# Diogenes the Cynic, Fount of Perfect Knowledge **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 20, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534 "2005-09-20T14:37:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/101 "2005-09-20T19:54:01Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Which is your view, and when you say the government should prevent it, you’re advocating legislation to support your views. I never said the government should prevent it, I said they should guarantee it. I never even said that parents should have to teach evolution as fact or that they should be prevented from teaching creationsism. I just said that home-schooled kids should have to be able to pass a test showing that they understand what evolution _is_. I didn’t say they have to believe it. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/102 "2005-09-20T19:54:09Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > There is no blind spot, here, you’re all just full of shit and reaching to try to score a point. I’m not reaching for shit, **Dio**. The undesired picture taking thread springs to mind as another example. You can be in denial about it all your little heart desires, but it is a trait you display in spades. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/103 "2005-09-20T19:54:56Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > There is no blind spot, here, you’re all just full of shit and reaching to try to score a point. That’s right, **Dio**. Everyone else is full of shit and you’re the only one who sees the light. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/104 "2005-09-20T19:55:59Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > It was and is blindingly obvious from context that when I said 'bother," I meant behavior which was specifically deliberate and directed towards the OP or her neighbors. It wasn’t obvious to people who use the word “bother” the way everyone on the planet but you uses it. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/105 "2005-09-20T19:57:33Z")
Dio, your chosen definition of ‘bother’ is absurdly narrow and fails to correspond with normal usage. Even so, you’re welcome to it. > [@Dio](#): > > I never said the government should prevent it, I said they should guarantee it. I never even said that parents should have to teach evolution as fact or that they should be prevented from teaching creationsism. I just said that home-schooled kids should have to be able to pass a test showing that they understand what evolution is. I didn’t say they have to believe it. Which is advocating that the government make legislation to support your views. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/106 "2005-09-20T19:59:02Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > That point in the thread was post #56. [The weasel speaks](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6592569&postcount=32) in post #32. Which came _before_ post #56. Got it? She asked for opinions as to what she should do, and I said that she should mind her own business. How does that equate to calling her an asshole? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/107 "2005-09-20T20:06:04Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Dio, your chosen definition of ‘bother’ is absurdly narrow and fails to correspond with normal usage. Even so, you’re welcome to it. Read the fucking thread in question, asshole. Only disingenuous, reaching, lying fucks would try to claim that I meant anything but some sort of directed, active, deliberate definition of “bothering.” In fact, I believe I used the word 'harrassed" more than “bothered.” > [@](#): > > Which is advocating that the government make legislation to support your views. No, I was advocating that the government simply enforce the rights which already exist for all children to get an adequate education. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/108 "2005-09-20T20:06:35Z")
It’s obvious that DtC is only calling her an asshole if she does indeed call the police. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/109 "2005-09-20T20:07:53Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > Nope, the purpose of owning a house is as an investment and to have some equity. If the point was just to live in it you wouldn’t need to own it. Fair point. I should have said the point of owning a house is to live in it and not have a monthly rental liability straining my meager resources. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/110 "2005-09-20T20:10:33Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > It’s obvious that DtC is only calling her an asshole if she does indeed call the police. Which she acknowledged doing in post #23. **Diogenes the Cynic** ’s “asshole” post was #56. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/111 "2005-09-20T20:10:50Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > It’s obvious that DtC is only calling her an asshole if she does indeed call the police. I don’t even think so, then, necessarily. Calling the police one time is not what I had in mind when I was talking about self-appointed neighborhood police. I was talking about people who are more chronically and intrusively involved than a one time phone caller. Jusr so we’re clear. I DO NOT THINK THAT **ZSOFIA** IS AN ASSHOLE FOR CALLING THE POLICE. I personally would have wanted more reason but I wasn’t judging Zsofia. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/112 "2005-09-20T20:14:34Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Which she acknowledged doing in post #23. **Diogenes the Cynic** ’s “asshole” post was #56. Well, you what? I never saw the post where she said she called the police before I wrote my own post. I will say again that I did not _intend_ to include her in any case. I wasn’t thinking about her. I was talking about neighborhood busybodies from my own experience. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/113 "2005-09-20T20:16:26Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > She asked for opinions as to what she should do, and I said that she should mind her own business. How does that equate to calling her an asshole? Are you sure you know what post you are responding to? That one was to put the lie to this statement of yours – > [@](#): > > I did not intend to say anything about Zsofia at all because, at that point in the thread, she had not yet indicated that she had tried to involve herself in anyone else’s business or “police the neighborhood.” –which is a lie because 24 posts previous you said this – > [@](#): > > Am I the only one who thinks the OP should mind her own business? Now as to how it equates to calling her an asshole, if you say that a person should mind her own business, and subsequently say that people who do not mind their own business are assholes, then you have pretty much called her an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/114 "2005-09-20T20:19:28Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > No, I was advocating that the government simply enforce the rights which already exist for all children to get an adequate education. Using your definition of what those rights actually are of course. And your definition of “adequate education”, of course. I’d like to take a second to say thank you. I couldn’t prove my point so thoroughly or in so few words without your significant contributions. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/115 "2005-09-20T20:23:19Z")
**Contra** , please see my last two posts above yours. I simply missed the post where she said she had called (call me a liar if you want, but I wasn’t carefully reading every post in the thread) and I still wouldn’t think that made her an asshole anyway. I wasn’t THINKING about the OP when I wrote that post. Any implication about her was unintentional on my part and I apologize to **Zsofia** for it. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/116 "2005-09-20T20:25:58Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > Using your definition of what those rights actually are of course. And your definition of “adequate education”, of course. Nope, just using the standards of the 14th Amendment which guarantee them at least an _equal_ education to public school kids. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/117 "2005-09-20T20:30:34Z")
My interpretation is that **Dio** ’s point is that the level of ‘bother’ created by the neighbor was considered to be apparently insignificant by **Zsofia** as to not rise up to the level of “doing anything about it” **until after** the painter/whoever suggested that there may be illegal activity there. IOW, it wasn’t the behavior itself that caused her to post the thread and so on, it was the implication (made by some one else) that illegal activity may be going on. we don’t know if this neighbor’s activity is the one that causes her the most annoyance in her neighborhood. It may be the neighbor that sings offkey in the shower, or the other one who is hygeine deficient, or the other one that wears the tight yellow biker shorts while they attempt to loose the 200 extra pounds while walking slowly past her window, or the one that makes the cumin/garlic/marshmellow pork treats as a housewarming gift. _we simply do not know_. (it is indeed a very narrow point, but I can see where it is). ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/118 "2005-09-20T20:35:29Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Nope, just using the standards of the 14th Amendment which guarantee them at least an _equal_ education to public school kids. You’re totally stretching here, laying down supposition and assumption on top of supposition and assumption. Which, apparently, is ok because your suppositions and assumptions carry the weight of absolute fact. Again, the very definition of self-righteousness. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/119 "2005-09-20T20:36:07Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > **Contra** , please see my last two posts above yours. I simply missed the post where she said she had called (call me a liar if you want, but I wasn’t carefully reading every post in the thread) and I still wouldn’t think that made her an asshole anyway. I wasn’t THINKING about the OP when I wrote that post. Any implication about her was unintentional on my part and I apologize to **Zsofia** for it. You know what? I believe you. Or at least I believe that you did not intentionally call her an asshole, if for no other reason than that you have apologized so strongly for having done so inadvertantly. But my objection had nothing to do with whether or not she called the police; rather, it was the references to people minding their own business, and your claim that you had not accused her of not minding her own business previous to the ‘asshole’ post. You had. It was your first post in the thread, as a matter of fact. I can absolutely believe that either you had forgotten about it, or did not make the connection when you made the ‘asshole’ post, because frankly, you seemed to be going off half cocked quite a bit in that thread. Nevertheless, the connection was there. If I refer to you as a Minnesotan and then say Minnesotans are stupid, surely _some_ relationship is implied. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534/120 "2005-09-20T20:42:19Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Sorry, I can’t. To me, the purpose of owning a home is to live in it, not to sell it. Then think job tranferred out of state. Or worse, job/factory closed and jobs with your skillset only available in another state. You’re in a must sell situation, and if value has declined faster than you’ve gained equity, you’ll end up owing on the mortgage. It is never a good place to be. **Your** purpose of owning a home is to live in it. That’s a short-sighted view. Property accretion accounts for the largest asset in many families. It allows many seniors who sell have owned long-term to sell and enjoy their retirement on the capital gains. Equity (the amount your home is worth less the amount you owe) puts many children through college. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-fount-of-perfect-knowledge/322534.md?page=7)