Winning Words 12/10/09
“Man is the most intelligent of the animals—and the most silly.” (Diogenes) This is from a book which puts the words of Diogenes in the language of children, using a dog named, Diogenes. The real Diogenes was a Cynic, a school of philosophers who rejected conventional living; one even lived in a bathtub on the streets. Cynicism is a word that means, dog-like. A dog named, Diogenes. Isn’t that silly? ;-) Jack

FROM GOOD DEBT JON: Dog-like? My wiener dog, Harriet, is happy, outgoing, loving, and delightful to be around. My neighbor’s dog, he’s the cynic. FROM JACK: Evidently generalizations don't work for dogs...or people.

FROM RI IN BOSTON: ...and the most fickle, and the most disloyal, and the most inconsistent, and the most demanding, and the most wasteful, and... FROM JACK: Ooooh, it sounds like someone got up on the wrong side of the bed today.

FROM JK IN MICHIGAN: It's it amazing what we feel our children need to get exposed to? Since the narrative in this book is told through a dog, I am assuming this book is aimed a young children?? (Or maybe someone thought I could make a little profit.) FROM JACK: "..could make a profit," is an example of the Cynic philosophy. How many children (and adults, for that matter) would sit down and read a book about the philosophy of Diogenes? But, if it were told through the mouth of a dog...that would make it interesting. Even the Bible stories are sometimes told to children through cartoon characters. A once-popular cartoon show, Davey and Goliath, told moralistic lessons, using a boy and his "talking" dog.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: I know some VERY smart dogs...and some really dumb people. FROM JACK: And vice versa. MORE FROM OJ: And, my grandchildren love to watch Veggies Tales.....

FROM DRPL IN MICHIGAN: You're silly!!! But..that's what makes you such a treasure! FROM JACK: Which definition did you mean? Weak in intellect, lacking common sense, happy, pitiable, feeble?

FROM CJL IN OHIO: Roger Boraas had a dog named Diogenes. Is that silly? FROM JACK: As I recall, Roger was a philosopher/theologian, so I'm not surprised.