not only strengthened the extremism of Antisthenes, but created a new ideal of life of extraordinary severity, which became paradigmatic for centuries.
One phrase can express the entire program of this philosopher: “I am looking for a person,” which he repeated with a lantern in his hands among the crowd and in broad daylight, provoking an ironic reaction. I'm looking for a man who lives in accordance with his purpose. I am looking for a person who is above everything external, above social prejudices, above even the whims of fate, who knows and knows how to find his own and unique nature, with which he agrees, and, therefore, he is happy.
“The Cynic Diogenes,” an ancient source testifies, “repeated that the gods gave people the means to live, but they were mistaken about these people.” Diogenes saw his task as showing that a person always has everything at his disposal to be happy if he understands the requirements of his nature.
In this context, his statements about the uselessness of mathematics, physics, astronomy, music, and the absurdity of metaphysical constructions are understandable. Cynicism has become the most anti-cultural phenomenon of all the philosophical movements of Greece and the West in general. One of the most extreme conclusions was that the most essential needs of man are those of animals.
Only the one who is free from the greatest number of needs is free. The Cynics tirelessly insisted on freedom, losing their measure. In the face of the almighty, they were bordering on recklessness in defending freedom of speech." parrhesia". "Anaideia", freedom of action, was intended to show all the unnatural behavior of the Greeks. In one luxurious house, in response to a request to maintain order, Diogenes spat in the owner’s face, noting that he had not seen a more nasty place.
Diogenes defines the method and path leading to freedom and virtues with the concepts of “asceticism,” “effort,” and “hard work.” Training the soul and body to the point of readiness to withstand the adversity of the elements, the ability to dominate lusts, moreover, contempt for pleasures are the fundamental values of the Cynics, for pleasures not only relax the body and soul, but seriously threaten freedom, making a person a slave to his affections. For the same reason, marriage was also condemned in favor of free cohabitation between a man and a woman. However, the Cynic is also outside the state, his fatherland is the whole world. "Autarky", i.e. self-sufficiency, apathy and indifference to everything are the ideals of cynic life.