Simple Gifts

George Orwell's 1984 is classic dystopian literature, but it is also psychologically astute and prescient concerning the totalitarian tendencies of the 20th century's ideologies. With the rise of 21st century Wokism currently in vogue, its message is a clarion call for the present, too. Let us beware of embracing rather than opposing the lies that are being forced upon us, lest we find ourselves, too, living in a world in which we must guard our very thoughts, lest they betray us. Hold fast to the truth, no matter the consequences!

Enjoy ... and be vigilant!!

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#georgeorwell #animalfarm #classic #classicdystopianliterature #dystopianliterature #dystopianfiction #dystopian #literature #fiction #psychologicalliterature #psychological #psychology #totalitarian #totalitarianfiction #totalitarianliterature #20thcentury #20thcenturyliterature #woke #wokism #orwell

Book 7 of REPUBLIC is arguably the most well-known, important and foundational texts in all of Western letters, and no educated person can remain unfamiliar with its teachings. The book opens with the famous Allegory of the Cave, which Plato says is about the education of the soul, its journey from ignorance to knowledge. It must be added to the former allegories of the Line and the Sun to complete the picture of Plato's metaphysics and epistemology:

"This entire allegory ... you may now append ... to the previous argument; the prison-house [Cave] is the world of sight, the light of the fire is the sun, and you will not misapprehend me if you interpret the journey upwards to be the ascent of the soul into the intellectual world.... [M]y opinion is that in the world of knowledge the idea of [the] good appears last of all, and is seen only with an effort; and, when seen, is also inferred to be the universal author of all things beautiful and right, parent of light and of the lord of light in this visible world, and the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual; and that this is the power upon which he who would act rationally either in public or private life must have his eye fixed."

Education, Socrates asserts, is a conversion process, of turning away from what is less real toward that which is more real, toward the transcendent eternal and unchanging realm of the Forms. Our guardians, then, must be taught to "see" the truth of transcendent reality by an ascending process of understanding, culminating in the discipline of dialectic, philosophical reasoning which allows us to "achieve a unified vision." In this way our true guardians will rule the city in the best manner possible, being able to model True Being here in the imperfect realm of becoming. We must, then, discover the disciplines that will lead our philosophers toward Being. It turns out that paradox, those disciplines and experiences that strike our understanding with oppositions that cause us to explore the ideals that lay beyond the mixed-up realm of becoming, are best suited to do this.

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#plato, #socrates, #platoandsocrates, #socratesandplato, #republik, #republic, #westerntradition, #philosophy, #rationality, #drjohndwise, #philosopher, #philosophical, #philosophicalauthor #westerntraditionphilosophy, #traditionalphilosophy, #foundations, #foundationalphilosopher, #foundationaltext, #platosrepublic, #philosophy, #dialogue, #dialogues, #greekphilosophy, #ancientgreekphilosophy, #athens, #platonicdialogue, #platonic, #ancientgreeks, #ancientgreece,#hellen, #hellenistic, #athenian, #atheniantradition, #greekcivilization, #greeksociety, #greekhistory

In this season of Thanksgiving, we remember those famous Pilgrims who dared to leave comfort, home, family and the safe structures of society to establish a new life in a new world. This month we celebrate and remember the courage, love and devotion, the strength and sacrifice that founded our country.

In "To my Dear and Loving Husband" Anne Bradstreet expresses the sort of love for her husband that few experience, and that true lovers instantly recognize. We see in these words a reflection of our own capacity to give and receive the richest of God's blessings on humanity, the powerful and undying love of a spouse.

In "Epitaph on a Patriot" we recognize a life of conviction, strength and commitment, values largely out of favor in today's marshmallow world. It is an epitaph I would gladly have spoken of me.

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

George Orwell's 1984 is classic dystopian literature, but it is also psychologically astute and prescient concerning the totalitarian tendencies of the 20th century's ideologies. With the rise of 21st century Wokism currently in vogue, its message is a clarion call for the present, too. Let us beware of embracing rather than opposing the lies that are being forced upon us, lest we find ourselves, too, living in a world in which we must guard our very thoughts, lest they betray us. Hold fast to the truth, no matter the consequences!

Enjoy ... and be vigilant!

If you'd like to support us, donate through Paypal at [email protected]

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

https://www.facebook.com/JnJWiseWords

https://wisewordsforyouroccasion.wordpress.com

#georgeorwell #animalfarm #classic #classicdystopianliterature #dystopianliterature #dystopianfiction #dystopian #literature #fiction #psychologicalliterature #psychological #psychology #totalitarian #totalitarianfiction #totalitarianliterature #20thcentury #20thcenturyliterature #woke #wokism #orwell

Book 7 of REPUBLIC is arguably the most well-known, important and foundational texts in all of Western letters, and no educated person can remain unfamiliar with its teachings. The book opens with the famous Allegory of the Cave, which Plato says is about the education of the soul, its journey from ignorance to knowledge. It must be added to the former allegories of the Line and the Sun to complete the picture of Plato's metaphysics and epistemology:

"This entire allegory ... you may now append ... to the previous argument; the prison-house [Cave] is the world of sight, the light of the fire is the sun, and you will not misapprehend me if you interpret the journey upwards to be the ascent of the soul into the intellectual world.... [M]y opinion is that in the world of knowledge the idea of [the] good appears last of all, and is seen only with an effort; and, when seen, is also inferred to be the universal author of all things beautiful and right, parent of light and of the lord of light in this visible world, and the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual; and that this is the power upon which he who would act rationally either in public or private life must have his eye fixed."

Education, Socrates asserts, is a conversion process, of turning away from what is less real toward that which is more real, toward the transcendent eternal and unchanging realm of the Forms. Our guardians, then, must be taught to "see" the truth of transcendent reality by an ascending process of understanding, culminating in the discipline of dialectic, philosophical reasoning which allows us to "achieve a unified vision." In this way our true guardians will rule the city in the best manner possible, being able to model True Being here in the imperfect realm of becoming. We must, then, discover the disciplines that will lead our philosophers toward Being. It turns out that paradox, those disciplines and experiences that strike our understanding with oppositions that cause us to explore the ideals that lay beyond the mixed-up realm of becoming.

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

https://www.facebook.com/JnJWiseWords

https://wisewordsforyouroccasion.wordpress.com

#plato, #socrates, #platoandsocrates, #socratesandplato, #republik, #republic, #westerntradition, #philosophy, #rationality, #drjohndwise, #philosopher, #philosophical, #philosophicalauthor #westerntraditionphilosophy, #traditionalphilosophy, #foundations, #foundationalphilosopher, #foundationaltext, #platosrepublic, #philosophy, #dialogue, #dialogues, #greekphilosophy, #ancientgreekphilosophy, #athens, #platonicdialogue, #platonic, #ancientgreeks, #ancientgreece,#hellen, #hellenistic, #athenian, #atheniantradition, #greekcivilization, #greeksociety, #greekhistory

In this season of Thanksgiving, we remember those famous Pilgrims who dared to leave comfort, home, family and the safe structures of society to establish a new life in a new world. This month we celebrate and remember the courage, love and devotion, the strength and sacrifice that founded our country. The Poetry of Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) serves as the voice of our founding.

In "The Flesh and the Spirit" two sisters reason together "close by the banks of lacrim flood," that is, here in this veil of tears where our lives unfold, about the values that inform life. Flesh complains that Spirit's otherworldly concerns leave her bereft of the pleasures all about her on earth. Why give up the sure, real and immediate gratifications here given us for a future good based on faith alone?

Spirit's answer is that all she seeks, including the provisional pleasures available here on earth, is met in pursuit of what is highest. The struggle here presented is both that between the World and the Christian, and that within the Christian herself. To triumph over our lower desires may require both discipline and denial, but it also finds the rewards, even here on earth, to be real and satisfying.

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

George Orwell's 1984 is classic dystopian literature, but it is also psychologically astute and prescient concerning the totalitarian tendencies of the 20th century's ideologies. With the rise of 21st century Wokism currently in vogue, its message is a clarion call for the present, too. Let us beware of embracing rather than opposing the lies that are being forced upon us, lest we find ourselves, too, living in a world in which we must guard our very thoughts, lest they betray us. Hold fast to the truth, no matter the consequences!

Enjoy ... and be vigilant!

If you'd like to support us, donate through Paypal at [email protected]

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

https://www.facebook.com/JnJWiseWords

https://wisewordsforyouroccasion.wordpress.com

#georgeorwell #animalfarm #classic #classicdystopianliterature #dystopianliterature #dystopianfiction #dystopian #literature #fiction #psychologicalliterature #psychological #psychology #totalitarian #totalitarianfiction #totalitarianliterature #20thcentury #20thcenturyliterature #woke #wokism #orwell

Book 7 of REPUBLIC is arguably the most well-known, important and foundational texts in all of Western letters, and no educated person can remain unfamiliar with its teachings. The book opens with the famous Allegory of the Cave, which Plato says is about the education of the soul, its journey from ignorance to knowledge. It must be added to the former allegories of the Line and the Sun to complete the picture of Plato's metaphysics and epistemology:

"This entire allegory ... you may now append ... to the previous argument; the prison-house [Cave] is the world of sight, the light of the fire is the sun, and you will not misapprehend me if you interpret the journey upwards to be the ascent of the soul into the intellectual world.... [M]y opinion is that in the world of knowledge the idea of [the] good appears last of all, and is seen only with an effort; and, when seen, is also inferred to be the universal author of all things beautiful and right, parent of light and of the lord of light in this visible world, and the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual; and that this is the power upon which he who would act rationally either in public or private life must have his eye fixed."

Education, Socrates asserts, is a conversion process, of turning away from what is less real toward that which is more real, toward the transcendent eternal and unchanging realm of the Forms. Our guardians, then, must be taught to "see" the truth of transcendent reality by an ascending process of understanding, culminating in the discipline of dialectic, philosophical reasoning which allows us to "achieve a unified vision." In this way our true guardians will rule the city in the best manner possible, being able to model True Being here in the imperfect realm of becoming. We must, then, discover the disciplines that will lead our philosophers toward Being. It turns out that paradox, those disciplines and experiences that strike our understanding with oppositions that cause us to explore the ideals that lay beyond the mixed-up realm of becoming.

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChristianAtheist/featured

https://www.facebook.com/JnJWiseWords

https://wisewordsforyouroccasion.wordpress.com

#plato, #socrates, #platoandsocrates, #socratesandplato, #republik, #republic, #westerntradition, #philosophy, #rationality, #drjohndwise, #philosopher, #philosophical, #philosophicalauthor #westerntraditionphilosophy, #traditionalphilosophy, #foundations, #foundationalphilosopher, #foundationaltext, #platosrepublic, #philosophy, #dialogue, #dialogues, #greekphilosophy, #ancientgreekphilosophy, #athens, #platonicdialogue, #platonic, #ancientgreeks, #ancientgreece,#hellen, #hellenistic, #athenian, #atheniantradition, #greekcivilization, #greeksociety, #greekhistory