Donald Robertson

to be the goal of life, like reputation and material success and stuff like that, aren't really intrinsically the most important thing in life, but what matters more is your ability to use these things well, which is something that they tend to have neglected and not really discussed. And so Socrates says that's what we should be talking about. How do you use these things well?

And so the goal of life or flourishing would consist in a kind of practical wisdom or moral wisdom and also in the realization that the prevailing values of our society are kind of back to front and the things that everybody is led to value, like consumerism and celebrity culture and all that kind of stuff, those are misplaced values, basically.

And so the goal of life or flourishing would consist in a kind of practical wisdom or moral wisdom and also in the realization that the prevailing values of our society are kind of back to front and the things that everybody is led to value, like consumerism and celebrity culture and all that kind of stuff, those are misplaced values, basically.

And so the goal of life or flourishing would consist in a kind of practical wisdom or moral wisdom and also in the realization that the prevailing values of our society are kind of back to front and the things that everybody is led to value, like consumerism and celebrity culture and all that kind of stuff, those are misplaced values, basically.

and them being the same values that everybody is still being swayed by now i wonder about that you know i think there's got to be a reason for that and i don't pretend to know exactly what it is but the ancient philosophers had some answers i believe that part of it is if you imagine when you're born as a child you're kind of a blank slate to some extent and you know you you start interacting with adults before you can even speak let alone reason and so you you just emulate what you see other people doing as a small child

and them being the same values that everybody is still being swayed by now i wonder about that you know i think there's got to be a reason for that and i don't pretend to know exactly what it is but the ancient philosophers had some answers i believe that part of it is if you imagine when you're born as a child you're kind of a blank slate to some extent and you know you you start interacting with adults before you can even speak let alone reason and so you you just emulate what you see other people doing as a small child

and them being the same values that everybody is still being swayed by now i wonder about that you know i think there's got to be a reason for that and i don't pretend to know exactly what it is but the ancient philosophers had some answers i believe that part of it is if you imagine when you're born as a child you're kind of a blank slate to some extent and you know you you start interacting with adults before you can even speak let alone reason and so you you just emulate what you see other people doing as a small child

and i think it partly comes from the fact that we model our values on other people's behavior so as a child growing up you think you take a look around you and you think what's all this meant to be about you think well everyone else seems obsessed with money and property and status like so you just kind of naturally fall into that if you're not careful are you saying that we are the progeny of uh socratic society's culture eventually just a few thousand years down the line

and i think it partly comes from the fact that we model our values on other people's behavior so as a child growing up you think you take a look around you and you think what's all this meant to be about you think well everyone else seems obsessed with money and property and status like so you just kind of naturally fall into that if you're not careful are you saying that we are the progeny of uh socratic society's culture eventually just a few thousand years down the line

and i think it partly comes from the fact that we model our values on other people's behavior so as a child growing up you think you take a look around you and you think what's all this meant to be about you think well everyone else seems obsessed with money and property and status like so you just kind of naturally fall into that if you're not careful are you saying that we are the progeny of uh socratic society's culture eventually just a few thousand years down the line

Yeah, I think we're just a product of the fact that we can't really understand each other deeply, I think is the problem, that we're basing our values and just observing other people's superficial behavior. So, for example, we might see, as a little kid, you might see your dad working really long hours and earning money, you know, to kind of pay off the mortgage and stuff like that.

Yeah, I think we're just a product of the fact that we can't really understand each other deeply, I think is the problem, that we're basing our values and just observing other people's superficial behavior. So, for example, we might see, as a little kid, you might see your dad working really long hours and earning money, you know, to kind of pay off the mortgage and stuff like that.

Yeah, I think we're just a product of the fact that we can't really understand each other deeply, I think is the problem, that we're basing our values and just observing other people's superficial behavior. So, for example, we might see, as a little kid, you might see your dad working really long hours and earning money, you know, to kind of pay off the mortgage and stuff like that.

And if you're not careful, you might think, I guess working hard and earning money is what life is all about. But your dad might think, well, I'm doing that to care for my family. for example, because I consider being a good father to be what I want my life to be about. So we don't necessarily observe the values that are driving other people's behavior internally.

And if you're not careful, you might think, I guess working hard and earning money is what life is all about. But your dad might think, well, I'm doing that to care for my family. for example, because I consider being a good father to be what I want my life to be about. So we don't necessarily observe the values that are driving other people's behavior internally.

And if you're not careful, you might think, I guess working hard and earning money is what life is all about. But your dad might think, well, I'm doing that to care for my family. for example, because I consider being a good father to be what I want my life to be about. So we don't necessarily observe the values that are driving other people's behavior internally.

I think so we fall into this trap. This is my belief over and over again, because we are not able to see inside people's hearts. We end up with a superficial understanding of their values And it's only over the course of life as we develop the ability to reflect on our values and question them more deeply, we start to think, why are we doing all this stuff? Why am I buying a house?

I think so we fall into this trap. This is my belief over and over again, because we are not able to see inside people's hearts. We end up with a superficial understanding of their values And it's only over the course of life as we develop the ability to reflect on our values and question them more deeply, we start to think, why are we doing all this stuff? Why am I buying a house?

I think so we fall into this trap. This is my belief over and over again, because we are not able to see inside people's hearts. We end up with a superficial understanding of their values And it's only over the course of life as we develop the ability to reflect on our values and question them more deeply, we start to think, why are we doing all this stuff? Why am I buying a house?

Why am I working long hours? It's for something deeper. It's in order to be a good person and a good parent and a good husband and stuff like that. And I think one of the things that can help us achieve that realization and question the prevailing values of our society is