Saturday, November 6, 2010

Socrates – a man for our times

Socrates – a man for our times

He was condemned to death for telling the ancient Greeks things they didn't want to hear, but his views on consumerism and trial by media are just as relevant today.

The Death of Socrates, 1787, by  Jacques Louis David

The Death of Socrates, 1787, by Jacques Louis David. Photograph: World History Archive / Alamy

Two thousand four hundred years ago, one man tried to discover the meaning of life. His search was so radical, charismatic and counterintuitive that he become famous throughout the Mediterranean. Men – particularly young men – flocked to hear him speak. Some were inspired to imitate his ascetic habits. They wore their hair long, their feet bare, their cloaks torn. He charmed a city; soldiers, prostitutes, merchants, aristocrats – all would come to listen. As Cicero eloquently put it, "He brought philosophy down from the skies."

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure - Socrates from Oz is Over the Rainbow on Vimeo.



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