Considering Diogenes
11/23/2010 02:54 AM Filed in: Philosophy
This is a great video about Diogenes, one of the most famous philosophers of yore. What is interesting about this video to me is that praises are being sung about a man who was essentially a sadhu like those wandering ‘madmen’ of India. These men have LONG been understood to be learned, even though they were/are considered mad.
The word for these men/women are called Avadhuts. Avatars are incarnations of specific gods, like Krishna and Rama being incarnations of Lord Vishnu, whereas Avadhuts are people who have realized themselves as one with the supernal consciousness called Brahman and therefore realize that the constrictions of societal norms don’t apply to them.
Diogenes is a good example of this kind of philosopher- not a preacher but a practitioner. This is what is taught by swamis and yogis from ancient times up to now. It is sad that we’ve dropped this kind of understanding from our discourse and instead seem to have a need to have one person who embodies cynicism and another who embodies some shade of faith or belief and then they are now tasked with squaring off against each other in the public discourse.
The goal is better served to embody BOTH traits within the same person and to measure one’s own understanding of the nature of things by balancing being open and thinking critically. Polarizing viewpoints between people only creates problems and masses of arguing groups, each further entrenched in one’s chosen viewpoint, seething about the lack of vision had by one or another group who believes just as stridently in some- usually trivial- different view.
Instead, understanding the NECESSITY of harboring apparently opposite viewpoints IS the essence of philosophical thinking. Someone who is philosophical in nature is a person who considers paradoxes. Eventually, one can see the whole picture more clearly and less stridently, and usually less violently through this kind of consideration.
The word for these men/women are called Avadhuts. Avatars are incarnations of specific gods, like Krishna and Rama being incarnations of Lord Vishnu, whereas Avadhuts are people who have realized themselves as one with the supernal consciousness called Brahman and therefore realize that the constrictions of societal norms don’t apply to them.
Diogenes is a good example of this kind of philosopher- not a preacher but a practitioner. This is what is taught by swamis and yogis from ancient times up to now. It is sad that we’ve dropped this kind of understanding from our discourse and instead seem to have a need to have one person who embodies cynicism and another who embodies some shade of faith or belief and then they are now tasked with squaring off against each other in the public discourse.
The goal is better served to embody BOTH traits within the same person and to measure one’s own understanding of the nature of things by balancing being open and thinking critically. Polarizing viewpoints between people only creates problems and masses of arguing groups, each further entrenched in one’s chosen viewpoint, seething about the lack of vision had by one or another group who believes just as stridently in some- usually trivial- different view.
Instead, understanding the NECESSITY of harboring apparently opposite viewpoints IS the essence of philosophical thinking. Someone who is philosophical in nature is a person who considers paradoxes. Eventually, one can see the whole picture more clearly and less stridently, and usually less violently through this kind of consideration.
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