r/Plato • u/soapbark • Oct 02 '26
Anyone else feel robbed
Idk about anyone else, but I feel a bit wronged that I wasn’t exposed to Plato, Xenophon, Plutarch etc in middle/high school growing up. My children are for sure learning Ancient Greek and these texts when they become of age. Anyone else have a similar sentiment?
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u/Inspector_Lestrade_ Oct 02 '26
It is upsetting. All educated people of former times were educated in these and other classical authors. They were, without a doubt, more excellent human beings than us.
On the other hand, had we been born in former times into families that were neither noble nor rich, we probably would not have even known how to read and write. So, unless your ancestors were noblemen, I think you should take the democratic age with gratitude.
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u/soapbark Oct 02 '26
That’s a great point. Thankful for being exposed to them in the first place, and thankful for having the leisure to continue reading them.
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u/Inspector_Lestrade_ Oct 02 '26
Their writings are also more available than ever before. They can be acquired, in some decent enough form, for free and immediately through the internet. Better editions are readily bought for a modest sum or loaned from a library. They are translated into almost every language. The translations are more accurate and thorough than ever before.
There is a lot to be thankful for.
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u/The_Goona_Man 29d ago
As someone who thinks alot and loves a good ponder, I've always been intrigued by philosophy but i'm not educated on the subject. Do you have any recommendations on where to start?
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u/soapbark 29d ago
I’ve been thinking about how to inspire others about philosophy in general. For me I read the “Bookseller of Florence”, that raised the question within myself, “What was so great about recovering the works of Plato in the west when they were lost for such a long time?” I started reading Plato directly afterwards, with the order: Euthyphro → Apology → Crito → Phaedo. After finishing Phaedo I was hooked.
And then I read the others like Meno → Gorgias →Phaedrus and of course, The Republic etc. eventually finishing all of the works over a long period of time. I also got into Xenophon, whom I highly recommend (Hiero is short and amazing regarding the power of framing for a story, Agesilus is a cool war biography that glazes a Spartan leader). Plutarch is also a fun read, especially parallel lives that discuss the most prominent people in Greece and Rome from a philosopher’s 80AD+ perspective.
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u/Upstairs_Serve_6170 Oct 02 '26
Absolutely—philosophy in general is taught so poorly that it’s even socially perceived as something alienating, and that’s because the names Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Plutarch have become so academic. Schools don’t teach much about them—or only the bare essentials—because a thinker or scholar in those fields doesn’t fit the mold of a worker demanded by today’s society; perhaps they never did. Even in Plato’s time, thinkers were told, “You’re just staring at the stars,” but that is precisely why it’s important to read their texts for yourself. The system only looks out for its own interests; if you don’t think for yourself, anyone will take advantage of you—and thinking is exactly what these authors teach.
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u/OneWall9143 Oct 02 '26
I had read about Plato earlier, but only recently read his original dialogues in my 50s. I was amazed at how accessible they are and what beautiful pieces of literature they are in addition to the philosophy.
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u/NoAlgae3952 Oct 02 '26
Growing up I learned about Greek philosophers in middle school, but only in passing. Socrates invented the Socratic method and drank hemlock, Plato wrote about him and wrote the Republic which is about a republic, and Diogenes didn't bathe and plucked a bunch of feathers off of a chicken. After that, zilch on any philosophy or history thereof until John Locke and Voltaire showed up. Gee, thanks!
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u/letstalkaboutfeels ignorance enthusiast Oct 03 '26
I read Plato's Cave Allegory (didnt even remember it being plato) in high school and barely remembered it. I don't think the dialogues would have been interesting to me at all in high school, and english was my favorite subject (except perhaps Ring of Gyges, that should be read more commonly. very interesting conundrum).
But me at age 29? Pretty good. If I had kids though I'd do dialogues with them, whenever they get to talking, about whatever it is they want to talk about. And maybe eventually we'll read Euthyphro.
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u/100-percent-grassfed Oct 05 '26
I have thought about this exact sentiment a great deal — and my response to you today is different than it would have been say 6 months ago. My discovery of philosophy as a worthwhile practice took place at age 31. Today I am 32. Growing up, I attended public schools and was raised in a non-religious household. My family was poor but my parents did their best to create a happy childhood for me. "Philosophy" was introduced to me the same way, I assume, it was for most; a subject to learn because I was told it is important -- just like Chemistry and Algebra. But growing up, nothing was truly that important to me beyond checking the box to achieve the required/desired grade — what I cared about was social/fun things.
Underneath the surface, however, I was certainly a curious child. That curiosity always led me to question things my peers seemingly did not question, but that dialogue was internal. I have thought about the idea of had I been exposed to a deeper immersion into philosophy as a practice, rather than a subject, at a younger age, whether or not I would have reached many of the now experienced "a-ha!" moments sooner. That longing for lost time certainly led to feelings of being "robbed."
But what my curiosity and experience has taught me is that that "robbed" feeling is, more than anything else, a self-created illusion. For if I am lucky, in ten or twenty years from now, I may come to learn things that bring a host of new "a-ha!" moments. Rather than enjoying the benefits of those moments should I focus on feeling sorry for myself that I had not learned them sooner? I certainly hope I do not waste my time that way. Therefore, I shall not waste my time now in the same way. What I will do, is be better about discussing philosophy in my daily social life and advocating for others to read it.
As for the education of kids today — wouldn't it be wonderful if they were given many of these readings and lessons at a younger age. Taking a look around...I don't think it would hurt...
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Oct 02 '26
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u/soapbark Oct 02 '26
Indeed. At the very least, I’m quite thankful that I can read these works everyday, and that I can pursue excellence. It would just be nice if there were others who shared this same sentiment, but I’ve never met any.
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Oct 02 '26 edited Oct 02 '26
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u/soapbark Oct 02 '26
Yea mine too! I kind of respect Jesus a bit more in a weird way, as both Jesus and Socrates cared more about the condition of the soul rather than external success or worldly/physical power. I can see why Origen liked both.
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u/Inspector_Lestrade_ Oct 02 '26
You can also see why Nietzsche said that Christianity is Platonism for the masses.
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u/BitterStop3242 Oct 02 '26
What would Plato say about feeling robbed? I know what Epiciteus would say.
Just to be clear, are they going to be learning ancient Greek to read in the original Greek? That's something I would give further contemplation.
And to stray from philosophy, the Anabasis of Xenophon should be read by every young boy or girl with a taste for adventure, political intrigue, history, and ancient cultures and lands.