PLATO WAS CLEARLY CRAZY!!!

One of the authors that most attracted my attention is Plato; his views on life were very different from what they are today. He exhibted some of his theories in the book "The Republic". Plato had a theory about what would be the best state of mind for society, that "ideal state" was called utopia. In this ideal state there would be no poets, actors, singers or any type of liberal arts occupations. In the book "The Republic" Plato states "Poetry corrupts even the best soul." It's ironic how these same poetics and liberal arts movements have practically become our life today. Plato believed that the truth of life (reality) was changed by art meaning reality was distorted. The truth goes through the following phases: the truth in all its "forms", life how it is represented and the truth through Art. Modern day authors don't agree with this. Oscar Wilde once said "All that I desire to point out is the general principle that Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life (Ziegesar 33). I think Plato's fears were over-rated. Life should be full of art, passion and emotions. I think that's true Utopia.

WORK CITIED

Spark Notes. 3Sept.2008. Spark Notes. 1Dec.2008

Ziegesar, Cecily von, ed. Slam. New York. Putnam, 2008