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Diogenes, the father of cynicism, rejected human norms and lived a simple life close to nature. He defaced currency and was exiled from Sinope, eventually dying in Corinth. He owned few possessions and advocated for a frank and natural lifestyle, famously using dogs for inspiration. He had a sharp tongue and mocked other philosophers. No known writings of Diogenes survive, and much of what is known about him comes from the writings of followers and contemporaries.
Diogenes was a well-known Greek philosopher who became famous as the father of cynicism. As a cynic, Diogenes rejected human norms and conventions, trying to live a life as close to nature as possible to rid his mind of him. No known writings of Diogenes survive; what we know about him comes from the writings of followers and contemporaries, who extensively described some of his exploits. In some cases, it is difficult to tell where the mark falls between legend and reality with Diogenes, because a huge body of mythology has arisen around the man and his peculiar life.
He was born around 400 BC in Sinope and all evidence suggests he was either exiled or encouraged to leave as a young man as punishment for defacing currency. From Sinope, he made his way to Athens, finally ending up in Corinth and dying around 325 BC Along the way, Diogenes attracted much attention with his radical views, famously losing all his worldly possessions one by one.
According to Diogenes, the mind had to be free to seek wisdom, and this meant that things like wealth, rank, privilege, and other human conventions had to be ignored. Additionally, he advocated for a more frank and natural lifestyle, famously using dogs for inspiration. Diogenes emphasized that dogs are comfortable doing anything in public, and he followed suit, famously defecating in public squares, urinating on people he disliked, and indulging in a variety of lewd acts in plain sight.
“Cynic” in fact comes from the Ancient Greek word for dog, kyon, and Diogenes advocated a canine life of simplicity and forthright honesty. He owned few possessions, led a life of poverty on the streets; he is said to have broken his last possession, a bowl, upon seeing a farmer drink from his hands. In Athens, Diogenes enjoyed making enemies of other philosophers and during the day he wandered through the city with a lighted lamp, saying that he was looking for an honest man.
By all accounts, Diogenes had a very sharp tongue and a sour wit. In his eyes, nothing was sacred, and everything offered an opportunity for mockery and deconstruction, given the time. For example, after hearing Plato’s statement that man is a featherless biped with two legs, Diogenes triumphantly presented Plato with a plucked chicken.
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