Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter

Diogenes the Cynic

Apparently, I’ve fallen into a Greek-philosopher rabbit hole. After listening to me ramble on about Aristotle a while back, my younger son showed me a video about Diogenes, posted by one of his favorite YouTubers. Diogenes, my son informed me, was really up my alley: He was such a minimalist, he didn’t even have a bowl.

I watched the video and did some reading of my own. Diogenes, for those who haven’t fallen down Greek-philosopher rabbit holes, founded the branch of philosophy known as cynicism. He thought humans were really animals and we should live simply and stop giving ourselves airs. He admired dogs, who defecate where they want, and masturbate in public. (Now you can see why a YouTuber who primarily plays video games for an audience of adolescent boys can get millions of boys to watch a video about a dead philosopher.) One of the famous stories about Diogenes is that his only possession was a bowl, but when he saw a peasant boy drink out of his hands, he realized he didn’t even need the bowl.

I need a bowl. In fact, I have enough bowls to serve 50 people chili, which I hope I will someday be able to do again. I am not as cynical as Diogenes—and yet, there’s something to be learned from his philosophy. I don’t want to be a dog, but Diogenes was onto something when he accused people of being too invested in the trappings of society. He was influenced by the Ascetics and he influenced the Stoics, both of which advocated simplicity and self-discipline.

I have often written about how important it is to develop a sense of skepticism (another Greek philosophy!) when you are confronted with stuff you need. With all the algorithms out there tracking your every whim, it’s more important than ever to approach your purchasing habits with some cynicism. You don’t have to be an ascetic to realize you need less than you have. Even if you don’t choose to be a minimalist, you can ask yourself if you really need something or if you are just trying to show off with designer labels or if you’re being manipulated by big tech (because Big Brother knows exactly which shoes you want). So, channel a little Diogenes, and question what you really need. The answer: Always less than you think.