Diogenes, the Father of Ancient Greek Stoicism, Loving Trolling His Audience and Could Out-Shock Borat

Dec 25, 2025

Inger Kuhn, a historian and author specializing in Diogenes, shares insights into the notorious Cynic philosopher known for his shocking antics. They discuss Diogenes' audacious exchanges, including his famous encounter with Alexander the Great, showcasing his views on independence. Kuhn argues for Diogenes' legitimacy as a philosopher, emphasizing his lived experiences over theoretical constructs. The dialogue explores how Diogenes challenged societal norms, critiqued slavery, and remains relevant today in advocating for authenticity and self-sufficiency.

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ANECDOTE

Sunlight Over Sovereignty

Diogenes refused to visit Alexander and stayed sunning himself outside Corinth while Alexander sought him out.
When offered anything, Diogenes asked Alexander to step out of his sun, showing radical independence and wit.

INSIGHT

Philosophy Worn As A Life

Diogenes' philosophy is inseparable from his life because he taught by dramatic, personal example rather than abstract systems.
Rejecting Hegel's dismissal, Inger Kuhn argues that his located, performative philosophy still offers lasting lessons.

ANECDOTE

Walking Past Paradoxes

When challenged with philosophical paradoxes like movement's impossibility, Diogenes simply walked a lap and sat down.
His action answered complex speculation by privileging lived experience over abstract proofs.

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The famous street artist Banksy shocked the art world in 2018 when his painting, Girl with Balloon, partially shredded itself moments after selling it for over a million dollars. at a Sotheby's auction in London. Banksy had secretly built a mechanical shredder into the painting's ornate frame, turning the destruction into a piece of performance art which was later authenticated and renamed Love Is in the Bin. He did this to make a statement about the art market's hyper-commercialization.

One of the most famous and influential philosophers of the ancient world enjoyed doing similar types of shocking stunts to make his point in the most memorable way possible. Diogenes the Cynic had a reputation for eccentricity. He lived in a large clay wine jar and owned almost nothing, a demonstration that true freedom and happiness come from self-sufficiency. He defecated in public, and when criticized, he asked why it was acceptable to eat there but not to perform other natural acts, illustrating that social shame is arbitrary and not rooted in nature or reason.

Since his death in 323 BC, devoted followers made him and his ideas famous the world over. But some modern philosophers like Friedrich Hegel thought of him as just a shock jock. To him, Diogenes had a way of life based on simple, isolated maxims and provocative anecdotes—like those of a folk figure—rather than a fully developed, systematic philosophical system that truly captured the evolving spirit of reason in history.

Today’s guest is Inger Kuin, author of “Diogenes: The Rebellious Life and Revolutionary Philosophy of the Original Cynic.“ We look at this iconoclastic philosopher whose brash and free-thinking vision of life ended up inspiring the philosophy of Stoicism. His philosophy stresses the importance of living here and now and not concerning ourselves with things out of our control. Diogenes also stands apart as history’s first recorded critic of slavery, a lone voice of his time that powerfully influenced future thinkers, from Epictetus to future abolitionists.

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