This essay is adapted from an upcoming talk I’m giving for the Plato’s Academy Centre event, Ancient Philosophy for Modern Leadership, on Saturday (3 Dec, 12:00-4:00 pm EST). You can register for free here: https://platosacademy.org/.
The notion of being a citizen of the world is an ancient concept. It initially dates back to the Greek philosopher Diogenes the Cynic, a pretty interesting character, to say the least. According to legend, when Alexander the Great approached Diogenes (depicted in the painting above): “He found the philosopher looking attentively at a pile of human bones. Diogenes explained, “I am searching for the bones of your father but cannot distinguish them from those of a slave.”
When Diogenes was asked where he was from, he responded with one word: kosmopolites, meaning “a citizen of the world.” By Diogenes calling himself not simply a dweller in the world but a citizen of the world, the modern philosopher Martha Nussbaum suggests this brief moment started a long tradition of cosmopolitan thought in the West.
The cosmopolitan view (adopted by the Cynics and Stoics) urges us to recognize all human beings as equal and of unconditional worth. In cosmopolitanism, dignity belongs in equal measure to all.
Being a citizen of the world is an eternal truth. But it’s not always easy to realize. We tend to think and are often taught in either/or terms. For example, my young daughter recently asked, “Are we from Georgia (the state we live in) or America?” As we all know, the answer is both. We are from the particular state we live in and the country of that state, and with a broad enough perspective — we see that we are all citizens of the world.
The astronomer Carl Sagan explained in his book Pale Blue Dot,
“It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps a no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another…”
Leading like a citizen of the world is seeing with a cosmic mindset (AND with our feet firmly on the ground). We are all citizens of the world (everyone and everything is in the same boat, this planet we call Earth) and therefore we are dependent on one another to thrive and flourish. […]
If you’re interested in hearing more check out the full 10-minute talk at the event (3 Dec, 12:00-4:00 pm EST) along with more than 20 other speakers. Again, you can register for free here: https://platosacademy.org/. Hope to see you there!
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Thank you for reading; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well,