You Can't Count? That's Gay!
The reason I have titled my blog post as so is quite simply because of this quote stated in book 7:
"Agamemnon, he asserts, was literally incapable of counting his own two feet. And how could he if he did not know numbers. But in that case, what sort of general would he be if he didn't know numbers? A very queer general."
And there ya have it, folks. Believe it or not even BACK IN ANCIENT GREECE people were calling people out left and right! Glaucon (or at least I think it's Glaucon who says it) literally says that Agamemnon, one of the kings who won the Trojan War a "queer" general. I found that to be rather interesting to find in reading this book, for me something like that was very unexpected. I am glad we used this translation because I'm sure that it would be worded a lot less perfectly, making me incapable to be the dialectic and make the connection between past and present.
Speaking of numbers, can we take a second and imagine what it would be like to grow up as a kid in this society? I would be very sheltered. Kind of like North Korean kids. They are all very good at what they do (if you watch North Korea documentaries, you will know what I am talking about). These kids are being very well trained but they are being forced to believe what the government wants them to believe. Then, they develop opinions based upon what they have learned through the censorship and the "honorable lies" that their government has told them. I personally am very grateful to have received an education in which I have the free will to have my own opinions about subjects and be passionate about what I choose to be passionate about. While I do believe that Socrates' educational system could work well in theory, I do not deem it usable simply because of the unfair treatment and bias that they would instill upon these kids.
Plus, who wants to be 50 when they FINALLY receive the job they've been working towards their whole life? Not me.
I commented on Will and Phillip's posts.
Don't forget to drink your chocolate milk!
(I've got Bolthouse Mocha Cappucino.... mmmmmm)
Don't forget to drink your chocolate milk!
(I've got Bolthouse Mocha Cappucino.... mmmmmm)
"No homo because we are five feet apart"
ReplyDeleteI did notice this part in the book. However, queer can also mean "odd or strange". So maybe he wasn't actually calling him what we think of as a queer. However, it would be "heckin" hilarious if he did. Maybe that's why Aggamemnon had such a need for women, because he was trying to hide his true desires... There is honestly a lot of calling out in this book. These people seriously had no shame about saying what they really thought. It seems as if it was completely different standards to insult someone then as it is now. If you call someone something like that now, you'll probably be arrested for a hate crime. Then, it was just an insult to them and their entire family. Which hopefully (for my interest's sake) led to some kind of duel.
As far as growing up in this world, I probably would'nt make it...
Big ole oof
The success of Socrates' educational system depends on what you define as "success." Like you said, North Korean kids are really good at what they do. The children in Plato's just city would probably be really good too. If success is determined by how good someone is at "minding their own business" and doing the job for which they were trained, then Socrates' educational system is very successful. In America, however, success is interpreted very differently. Success in America, while it does include being good at your job, usually means following your dreams. We are encouraged to follow our hearts and chase the American dream. After all, everyone has the right to the pursuit of happiness. Socrates states in the book again and again that his goal is not happiness but justice. I think this is one reason that we have so much trouble reading Plato's Republic. Our cultures are just so vastly different that we cannot easily comprehend the ideas.
ReplyDeleteOkay I like your point about growing up in this society but I don't think he meant he was gay by saying queer. I think he just meant unusual or weird. Also I don't have any chocolate milk, so I will just drink my Butterfinger frappe.
ReplyDeleteI loved the fact that Agamemnon was called out because I never liked him in the first place, so this part of book seven definitely had me cracking up. He is made to look like a kind of great character in a book pretty much about him, but Socrates and Glaucon aren't playing any games, and I know I'm going to believe what these two guys are saying.
ReplyDelete