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Diogenes is the most based person who ever existed, fight me (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by Godric@lemmy.world to c/memes@lemmy.ml

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[-] wozomo@lemmy.world 120 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Supposedly Alexander the Great went to visit Diogenes in a suburb of Corinth to see what his deal was. When Alexander asked if Diogenes wanted anything from him, Diogenes reported replied “yes, move, you’re blocking the sun.”

Afterwards, Alexander was so amused and impressed that he’s quoted as saying “it I were not Alexander, I wish I were Diogenes.”

Fucking awesome.

[-] m0darn@lemmy.ca 95 points 1 year ago

I seem to recall Diogenes replied:

Likewise: if I were not Diogenes I too would wish I were Diogenes

I mean it's all probably made up but what a guy.

[-] theodewere@kbin.social 25 points 1 year ago

i've been trying to figure out how to explain the spirit of the '70s to people, and i think that's exactly it.. everybody wanted to be Diogenes..

[-] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

Diogenes was the Zlatan of philosophy.

[-] DASEIN@waveform.social 25 points 1 year ago

And apparently Diogenes said back to Alexander "if I were not Diogenes, I would also want to be Diogenes".

Legend.

[-] hungryphrog@lemmy.blahaj.zone 22 points 1 year ago

Dude straight up told the most powerful man of his time to fuck off.

[-] Cannibal_MoshpitV3@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago

Diogenes didn't exactly tell him to fuck off, it was more that he made a request for him to move over as if Alexander was literally any other man on Earth. An equal. Which arguably is more insulting as I'm sure Alexander's enemies often told him to fuck off, but this was the first time he was requested to stand aside by a dude known to publically masturbate.

Later, Alexander found Diogenes picking at the bones of a long dead servant, and when Alexander inquired as to what Diogenes was doing, Diogenes replied that he was trying find the difference between these bones and the bones of Alexander's father. Zero fucks given because in the end we are all bones.