The picture “Dance of Meanness” by Joseph Uhl shows exactly and impressively what happens when we cynics are gentle to the stupid, to the rabble. Either we ourselves are treated like the naked woman in the picture. Or we allow the mean people to treat our friends, who want to realize themselves, in such a way. So, as cynics, we must be authoritarian anarchists. We must not give the mob room to run wild. We must not appear weak, but strong, assertive to the point of cruelty.
You can’t approach a stupid and therefore dangerous person with “maybe”, “well” or even “I don’t know”. He needs a clear announcement. Authority is an auxiliary virtue, derived from parrhesia, the only virtue of the Cynics. To speak and live the truth about ourselves takes courage, it takes power, it takes authority. It is all a matter of practice. So start practicing today. It is never too early and never too late.
Imagine how the situation would already change if the naked woman would not shamefully try to cover her nakedness, but would face the women with her arms spread and loud. They would probably run away.
