Author: Plato
You know when there is a TV show you really want to like, but just can’t? Community. Schitt’s Creek. Mad Men. This book is an example of that feeling.
I was inspired to read some of the classics so I picked up some Homer, some Milton and some Plato. Milton was tough to read, this was impossible. I seemed as if there was no effort to be interesting. I found myself skipping pages at a time because it was all the same endless drivel.
The book is framed as a discussion between some Greek guys on the topic of justice. It is just one long slog of people debating its meaning and implications on individuals and society.
At first I was inspired. I liked the conversation between the characters. I liked the utilization of questions and really digging deep on the meaning behind words or ideas. I liked how they contended with ideas and broke the concepts down to their simplest form. But that got old really fast.
The Republic is endless questions overanalyzed. One of the main characters in the book is Socrates. So it’s safe to say a lot of the Socratic method is utilized in this book.
I agree with the idea that books worth reading have stood the test of time. I want to avoid frequently reading books that are hot off the press as they haven’t yet been stood up against scrutiny and debate. Books need to rise above the fluff that is pumped out constantly. You’d think a book written a couple thousand years ago that is still frequently read today would pass that test. I learned nothing.
The best summary of this book would be a quote from a character from Billy Madison:
…At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.