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pritch

Plato: Philsopher Kings

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We recently had a damn good debate at uni. over Plato and his advoation of society being ruled by philosopher kings who would supposedly make all the right decisions for those who do not have the wisdom to know what's good for them.
My question is do we object strongly to what would undoubtedly be a restrictive patriachy, and though we may abhor the idea, are we actually living in such a model anyway?

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All of the organized governments throughout recorded history have claimed to be "learned leaders" like Plato spoke of. That's the function of any government: the supposedly "smart" ruling class leading the rest of society in what they believe the wisest manner. Old monarchies held power because people believed these families had been granted the wisdom to rule by God (aka "The Mandate of Heaven"). Government leaders in the U.S. are in power because they convinced the American people (one way or another) that they are the best for their position. Whether or not they truly are the wisest and best-capable of leading is usually purely academic between Election Days.

I don't have any problems with being led in such a fasion. Our current system is in place because, for the most part, it works. Like Robert Heinlein wrote, the only good way to judge a given leadership is whether or not the group being led survives, prospers, and doesn't up and overthrow the government.

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We need a society ruled by me, because I'm incorruptable.

Shut up already, you're about to make me post my dictatorial plan.

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We need a society ruled by me, because I'm incorruptable.

Shut up already, you're about to make me post my dictatorial plan.

Muahaha...I can just see it now. Both of us start our rebellions at the same time. Then while we are both moving our armies across the country, we meet and then it will be like that scene out of Life of Brian when the People's Front of Judeah and the Judean People's Front run into each other.

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We need a society ruled by me, because I'm incorruptable.

Yeah, it's hard to become something you already are, ain't that right, danny-boy? :)

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Lut or danarchist...?

As with all issues surrounding who rules the world, the only decent, fair and democratic way to settle it is with altdeath deathmatch in E1M1...

Gentlemen, start your engines!

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don't worry, neither has Lut.
He's sick of the game
He only fucks around with source code now
He's gonna bash me if he reads this... :)

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