Would Socrates Be A Celebrity Today?

Last week, as I was standing in the checkout line of my local grocery store, I found myself staring at the dozen or so magazines on display. As I gazed upon the various photos and headlines praising or trashing the celebrity du jour, I got to thinking.

What kind of celebrity would Socrates be if he were alive today? How would we treat him?

In what way would he ask his questions in the 21st century? He never wrote much of anything--we know his ideas mostly through the work of his student, Plato. Would he give speeches? Would he have televised debates? Would he have his own talk show?

If so, who would be his guests?

Socrates was famous in his day. He was loved and admired for his ideas and his relentless questioning, and he was despised for the same things. Like all celebrities, he had his fans and he had his detractors.

Socrates himself said, "I am utterly disturbing and I create only perplexity." He understood his role as a provocateur, but he also had the best of intentions. He simply wanted to give people the opportunity to question themselves in order to become better humans.

Well, there are a lot of celebrities who push our buttons, but we don't tend to think of them as philosophers!

What if we did? What if we could separate the thoughts from the thinkers? We tend to dismiss the whole package--the persona--instead of taking a good look at revolutionary or inflammatory ideas. We marginalize our radical thinkers.

The rapper Eminem is a radical thinker, though many would say he is just plain radical. In his way, he is true to himself. He has broken through to mainstream consciousness because he touched a nerve--and got a lot of press.

Would Socrates be a rapper today? Would he be a professor? A performance artist? How would we regard him?

He was notoriously unattractive. Would photographers surround him, taking photos to sell to the tabloids? Would we care about him if he didn't make it on the cover of our favorite magazines?

At first glance, it may seem that we are sorely lacking in philosophers today. Perhaps we have an outdated idea of what a philosopher looks like. Not all philosophers have beards!

Do you think of Eminem as a philosopher?

Do you think of Julia Butterfly Hill, the environmental activist who lived at the top of a massive tree for two years, as a philosopher?

Do you think of Rush Limbaugh as a philosopher?

Well, they do think. They do question. They provoke discussion and argument, and they are passionate about their ideas. That makes them a lot like Socrates.

Who inspires you today? Which thinkers make you think?

What is it about them that appeals to you? Is it their ideas or the way they are presented?

We've become quite savvy about packaging. We expect professional presentation. We discount the ideas of those who don't look the part of a thinker. Of course, there are exceptions. Albert Einstein could pull off that wild-haired look. Bill Gates isn't known for his sartorial splendor. Some might argue that Stephen Hawking is actually more compelling and impressive because of his physical challenges.

Whether we admit it or not, we each have our own biases about the appearance, age, sex, nationality, or religion of the thinkers of today. What are yours?

I'm afraid Socrates would need a good public relations team in order to be heard amidst the cacophony of thought-mongers today. The prescribed process for publicizing your ideas now goes something like this: write a book, get a publisher, do tons of interviews and book signings and readings, and cash in. It helps immensely if you appeal to the mainstream culture, or if your book manages to stir up a bit of controversy. Creating buzz is what gets thinkers noticed today.

Socrates was good at creating buzz, but he would face a lot of competition in the 21st century thinkers market. I like to think that he would find a way to be who he was and that we would appreciate his gifts.

Think about what you read, what you listen to, and what you consider worthy of your attention. As you do so, remember Socrates.

There are loads of passionate thinkers in our world today. Look for the ones who aren't shouting from the rooftops, and consider those who turn you off completely. Expand your view of what a philosopher is. In the process, you'll become a better one yourself.

About The Author

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse. Her course, Massage Your Mind!: Defining Your Life Philosophy, has inspired thinkers in over 70 countries around the world. She is the publisher of the Friday Mind Massage, a free weekly ezine serving up a satisfying blend of clarity, comfort and comic relief. To learn more, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com or http://mindmasseuse.com.

maya@massageyourmind.com

---

Five Surprisingly Hip Politicial Ideas From Plato

Don't you love politics?Me, neither. But I do like thinking... Read More

Who Needs Heroes?

When we were talking the other day we started to... Read More

Top Skills Of Extraordinary Leaders

1. Good Communicator. Extraordinary Leaders are those who can take... Read More

Tough Times Demand Resilient Leaders

The stock market gyrates with unpredictable and heartburning results. Icons... Read More

The Goals of Leadership Coaching and Partnerships

Webster's Dictionary describes a "partner" as an ally or an... Read More

The SAMMER Test: Leading People To Get The Right Results At the Right Time In The Right Way

As a leader, you do nothing more important than get... Read More

Creating Unlimited Belief for Success!

What's holding your team back from experiencing "breakout performance"?It may... Read More

A Winning Choice for Leadership!

"The only way to enjoy anything in this life, is... Read More

Choose Your Best Life: Where Are Your Choices Leading You?

According to the dictionary choice means "to select freely after... Read More

Leadership Training: The Bit They Didn?t Tell You About Changing!

A willingness to change first is one of the major... Read More

Abraham Lincoln Is Still Alive

Abraham Lincoln Is Still Alive President Jimmy Carter tells in... Read More

Lead People...Manage Things

Master The Five Key Facets of High Performance LeadershipMany people... Read More

Being Other Focused

In the Wall Street Journal, Franklin Lavin, U.S. Ambassabor to... Read More

Make the Most of Your Mentoring Relationships

Mentoring is one of the best ways to learn, to... Read More

Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 2, Multiple Conversations

Side conversations ruin meetings by destroying focus and fragmenting participation.Approach... Read More

Sometimes Leaders Need to Get the Boot

Today I stood up to a guy right in front... Read More

Four Obstacles to Exceptional Leadership--Part 1

"Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of... Read More

Leaders ARE; Are you?

Identity CrisisIt's not only the knowledge you carry around in... Read More

Ten Steps To Effective Leadership

Many people end up in a supervisory position or SOHO... Read More

A Good Leader Knows The Teams Colours

Leadership can be a very challenging task. As leaders we... Read More

Leadership and Power - Being the Boss Doesnt Guarantee Either of Them

Some people mistakenly associate supervisory positions, or seats of power,... Read More

Effective Leaders are (#2) Technical

SET CLEAR AND REASONABLE OBJECTIVES FOR THEMSELVES AND OTHERS: Plan?... Read More

Building Self Confidence

As a hypnotherapist I specialise in helping people to develop... Read More

Leadership Skill Training

Quality leadership is a positive asset that is needed in... Read More

Develop a We Focus And Not a Me Focus

"There's only one thing more contagious than a good attitude... Read More

F2 Leadership

People don't leave jobs; they leave bosses. -- AnonymousCongratulations. You're... Read More

Leadership Development and Jumping Out of Airships

A German silent film melodrama depicts an airship bombing London... Read More

The Three Faces of Leadership

This article was published in the Nov. 2003 edition of... Read More

Professional Organizations: Join or Fold?

All of us join professional organizations for a reason--a friend... Read More

All You Really Want Is Feeling Good

If I asked you what your goal in life is,... Read More

Three Factors Of Leadership Motivation

Leaders do nothing more important than get results. But you... Read More

In Leadership, Good Enough Is Pretty Bad

The first time I meet a leader to decide if... Read More

The Ten Commandments of Leadership

A poem hangs on the wall at Mother Theresa's orphanage... Read More