What a bad meme to spread! Plato had a lot of things wrong. Who would cast a spell like this? What’s his interest in maintaining the ostracism of honest people?
How about this instead?:
“Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture are honest, valuable people who lay the foundation for the New Civilization”
That makes more sense to me. Spread -that- meme around so it takes hold, what the hell were people thinking back then? how could they do this to us?
That is a better meme to lay down for Western Civilization, instead of the “forms” and the “ideals” that Plato used to provide talentless bureaucracies the tools they use to control us to this day. Plato was the first paid-off phony intellectual.
In many cultures, before the West did this thing it is doing, people who see things more clearly are not cast-aways who are considered weirdos, they are special people who are heard in order to see things from different perspectives. They are Shaman, healers, and clarions. Sometimes they are even chosen to become Chiefs and leaders. At the very least, their input is integrated into the whole, and considered valuable.
Plato’s Republic is the foundation in the West for Bureaucratic Authoritarianism. It is the start of ostracizing realism and the root of discontent and alienation. The Republic separates people from themselves and their communities, and implores a dependence on external constructs that are usually foisted via violence by people who do not provide any work or innovation to the equation.
Another option for this photo might be:
“Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture will never be understood, let alone believed, by the masses. And don’t worry talentless bureaucrats who make your living fleecing hard-working, valuable people. I’m writing a book called “The Republic” and it will ensure easy living for your ilk for at least a couple of millenia.”
Plato knew who doled out the free tax dollars. So like the economists and pundits of today, writing treatises that justify that system is good job security. Never mind innovation or solutions, unless of course they are exploited to continue to support the talentless political class and their flack machine. And writing them in a language that is understandable by the people who have a certain level of education, but who are not inclined to critical thinking or original thought is a special talent. That malleable majority of the population is crucial to the maintenance of easy living for the political class and its tentacles.
At some point you have to ask yourself for honesty with yourself. Just ask yourself three questions before you lie down to sleep. Don’t be scared. Just ask: “Can I be honest with myself? Then ask: Am I doing anything to change things, really?, or am I just maintaining a broken cart that is ultimately doing more damage and harm than good?” Then: “At this point wouldn’t it be a net gain if we just started over?”
Internet movie database review regarding Plato and Aristotle, where a scriptwriter got it backwards.
More on starting over: (Links)
Breakfast means “break-fast” and it is the most important meal of the day, because you wake up. (Breaking the two-party stranglehold)
You’re going to have to sacrifice more and suffer; tighten your belt. Just don’t pay attention to our ever-expanding gut that you go into debt for you stupid sucker. (Getting power into your own hands)
I am doing a blog post per day all month, hopefully. Inspired by NaBloPoMo. This is post #1.