Self indulgent? Yes, I agree. But does that make him a ‘pig’ or a ‘dog’? Well, that’s your opinion. He’s still human - ‘human dog’ is a contradiction in terms. Which is it? — Possibility
Pig and dog are merely emotive comparisons. Humans who eat like pigs in public or shit like dogs in public are valid comparisons. Human dog is therefore not a contradiction in terms, it is an emotive projection. Even theists merge humans and animals to invent deities.
And you’re still not addressing the difference between public and private except in terms of personal, affected preference. So, society’s rules of engagement and decorum are based on the majority’s affected relation to ‘behaviour within the scenario offered’. This is why homosexuality has been excluded as inhuman and ‘cancelled’ or forced into hiding for so long... but that’s perfectly acceptable, right? Homosexuality is not wrong, but human society has ‘rules of decorum’... — Possibility
You have just given an example of how societal priorities/emphasis flex and change over time and due to 'cultural/political' movements. Homosexuals in the UK for example are treated much more like equals than they ever have in the past. Such changes do not mean that there should be no difference at all between how someone might behave in private compared to public.
’m just drawing attention to the societal process of determining what is ‘acceptable or unacceptable behaviour’, which Diogenes was questioning. It’s difficult enough to discuss these topics even now, but there were no opportunities for Diogenes to ask these questions in such a way as they could be understood - abstract discussions on reasoning such as Plato devised were insufficient - because it’s about acknowledging affect, feelings, and relation to quality or values as crucial aspects of reasoning. — Possibility
I understand that but there have been and there still are many many groups who live under quite different social rules than I do. From the Amish to hippy style communes to city folks compared to redneck hillbillies. Diogenes was described as a cynic. He sounded a bit misanthropic to me based on my limited knowledge of him. I am sure he would have found fault in all human systems even with the quite 'relaxed' epicurean communes. I think Diogenes was understood as he is cited as one of the influences on the development of stoicism. I think cynicism does have value as an aspect of reasoning.
The point is that we judge the behaviour of others based on certain ‘rules of decorum’ that lack objective rationality - so how can we claim righteousness? How do we critique the accuracy of moral or aesthetic judgement? — Possibility
I think there are some human behaviours that we do as a species objectively or almost universally find repugnant such as paedophilia. But I don't think there are that many. Even amongst my own local group of friends, there will be different reactions to particular realtime events.
Two men kissing in the street In the town center I still find difficult. Some of my male friends will react much more aggressively to something like that than I would. Others would have less difficulty than I.
I agree that it's important to keep your own personal feelings of 'righteous offence,' in check.
Mob mentality is very dangerous, so is inflaming mob mentality for the hell of it. Many humans get badly hurt or killed in such clashes. So I agree that we do have to keep talking freely about such issues of what 'socially acceptable behaviour' means when you try to frame it objectively.
Most of it remains locally and even nationally nuanced however and individually subjective on a case by case basis.
I am not an instant 'my way or I will get violent,' person but I also won't accept that I have to accept someone masturbating in front of me without my consent. I am capable of violence if I am forced into something I am very unhappy with.
In Diogenes’ time, there was no such notion as ‘war crimes’ or ‘fairness in war’. I think he might question why certain behaviour such as killing your enemy is considered ‘fair’ in war but not in the marketplace. — Possibility
There may have been no legislation for such but there certainly were many notions of acceptable and unacceptable behavour in war. Refusing to fight for example or running away or betraying your side etc.
Alexander the butcher killed the Persian officers who killed Darius as his rules were 'only a king can kill a king.' An English commander during the battle of Stanford bridge apologised to the enormous Viking who was holding the bridge almost single-handedly. He was eventually speared from underneath.
The whole chivalric system, samurai system and many many other such systems are all based on do's and dont's in war. How are these different from 'socially acceptable behaviours' based on the cultural tenets of the groups involved?'