In this Rising Tide Foundation lecture which blends a mix of geopolitics and philosophy, I was challenged to introduce the two opposing solutions to the One/Many problem of governance first developed by Plato through the character of his mentor Socrates 2400 years ago.
Very interesting talk, Matt. And yes, much too much for the time planned! (But hey.. I'm as bad if not very much worse..) One thing I would question, though. Your talk mentioned the 'mysteries' only very briefly, and then only in a context which seemed to suggest that the mysteries, which for Athens at least were essentially the Eleusinian, were merely some form of elitist indoctrination - my words, I accept. Seeing as we know so very little about them, I question this somewhat. Certainly attending the mysteries seems to have been something exclusive to the aristoi. But they did include both men and women - whereas the demos, the vehicle for democracy, did not. It suggests that there was something much deeper, much more in tune with the timeless truths of human existence and the spirit, involved within these mysteries. And it would, in my opinion, be devaluing and trivializing them if we were simply to reduce them to say, the initiation ceremonies of US college fraternities/sororities (which would seem to me at least - being a Brit - much more in line with some form of obligation inculcation ritual similar if not exactly the same as freemasonry). A closer look at the mysteries would suggest a rite of passage to provoke some gnostic experience of the true nature of reality... Socrates would have undergone them, of course.... The work of Dr Stephan Hoeller, who builds on some of the theories developed by R Gordon Wasson who suggests the mysteries involved psychodelics, is instructive in this respect. I would be interested to hear you views on this..
guarding the guardians, pleeeease let it not be Kissinger (but we know better, unfortunately).
Very interesting talk, Matt. And yes, much too much for the time planned! (But hey.. I'm as bad if not very much worse..) One thing I would question, though. Your talk mentioned the 'mysteries' only very briefly, and then only in a context which seemed to suggest that the mysteries, which for Athens at least were essentially the Eleusinian, were merely some form of elitist indoctrination - my words, I accept. Seeing as we know so very little about them, I question this somewhat. Certainly attending the mysteries seems to have been something exclusive to the aristoi. But they did include both men and women - whereas the demos, the vehicle for democracy, did not. It suggests that there was something much deeper, much more in tune with the timeless truths of human existence and the spirit, involved within these mysteries. And it would, in my opinion, be devaluing and trivializing them if we were simply to reduce them to say, the initiation ceremonies of US college fraternities/sororities (which would seem to me at least - being a Brit - much more in line with some form of obligation inculcation ritual similar if not exactly the same as freemasonry). A closer look at the mysteries would suggest a rite of passage to provoke some gnostic experience of the true nature of reality... Socrates would have undergone them, of course.... The work of Dr Stephan Hoeller, who builds on some of the theories developed by R Gordon Wasson who suggests the mysteries involved psychodelics, is instructive in this respect. I would be interested to hear you views on this..