Allan de Botton’s “The Consolations of Philosophy” is a brave attempt to offer consolations to those people who might be experiencing various hardships in life. The author uses the examples of six famous philosophers to offer consolations for various difficulties, including lack of money, unpopularity, inadequacy, lost love, among others. The book’s first chapter is titled “Consolation for Unpopularity,” and it offers solace to the people who might be experiencing unpopularity from public or private domains.
In the chapter, the author uses events in Socrates’ life to argue against the stigma of unpopularity. The chapter uses the events that transpired when Socrates was executed. The author then puts these facts in a context that can be easily understood by the readers. Botton’s book stands out because it is a rare attempt to contextualize philosophy in the modern age. This paper will examine the main points in the first chapter of “The Consolations of Philosophy” and then contextualize them using a historical event.
The chapter begins with a description of a painting that depicts Socrates’ execution after a court verdict (De Botton 4). Socrates had been a noted philosopher in the then Athenian society, but he had run into trouble with some detractors. Consequently, Socrates was charged with heresy, ungodliness, and corrupting the young minds of the Athenian society. The majority of a jury of five hundred people found him guilty, and he was sentenced to death.
This beginning is the author’s bold statement on unpopularity. In this scenario, a man is turned against by his fellow countrymen. Socrates’ position is meant to offer consolation to the people who find themselves unpopular as a result of their beliefs and convictions. Socrates’ unpopularity was rooted in his beliefs as the court briefs indicate. Furthermore, the philosopher’s unpopularity had little to do with his actions against particular people. However, the philosopher was accused of ‘sinning’ against the society and beliefs of Athens.
The chapter presents readers with an example that they can rely on in times of unpopularity. However, the scenarios surrounding Socrates’ life appear extreme to most people. For instance, the philosopher dies because he refuses to renounce his beliefs. In Socrates’ world, there is no room for denouncing his own beliefs and moral directions. The author is forwarding a very strong case to the readers. According to the chapter, dying for one’s beliefs is something that has nobility in its constructs.
Nevertheless, most people would rather live to fight another day than engage in confrontations that might lead to their death. The author notes that after the philosopher’s death, his status in Athens was elevated, and a statue was erected in his honor. In addition, the people who had been responsible for Socrates’ death were exorcised from the society. The author’s argument is that the message that was carried by Socrates gained more prominence after his death. Consequently, there is a form of immortality in Socrates’ case.
Another main point in De Botton’s book is the debate surrounding popularity versus intelligence. According to the author, Socrates’ nobility lies in his decision to maintain what he considered to be ‘the intelligent position’ in the face of unfounded criticism. Socrates’ goal in life was to teach people of all walks of life to ‘think for themselves’ (De Botton 28). Consequently, whenever the philosopher encountered people, he would seek to know the difference between what they thought to be the truth and what the actual truth was.
The chapter offers an example of Socrates questioning an army general about courage. According to Socrates, the only way to define courage was by questioning the current definitions of the same. The author breaks down the Socratic method of thinking into six steps, where the first step involves locating a statement that is widely regarded as absolute truth. According to the author, when a statement is broken down into a viable context, it would be impossible to discredit it. Truths are statements that would be impossible to disapprove.
According to the author, the rule of common sense dictates that it is possible for human beings to achieve several truths when they adopt the practice of thinking for themselves. Therefore, without the ability to think for themselves, it would be difficult for people to shy away from beliefs that are held by the majority even though they (beliefs) are flawed. Some unpopular beliefs are just truths that are not known by most people.
The author of this book offers examples of individuals who held popular beliefs without testing them. However, when Socrates prompted the same individuals to test their logic, they consequently found that the ideas that they considered to be true were not entirely so. Socrates conviction about his ideas was so strong that the philosopher did not change his demeanor throughout the process of his execution.
The situation surrounding Socrates and “Consolations for Unpopularity” can be compared with a famous scene in the history of the United States. The scene involves a woman named Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights movement. In 1955, Rosa Parks, an African American woman, refused to give her bus seat to a white man (Parks and Haskins 7). The incident was at that time considered civil disobedience, and it led to Rosa Park’s arrest. During that time, Rosa Parks’ believed that she was right not to give up her seat to a white man because she had the same rights as he had when it came to public transportation.
The incident caused a huge disruption in Rosa’s life, but it also earned her a place in America’s history. Just like in Socrates’ case, Rosa was aware that she could avoid the inconveniencies of being thrown in jail if she abandoned what she considered to be right. In addition, Rosa Parks did not count on anybody’s support when she sought to ‘set the record straight.’ De Botton would agree with Rosa that the belief that you are right does not depend on its popularity. The nobility of Rosa’s actions has been archived in museums across the world.
Furthermore, just like in Socrates’ case, Rosa Park’s actions led an entire population to question its earlier beliefs. A short time later, the Supreme Court outlawed segregation in America’s public transportation system. Rosa’s scenario also coincides with Botton’s argument on the ability to think for oneself. Rosa acted on her own volition and in accordance with what she believed was just.
Although her actions were unpopular, they led her to act in a manner that unveiled the unknown truth. It is also important to consider the events that transpired between the time Rosa refused to give up her seat and the time she was sent to prison. In the course of this time, Rosa must have encountered several people who did not favor her opinions.
Works Cited
De Botton, Alain. The consolations of philosophy, New York: Vintage, 2001. Print.
Parks, Rosa, and James Haskins. I am rosa parks, New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1997. Print.