Happiness Lessons: According to Socrates and Plato | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Featured

Happiness Lessons: According to Socrates and Plato

Socrates, the Greek thinker, was put to death for encouraging his students to question everything from Athenian customs to their beliefs; however, his ideas did not die with him.

1013
Happiness Lessons: According to Socrates and Plato

How does a man live a good life? And how can one achieve excellence to the utmost of their ability?

These two questions have been grappled with and grasped for thousands of years, yet no one has searched into the meaning of these questions more than the philosophers of Ancient Greece. After listening to the happiness lab podcast with Dr. Laurie Santos, the episode, Happiness Lessons of the Ancients, really got me thinking about Plato’s vision of the human psyche. In particular, my favorite analogy to explain the nature of the soul, aka the tripartite, is through the chariot allegory. This allegory reveals the true nature of man, and what must be done to achieve arete (excellence), Andreia (manliness) and, as a product of the two, eudaimonia (human flourishing).

This allegory is shared in Plato's Phaedrus, which dives deep into the human psyche. It begins with two horses that pull a chariot, one is noble, while the other is wild. The wild horse primarily focuses on fundamental desires and is obstinate, unyielding to the whip of the spur forced on by the charioteer. On the other hand, the noble horse does not need to be tamed as it embraces honor, temperance, and modesty. No whip is needed on the horse of nobility, but rather words and admonition help to guide him.

While immortal charioteers have two immortal horses and are gracefully able to achieve happiness, it is not the same for mortals. In fact, a turbulent ride for mortals proceeds because they have to deal with both forces of a noble and wild horse. When the noble horse wishes to rise and achieve happiness, the wild horse pulls the charioteer down. Hence, glimpses of this goodness are seen but not maintained because of the opposing pulls in opposite directions.

So how do we interpret this analogy? All components: the chariot, the charioteer, and the two contrasting horses represent the soul. The charioteer symbolizes reason, the wild horse represents appetite, and the noble horse stands for spiritedness. Aristotle saw each of the components as separate forces that cause a man to think and act a certain way. Each factor has its own individual purpose and vision: Reason seeks knowledge and truth, appetite seeks food, sex, and material wealth, while spiritedness wants recognition and honor. It is important that a man trains the forces of his soul and understands the nature of “his horses” because utilizing each horse's strength will help to reign in their weakness.

So how do we find the “golden mean” when we have an intimate acquaintance with our appetite? A hedonist is a man who is completely driven by his appetites. He does not look to reign in the wild horse but rather wholly indulges himself and strives for nothing higher than to get drunk, make money, and have sex. Without reigning in the wild horse disaster entails. On the other end of the spectrum is a prudish man. One who deems partaking in any kind of pleasures as sinful, evil and troublesome. He bottles up his desire for pleasures and as a result like that of a hedonist also has a downfall. The “middle way” is the between of the two extremes. A man resembles this middle way when he makes room for pleasures but is able to put them in their proper place. In other words he finds virtue in his vices. Examples of this can be appreciating making money but not making acquiring it a central aim. Another instance is thoroughly enjoying sex but through the virtue of commitment and love. In general, when the dark horse is properly directed and trained one is able to get closer to living a more happy fulfilled life. When our desires for pleasure are practiced with discretion we will be able to lead a fulfilling and balanced life. When one partakes in creating this balance greatness is achieved. When it comes to the desire for money if one works on creating balance they will find themselves achieving success, independence, and recognition. If lust is properly directed it can lead a man to commit and love. Practicing minimalism can also help us train and reign in the wild horse. Purchasing materialistic items in hopes that it will make us happy oftentime leads us to wanting more which seems to never be enough. Minimalism is an important skill to hone because it allows you to create your own happiness by training yourself to get rid of negative aspects in your life that only bring you down. All in all, the wild horse has a nature to it which can be used for both good and evil. Therefore, it is up to us to take a hold of the reins and create happiness in our lives.

Report this Content
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

250
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

125
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

198934
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20111
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments