Even today we're going to war without thinking and not winning.
If it's any consellation, the architects of this war will certainly come out ahead.
My nigger. un irocially I think he's by far one of the wisest people ever, the first ever long troll and used to shit over the greats of his time like Socrates just for the lulz and still be right. He doesn't get the credit he should. In a lot of ways he showed an innocence of hedonism. He did a lot of good in his life, helped people spread learning and lived how he wants. When ever I feel down I don't know what happened on Game of Thrones or shit like that I think, well I'd still be me jerking off in a barrel and I'm a good person so fuck em it's a TV show I don't care about.
Diogenes was a degenerate that would have a lolcow page. People love to laugh at his inane behaviour from a distance, but if you went to the theater, one of the few ways of entertainment and he sat next to you, masturbating again, it'd be annoying and disgusting. He was also a cheat, who had been banished for debasement of currency.
But he was a funny lad. When captured by pirates and asked his trade, he said that his only trade was to govern men so he could be sold to someone who needs a master.
When near death, asked for how he wished to die, he said to throw him out of the city walls so wild animals could feast on his body. Won't you mind? No, just give me a stick to chase them away. How will you use the stick without being conscious? How will I mind if I'm not conscious?
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That said, a couple of years back I went through some of the classics. I didn't find a single thing of value in plato's writing, but aristotle had so many things that were immediately applicable to things I was thinking about. I can see why even muslims called him "the great teacher" and it's a shame most of his work has been lost in time.
And to throw an unusual philosopher in the mix, morihei ueshiba was a big influemce as well, who wrote the art of peace (as counterpart to sun tzu's art of war). He was a soldier and then martial artist in life who created aikido.
The fundamental flaw of aikido has always seemed to me, that it makes the most sense to learn for a retiring warrior of some sort, rather than as the first fighting style. Many of the essential ways of pacifying violence make the most sense if violence is already known by the practitioner.
