Five Surprisingly Hip Political Ideas From Plato

Don't you love politics? nnMe, neither. But I do like thinking about politics. And wouldn't you know it? Just when you think you've come up with a dazzling opinion, you find nout someone else had that same idea hundreds of years ago. So much for being original. nnStill, it's delightful to discover that you share opinions with great thinkers. nnPolitical pundits have a fabulous time skewering politicians and demanding accountability. Talking heads analyze failing policies and discuss alternatives in every form of the media. nnMe? I take it all in, and then I go back to my man, Plato. It's surprising how little has changed in politics. nYou'd think there would be a little more enlightenment in our leadership after more than 2000 years. nnPlato made some observations regarding politics that are amazingly relevant today. Political columnists are nsimply rehashing the same ideas Plato discussed with his cronies in Athens. nnDon't believe me? Take a look at what Plato had to say back in the third century B.C. nn#1 "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your ninferiors." nnThe smartest people take one look at political office and run the other way. Well, that may be smart, but it ndoesn't do much good when it comes to changing the world. We end up with leaders who have the power and money and ego required to win an election. That's way too much like running nfor student body president in high school, if you ask me. The really smart kids laughed at the whole nprocess, rolling their eyes and shaking their heads in disgust. Okay, that's fun, but it doesn't help. We need to figure out how to get our best nthinkers in leadership positions, and we need to develop a system that rewards integrity. nn#2 "The curse of me and my nation is that we always think things can be bettered by immediate action of some sort, any sort rather than no sort." n nThis is standard fare. In virtually every paper in the world, you'll find an editorial bashing the "Act now, nthink later" approach.nnI love to see truly thoughtful leaders. You know--those who refrain from knee-jerk reactions. Those who ntake the time to think. It is thinking--not planetary alignment--that will change the course of mankind and nlaunch us into an era of consciousness.nnOh, wait. Plato thought of that, too. He said: nn#3 "There will be no end to the troubles of states, or of humanity itself, until philosophers become kings in this world, or until those we now call kings and rulers nreally and truly become philosophers, and political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands." nnPhilosophy needs to become an integral part of our culture--in politics, business, art and entertainment. nWhat will it take for us to value thinking? More of it. nn#4 "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." nnAh, yes. This one is hauled out every time a new measure is proposed. So much time is spent on legislation aimed at a tiny percentage of people who nare bound and determined to get around the system. What if we spent our time and money on building better people? This is a perennial theme, and one worth pondering. nn#5 "When the tyrant has disposed of foreign enemies by conquest or treaty, and there is nothing more to fear from them, then he is always stirring up nsome war or other in order that the people may require a leader."nnSound familiar? If not, you haven't seen the movie, "Wag The Dog". Real, choreographed or simply imagined, conflicts tend to stir up a hornet's nest of controversy. This idea is the foundation for all conspiracy theorists. nnPlato isn't my only political guru. There are plenty of great thinkers whose opinions are shared by nnewsmakers and newswatchers today. nn"Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind."nnAlbert Einstein said that, but you don't have to be a genius to see that rabid patriotism leads to conflict. nSocrates agreed. He said: nn"I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world." nnWe need more of that Big Picture thinking. It's critical that we develop the ability to think beyond ourselves, our backyards, and our nation's political borders. nnBut most of all, we simply need to think. Of all the quotes about politics, here's the one that really stops me in my tracks: nn"What luck for rulers that men do not think." nnWho said it? Adolf Hitler. nnEnough said.n