PLATO'S REPUBLIC BY YVONNE SIM

Seriously. I enjoyed gorgias better. At least I came out feeling that I had an intellectual read. This one… oh, seriously. I managed to finish my part because my disbelief and displeasure gave way to amusement, which helped me sustain my reading.

I read part three—education: the first stage. For all you who didn’t read it, I’ll give a short (albeit biased, perhaps) summary for you.

It’s about how the state should go about grooming and breeding up kids to become their Guardians (of the state). Some of plato’s good ideas:

Writings that present a “gloomy account of the after-life” are to be banned because it breeds fear of death in guardians-to-be and “is both untrue and unsuitable to produce a fighting spirit”.

They “don’t want [their] guardians to be too fond of laughter either”, so “descriptions of reputable characters being overcome by laughter” (eg and a fit of helpless laughter seized the happy gods) will be banned too. (this was my favourite part. Hahahahahaha)

Guardians-to-be are not allowed to act in dramatic plays parts of bad characters, “for fear of catching the infection in real life”.

All in all, Plato wants to breed guardians who are self-controlled, stern, serious, upright and not tempted by evil. But his methods are extreme, they amount to a significant degree of censorship. Even music is not spared—he will only allow music that contributes in moulding ‘good character’. And he wants to breed humans who are not swayed by emotions—essentially robots. “The loss of son or brother, or of property, or of anything else of the kind, will hold the least terrors for the good man”. Plato’s rationale is so that the leader will not be overcome with shock when catastrophe strikes, but excuse me, I dun really think u need an unfeeling person to be a good leader.

And with Plato as their groomer, guardians-to-be are bound to be dripping with elitist attitudes. Smiths or craftsmen etc are “occupations to which [their] Guardians are [not] allowed to pay any attention”.

To be fair, I’ll pick TWO quotes from Plato I kind of agree with:

“the first step, as you know, is always what matters most, particularly when we are dealing with those who are young and tender. That is the time when they are easily moulded and when any impression we choose to make leaves a permanent mark.”

“physical excellence does not of itself produce a good mind and character: on the other hand, excellence of mind and character will make the best of the physique it is given.”
THAT’S ALL.