I gazed around, beholding nothingness

I wept, but as I followed my tears 

Saw that I stood tall in the sky

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Pity are those who hold on to identity,

I choose multiplicity;

I am my parents' treasure;

a speck of dust to the world. 

I am a wallflower,

basking in the ambiance

of a bustling crowd;

a warrior of words,

who forgets his bounds.

I am a lord over my experience;

a child to his desires. 

I am a shy lover;

a valiant dreamer. 

Pity are those who hold on to identity,

for there is beauty in multiplicity. 

I thought of those warm memories,
and wondered, did they ever know,
that they will be my only company?

I thought of those endless dreams,
and wondered, did I ever know,
that they all have an end?

I thought of those easy laughs,
and wondered, where did they all go?

I thought of those bygone sorrows,
and all I could do is think.

Today we turn on the world's oldest and perhaps greatest philosopher of all time - Plato. His philosophy mainly revolves around helping people reach Eudamonia, or fulfillment.

His four ideas to leading a fulfilling life are as follows:
1. Think more: Know yourself, don't fall prey to popular opinions
2. Let your lover change you: True love is admiration, you should get together with persons who have qualities you don't already have
3. Decode the message of beauty: We find things beautiful when we sense in them qualities that we lack but yearn for - harmony, strength etc.
4. Reform society: A society of philosophers - those who vote and rule must have inner philosophies

I think the first point set the foundation for western philosophies to come, in that they tend to reject the mainstream notion of the day and critic whatever assumptions the society of the day holds to be true. Personally, I think this is the single greatest contribution of philosophy to human advancement, as it lays down the platform to think from different perspectives. From what I have learned in history classes, major changes in the world often follows paradigm shifts in thinking, and this process the fueled by the few thinkers who dare to challenge the norms of the day (e.g. Immanuel Kant, Socrates).  As such, I agree wholeheartedly on the need for every human being to not only formulate their own worldview, but to consciously evaluate their beliefs and hold true to their values.

The second point raised by Plato is the one that got my most attention. I ave often looked at the dating scheme as a spectrum - either you find with someone compatible and have a stable relationship, or you experiment with someone down the opposite end of the line, with polar opposite personalities and engage in a fun but risky process of discovery. Plato pointed out a third alternative, one where both ends of the aforementioned spectrum overlap, where the stability of bonding with someone holding similar values complement the thrill of courting someone you see as different from you, who hold traits you aspire to attain but aren't quite there yet. It sure sounds like an idea worth trying.

Plato's view on beauty is rather refreshing. The message broadcast by religions and media alike have always been that beauty is dangerous, that it arouses desire where peace is preferred. His view that beautiful objects can be used as a role model, something that represents a goal or target inspiring us to better ourselves encourages a rather positive outlook of beauty. The envy, jealousy that arises from beholding objects of beauty is transformed into calls to seek better harmony, to improve one's strength. This dichotomy definitely sets the tone for philosophical debates to come.

His last point resonated well with his first point that people should own up to their beliefs and reject societal norms. Taken to a practical level, people dedicated to their philosophies should take action and lead their community, so as to see their visions of utopia come to fruition. I definitely agree with the notion that rulers and leaders should have a guiding set of philosophy, as their role is often most effective when their subjects or people have consensus and agreement with their guiding principles. Take Steve Jobs for example, even though he probably wasn't involved in the chip-to-chip designing of an iPod, his philosophy of elegance and simplicity undoubtedly played a huge role in creating consensus within the company and lead to a product that embodies the very philosophy he stood for.

All in all, I find Plato's ideas easy to digest and generally agreeable.