Being a good person seems like an objective thing one can easily judge. Either the person acts like a decent human being or they don’t—it’s simple.
However, many philosophers would disagree with that statement and argue that things are more complex than just that. What is a virtue and what does being good really mean? Do good intentions mean good deeds and vice versa? It’s a topic of discussion that fascinates many.
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When asked about the origins of the X account, the author, who simply wants to be identified as “21st Century Socrates,” said that, in a way, it all goes back to his childhood. “As a kid, I read about Socrates and his incredible commitment to values and wisdom. My parents always used to say not to prefer money over values or integrity, and that’s how I grew up.”“One day, I was searching for a Socrates-related account on X from my friend’s account but to my surprise, there wasn’t one dedicated to him. So I decided to create it myself.” At the moment, the account has over 4,000 followers.
When asked about the origins of the X account, the author, who simply wants to be identified as “21st Century Socrates,” said that, in a way, it all goes back to his childhood. “As a kid, I read about Socrates and his incredible commitment to values and wisdom. My parents always used to say not to prefer money over values or integrity, and that’s how I grew up.”
“One day, I was searching for a Socrates-related account on X from my friend’s account but to my surprise, there wasn’t one dedicated to him. So I decided to create it myself.” At the moment, the account has over 4,000 followers.
For those unfamiliar with Socrates, here’sa brief rundownof his philosophy.Socrates valued knowledge over everything else. For him, seeking out knowledge and wisdom was the prime reason to live. He also loved defining things and getting into discussions about it. What is good? What is evil? What is courageous?These questions were also what got him in a lot of trouble. You see, to look for answers, he usually would go to knowledgeable people like politicians and poets and ask them about beauty and justice and other things that mattered to him.
For those unfamiliar with Socrates, here’sa brief rundownof his philosophy.
Socrates valued knowledge over everything else. For him, seeking out knowledge and wisdom was the prime reason to live. He also loved defining things and getting into discussions about it. What is good? What is evil? What is courageous?
These questions were also what got him in a lot of trouble. You see, to look for answers, he usually would go to knowledgeable people like politicians and poets and ask them about beauty and justice and other things that mattered to him.
His questions were clever and would often trip up these high-ranking people that wanted to appear smarter than everyone else. Socrates would often walk away from these conversations concluding that they knew nothing, humiliating them in the process.
The fact that Socrates valued knowledge so much and saw it as the greatest virtue impacted his perception of good and evil. He believed that whatever people did, it always came from good intentions. And if they ever committed any wrongdoings, it was purely out of ignorance or lack of knowledge.In other words, if you steal, you don’t do it to rob the shop of their goods, you do it to so that you have something you need. You don’t lie because you enjoy tricking people, it is because it makes your life, at least in that moment, more convenient. You ignore the fact that you might get caught or that it may land you in more hot water in the future. It is benefiting you now, which means you have positive, albeit selfish, reasoning.
The fact that Socrates valued knowledge so much and saw it as the greatest virtue impacted his perception of good and evil. He believed that whatever people did, it always came from good intentions. And if they ever committed any wrongdoings, it was purely out of ignorance or lack of knowledge.
In other words, if you steal, you don’t do it to rob the shop of their goods, you do it to so that you have something you need. You don’t lie because you enjoy tricking people, it is because it makes your life, at least in that moment, more convenient. You ignore the fact that you might get caught or that it may land you in more hot water in the future. It is benefiting you now, which means you have positive, albeit selfish, reasoning.
This explains why 21st Century Socrates uses his platform to amplify stories of both do-gooders and criminals. Both of those can be seen as sort of heroes, depending on how you look at it. Yet, the creator doesn’t even want to focus on the person themselves. He likes to emphasize the stories and actions of the people and how it highlights their values.
So, how does one find these types of stories? By doing a lot of reading. “A major source of my inspiration comes through X, documentaries, and online websites. When I see a great act, I just add them to my schedule of people to cover.”
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What do you think about these acts of courage? Are they inspiring? Are they fascinating? Do they provoke discussions about virtues? If so, then 21st Century Socrates is doing his job right.
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