Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow... even if that someone is yourself!
As there are misanthropists or haters of men, so also are there misologists, or haters of ideas.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that just as some people dislike humanity, there are others who disdain ideas and intellectual pursuits.
In this quote, Plato reflects on the existence of people who harbor disdain not just for others but also for concepts and ideas. Misanthropists express a loathing for humanity, while misologists are critical of thought and ideas, indicating a broader struggle against both interpersonal and intellectual engagement. Plato emphasizes the importance of valuing ideas and emphasizes the risk of becoming too cynical or dismissive of the intellectual legacy of human thought.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate about the importance of ideas in society, this quote could highlight the dangers of dismissing intellectual discussion.
More from Plato
All quotes βNot one of them who took up in his youth with this opinion that there are no gods ever continued until old age faithful to his conviction.
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Nothing in the affairs of men is worthy of great anxiety.
Let parents bequeath to their children not riches, but the spirit of reverence.
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The critic is a prisoner to his own experiences and perspectives, erroneously believing his limited experiences are the sum of all truth
I am so stupid that I cannot understand philosophy; the antithesis of this is that philosophy is so clever that it cannot comprehend my stupidity. These antitheses are mediated in a higher unity; in our common stupidity.
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Success on a cosmic level completely eludes me. I'm deeply suspicious of things being too good. It's part of my superstition, I think, to generate pain in order to give the illusion of gain. I'm not saying I reject success, but honestly, I don't quite know how to deal with it. It's an old feeling: As soon as you have the thing you've been going after all your life, that reasonable degree of security, you start kicking against it, doubting it.
A free and open society is an ongoing conflict, interrupted periodically by compromises.