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omarrahim 's review for:
The Republic
by Plato
4.5 stars
Socrates: Why, hello there Glaucon!
Glaucon: Hello there Socrates!
S: I recently just finished reading The Republic. Have you ever read The Republic?
G: No, why would I read that dense old philosophy book?
S: Well for starters, it's a very important book for trying to understand Western civilization. Don't you live in Western civilization?
G: Why, yes I do.
S: And do you agree with the way in which the government is run in our Western country? Or are there things you would like to see changed?
G: Certainly there are things I would like to see changed. I don't know of anyone who completely agrees with the political system in our country.
S: Splendid! And wouldn't you say things like racism, sexism, corruption, greed, all are problems with our society?
G: Of course I would.
S: Great. Now wouldn't you say that these problems ultimately stem from a view that certain people are not equal to each other?
G: I'm afraid I need further explanation.
S: My mistake, I am a terrible explainer. Isn't it so that racism lies on the idea that certain groups of people are worthy of better treatment than others? Or the same could be said about greed, like when I steal money from someone, I believe they are not equally entitled to that money as me, right?
G: Ah yes, of course it comes from inequality.
S: So wouldn't you say that inequality manifests itself whenever there is a group of people who stand above another group of people socially?
G: Yes, I would.
S: So, then wouldn't these people who rule society—the politicians—need a justification to keep themselves on top and to keep the lower people down?
G: Yes, I can't conceive of anything else they could do.
S: Wouldn't this justification be a deeply seated lie about human nature? Something like—"We rulers are naturally more inclined to rule than the rest of you"?
G: Yes, that is a convincing justification.
S: Certainly. Now wouldn't you say this justification must have existed before inequality existed? The only way to make people unequal is to justify it in the first place.
G: Yes, definitely, no doubt, true.
S: Now wouldn't you say that the people who live in our unjust society need to be woken up to the justifications that have been keeping them down, so that they know that they are being lied to?
G: Yes, it is of the utmost importance.
S: Now wouldn't you say that the politicians who make the lies that the masses believe have access to an education—specifically, to an expensive one?
G: In most cases I think that's true.
S: Now wouldn't you say that in these academies and universities, in which the politicians get their education, there are professors who teach classes on The Republic?
G: Why would that be the case?
S: Well, in these absurdly expensive institutions of higher learning, wouldn't it seem reasonable to teach the philosophical texts of those like Plato, who make big claims on human nature?
G: I suppose it would.
S: Excellent. Wouldn't you say that in these same places of higher education, the politicians learn the lies in which they go on to tell people?
G: Probably, if they would go on to win elections.
S: Wouldn't you say that in order to liberate the people, they would need to learn from where the lies came from?
G: Yes, of course.
S: So wouldn't these people need to have the same education as the politicians?
G: That makes sense.
S: And since The Republic is a part of that education, it's necessary to read that to learn the lies and liberate the people?
G: This is reasonable.
S: Well then, wouldn't the people eventually read and understand what it was about?
G: Yes, they would.
S: And didn't I mention earlier that I read the book?
G: Yes, you did.
S: And I'm telling you that Plato is making the justification to socially stratify people and create inequality because he believes this is justice. If you want to liberate yourself from the lies, you must study the origins of the society that perpetuates them. Therefore I urge you to read The Republic.
G: I'm going to read it now! Holy Zeus!
S: Other than the blatant racism and sexism, the book is actually not written that densely. I would say it's a rather easy-to-read philosophy text. The dialogue format helps a lot. The Socratic Method definitely is a good way of generally understanding a person's views. I give it 4 stars for the effort Plato makes, and because I enjoyed reading it despite my disagreement with the central argument.
G: Wait, are you really Socrates? Or are you just secretly the author of this review?!
S: What do you think? :)
Socrates: Why, hello there Glaucon!
Glaucon: Hello there Socrates!
S: I recently just finished reading The Republic. Have you ever read The Republic?
G: No, why would I read that dense old philosophy book?
S: Well for starters, it's a very important book for trying to understand Western civilization. Don't you live in Western civilization?
G: Why, yes I do.
S: And do you agree with the way in which the government is run in our Western country? Or are there things you would like to see changed?
G: Certainly there are things I would like to see changed. I don't know of anyone who completely agrees with the political system in our country.
S: Splendid! And wouldn't you say things like racism, sexism, corruption, greed, all are problems with our society?
G: Of course I would.
S: Great. Now wouldn't you say that these problems ultimately stem from a view that certain people are not equal to each other?
G: I'm afraid I need further explanation.
S: My mistake, I am a terrible explainer. Isn't it so that racism lies on the idea that certain groups of people are worthy of better treatment than others? Or the same could be said about greed, like when I steal money from someone, I believe they are not equally entitled to that money as me, right?
G: Ah yes, of course it comes from inequality.
S: So wouldn't you say that inequality manifests itself whenever there is a group of people who stand above another group of people socially?
G: Yes, I would.
S: So, then wouldn't these people who rule society—the politicians—need a justification to keep themselves on top and to keep the lower people down?
G: Yes, I can't conceive of anything else they could do.
S: Wouldn't this justification be a deeply seated lie about human nature? Something like—"We rulers are naturally more inclined to rule than the rest of you"?
G: Yes, that is a convincing justification.
S: Certainly. Now wouldn't you say this justification must have existed before inequality existed? The only way to make people unequal is to justify it in the first place.
G: Yes, definitely, no doubt, true.
S: Now wouldn't you say that the people who live in our unjust society need to be woken up to the justifications that have been keeping them down, so that they know that they are being lied to?
G: Yes, it is of the utmost importance.
S: Now wouldn't you say that the politicians who make the lies that the masses believe have access to an education—specifically, to an expensive one?
G: In most cases I think that's true.
S: Now wouldn't you say that in these academies and universities, in which the politicians get their education, there are professors who teach classes on The Republic?
G: Why would that be the case?
S: Well, in these absurdly expensive institutions of higher learning, wouldn't it seem reasonable to teach the philosophical texts of those like Plato, who make big claims on human nature?
G: I suppose it would.
S: Excellent. Wouldn't you say that in these same places of higher education, the politicians learn the lies in which they go on to tell people?
G: Probably, if they would go on to win elections.
S: Wouldn't you say that in order to liberate the people, they would need to learn from where the lies came from?
G: Yes, of course.
S: So wouldn't these people need to have the same education as the politicians?
G: That makes sense.
S: And since The Republic is a part of that education, it's necessary to read that to learn the lies and liberate the people?
G: This is reasonable.
S: Well then, wouldn't the people eventually read and understand what it was about?
G: Yes, they would.
S: And didn't I mention earlier that I read the book?
G: Yes, you did.
S: And I'm telling you that Plato is making the justification to socially stratify people and create inequality because he believes this is justice. If you want to liberate yourself from the lies, you must study the origins of the society that perpetuates them. Therefore I urge you to read The Republic.
G: I'm going to read it now! Holy Zeus!
S: Other than the blatant racism and sexism, the book is actually not written that densely. I would say it's a rather easy-to-read philosophy text. The dialogue format helps a lot. The Socratic Method definitely is a good way of generally understanding a person's views. I give it 4 stars for the effort Plato makes, and because I enjoyed reading it despite my disagreement with the central argument.
G: Wait, are you really Socrates? Or are you just secretly the author of this review?!
S: What do you think? :)