Vincent AcelingTheGenius2
October 29th 2007 09:13
"If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what
you've always gotten." In addition, if you keep doing what you have
always done when conditions radically change, you will get a lot
less than you have always gotten. How much can you accomplish when
you really see things as they are - not with your eyes, but with all
your heart and your soul?
The Athenian Greek philosopher Socrates, who lived in the fifth
century BC, was able to accomplish his genius by opening his
perception to the truth - and you can do the same.
Not much is known about Socrates' early life, but he seems to have
been quite an interesting fellow - interesting, but not exactly
likable to the majority of people. He enjoyed calling people's ideas
into question. He enjoyed poking holes in their assumptions. He
liked to make waves - and in the end, he paid for it with his life.
After Socrates served in the war between Athens and the rival city-
state of Sparta, Socrates worked as a stonemason. He had also
inherited a modest fortune from his father, from which he gained
freedom to wander the city getting into discussions and arguments.
One of the formative events in Socrates' life as a philosopher was
his visit to the sacred oracle at the city of Delphi. The oracle was
actually a priestess of the god Apollo. For a slight fee, the oracle
would give advice and answer questions on any topic or problem. The
only trouble was, like most fortune-tellers, the oracle would never
give a straight yes or no answer. Often the questioner was more
confused after consulting with the oracle than before, because of
the riddles that the oracle passed of as answers.
In any case, there came a day when Socrates visited the oracle at
Delphi. Maybe he paused a moment to look up at the motto that was
carved above the door of the oracle's temple: it read, "Know
thyself." This was certainly the basis of Socrates' philosophy - and
it may even have been the basis of the question that he addressed to
the oracle that day. Maybe he said something like, "I want to know
myself - but who am I, anyway?"
The exact question that Socrates put to the oracle is not known, but
the oracle's answer to him is very famous. Socrates himself was very
shocked to hear it - because the oracle told him, "You are the
wisest man in Athens."
Socrates' reaction to this is very interesting, and it was really
the basis of his method as a philosopher. When the oracle told him
he was the wisest man in Athens, Socrates simply did not believe it.
Not only was he in disbelief about being the wisest man, but he did
not even really believe he knew anything. He saw himself as a kind
of blank slate, someone who had a lot of questions, but no real
answers.
On the other hand, the oracle was the oracle. This was a god
speaking, and when it said something - especially when it said
something that seemed fairly straightforward for once - some
attention should be paid. Therefore, Socrates decided to take
action. He thought about the oracle's pronouncement in a logical
way. He realized that if he was not the wisest man, it must be
because there were wiser men than him. So he started thinking of who
some of these people might be, and he started dropping in on some of
them and getting into some thought-provoking discussions.
On one occasion, for example, Socrates was talking with a very
important and successful citizen of Athens, a man renowned for his
good deeds and his responsible behavior in all areas of life. So
Socrates said to him, "I'm trying to understand what it really means
to be a good person, and I thought you might be able to help me out.
Do you by any chance consider yourself a good person?" And the man
said, "Yes, as a matter of fact I do." So Socrates said, "Well, why
exactly do you think that? What is it that makes you a good person?"
At this point, the man hesitated for a second - because he was not
really used to answering these very direct questions about his
virtue. So he thought for a minute, and then he said, "Well, I
served in the army, and I pay my taxes."
When Socrates heard this, he was completely stunned. He could not
believe what he was hearing. This man was saying that he was a good
person because he had been in the army and he paid his taxes - and
this person was supposed to be one of the most accomplished citizens
of Athens. His heart could be filled with hatred, he could be
sneaking around at night setting fires or looking into peoples
windows - yet he said he was a good person because he was in the
army and he paid his taxes. Obviously, this was someone who had not
given much thought to the meaning of good, or maybe even to the
meaning of person. However, he seemed quite confident in what he
said. He gave the impression that he knew what he was talking about.
Yet it was clear to Socrates that he did not know anything. Even
more importantly, he did not know that he did not know.
This was the kind of experience that Socrates had repeatedly as he
talked to people about important questions and ideas. Repeatedly he
found that supposedly smart people were actually quite ignorant -
and they were ignorant without even realizing it. And gradually, as
if by default, Socrates began to wonder if maybe he really was the
wisest man in Athens after all - not because he had a lot of wisdom,
which he did not, but because he was at least aware of his
ignorance.
Socrates was always quick to question people's assumptions and to
reveal the "sacred cows" in their thinking. He kept this up to the
point that the rulers of the city of Athens viewed him as a threat.
Eventually he was brought to trial on some trumped up charges and
was sentenced to death. Socrates accepted this judgment with
complete calm. After all, the rulers were just doing what they
usually did, just like he was. As it was written at the temple of
Delphi, Socrates knew himself - even if nobody else could honestly
say the same.
Let me play the role of Socrates with you for a moment. First, let
me play the role of the Delphic oracle. Suppose I was to tell you
that you have much, much greater capabilities than you think you
have. What would be your response? Would it be genuine disbelief
like Socrates? Alternatively, would it be denial - maybe in order to
not get out of your comfort zone? You need to move past your
assumptions and your inhibitions and maybe you will re-think your
own limitations. You have created them yourself, you know - or at
least that is what Socrates would tell you.
Here's to more personal insight,
Tony Alessandra
you've always gotten." In addition, if you keep doing what you have
always done when conditions radically change, you will get a lot
less than you have always gotten. How much can you accomplish when
you really see things as they are - not with your eyes, but with all
your heart and your soul?
The Athenian Greek philosopher Socrates, who lived in the fifth
century BC, was able to accomplish his genius by opening his
perception to the truth - and you can do the same.
Not much is known about Socrates' early life, but he seems to have
likable to the majority of people. He enjoyed calling people's ideas
into question. He enjoyed poking holes in their assumptions. He
liked to make waves - and in the end, he paid for it with his life.
After Socrates served in the war between Athens and the rival city-
state of Sparta, Socrates worked as a stonemason. He had also
inherited a modest fortune from his father, from which he gained
freedom to wander the city getting into discussions and arguments.
One of the formative events in Socrates' life as a philosopher was
his visit to the sacred oracle at the city of Delphi. The oracle was
actually a priestess of the god Apollo. For a slight fee, the oracle
would give advice and answer questions on any topic or problem. The
only trouble was, like most fortune-tellers, the oracle would never
give a straight yes or no answer. Often the questioner was more
confused after consulting with the oracle than before, because of
the riddles that the oracle passed of as answers.
In any case, there came a day when Socrates visited the oracle at
Delphi. Maybe he paused a moment to look up at the motto that was
carved above the door of the oracle's temple: it read, "Know
thyself." This was certainly the basis of Socrates' philosophy - and
it may even have been the basis of the question that he addressed to
the oracle that day. Maybe he said something like, "I want to know
myself - but who am I, anyway?"
The exact question that Socrates put to the oracle is not known, but
the oracle's answer to him is very famous. Socrates himself was very
shocked to hear it - because the oracle told him, "You are the
wisest man in Athens."
Socrates' reaction to this is very interesting, and it was really
the basis of his method as a philosopher. When the oracle told him
he was the wisest man in Athens, Socrates simply did not believe it.
Not only was he in disbelief about being the wisest man, but he did
not even really believe he knew anything. He saw himself as a kind
of blank slate, someone who had a lot of questions, but no real
answers.
On the other hand, the oracle was the oracle. This was a god
speaking, and when it said something - especially when it said
something that seemed fairly straightforward for once - some
attention should be paid. Therefore, Socrates decided to take
action. He thought about the oracle's pronouncement in a logical
way. He realized that if he was not the wisest man, it must be
because there were wiser men than him. So he started thinking of who
some of these people might be, and he started dropping in on some of
them and getting into some thought-provoking discussions.
On one occasion, for example, Socrates was talking with a very
important and successful citizen of Athens, a man renowned for his
good deeds and his responsible behavior in all areas of life. So
Socrates said to him, "I'm trying to understand what it really means
to be a good person, and I thought you might be able to help me out.
Do you by any chance consider yourself a good person?" And the man
said, "Yes, as a matter of fact I do." So Socrates said, "Well, why
exactly do you think that? What is it that makes you a good person?"
At this point, the man hesitated for a second - because he was not
really used to answering these very direct questions about his
virtue. So he thought for a minute, and then he said, "Well, I
served in the army, and I pay my taxes."
When Socrates heard this, he was completely stunned. He could not
believe what he was hearing. This man was saying that he was a good
person because he had been in the army and he paid his taxes - and
this person was supposed to be one of the most accomplished citizens
of Athens. His heart could be filled with hatred, he could be
sneaking around at night setting fires or looking into peoples
windows - yet he said he was a good person because he was in the
army and he paid his taxes. Obviously, this was someone who had not
given much thought to the meaning of good, or maybe even to the
meaning of person. However, he seemed quite confident in what he
said. He gave the impression that he knew what he was talking about.
Yet it was clear to Socrates that he did not know anything. Even
more importantly, he did not know that he did not know.
This was the kind of experience that Socrates had repeatedly as he
talked to people about important questions and ideas. Repeatedly he
found that supposedly smart people were actually quite ignorant -
and they were ignorant without even realizing it. And gradually, as
if by default, Socrates began to wonder if maybe he really was the
wisest man in Athens after all - not because he had a lot of wisdom,
which he did not, but because he was at least aware of his
ignorance.
Socrates was always quick to question people's assumptions and to
reveal the "sacred cows" in their thinking. He kept this up to the
point that the rulers of the city of Athens viewed him as a threat.
Eventually he was brought to trial on some trumped up charges and
was sentenced to death. Socrates accepted this judgment with
complete calm. After all, the rulers were just doing what they
usually did, just like he was. As it was written at the temple of
Delphi, Socrates knew himself - even if nobody else could honestly
say the same.
Let me play the role of Socrates with you for a moment. First, let
me play the role of the Delphic oracle. Suppose I was to tell you
that you have much, much greater capabilities than you think you
have. What would be your response? Would it be genuine disbelief
like Socrates? Alternatively, would it be denial - maybe in order to
not get out of your comfort zone? You need to move past your
assumptions and your inhibitions and maybe you will re-think your
own limitations. You have created them yourself, you know - or at
least that is what Socrates would tell you.
Here's to more personal insight,
Tony Alessandra
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