who said what?

 When you are an unknown person, one of little importance, your thoughts are often overlooked. That's why we have to add validity to our statements by quoting others more highly regarded than ourselves. Even when we know we arrived at that thought independently the credit goes to the one who said it first. I put it this way, " there is little you can say that someone hasn't said before. " I believe that to be a true statement. I often include quotes from famous people in my writings and ramblings as well. You have to willing to be associated with that person however, as others will certainly compare you. Sometimes that works in your favor and at others it runs contrary. A good example would be quoting anything that Hitler said. It is generally agreed that anything and everything he ever said or thought was evil. Quote him and you will associated with his thoughts. Quote anything from the Bible and that is indisputable. 

 Public perception of the individual is the defining factor. It doesn't always align with the true nature of the person being quoted however.  Reading the biographies of a number of " famous " people can be a real eye opener. They aren't always what we perceived them to be. A great deal of that has to do with past sensibilities. There was a day when a persons faults, foibles, or aberrations weren't publicized. In short, we only talked about the good side, the questionable was left to history. Only the most notorious were written about in a negative fashion. That was in the time of heroes and villains. You were one or the other, or nothing at all.

 In my advancing years I have taken an interest in philosophy. The truth is I've always been interested in philosophy I just didn't know it. It is am amusing thought though, I imagine telling my father I have decided to study philosophy. I can only imagine the reaction. Instead of joining the Navy I'm going to college to study philosophy. Well at that time many people were starting to talk about finding themselves. Yeah, the original hippies. Now I have discovered that Socrates already addressed that problem. He said, " to find yourself, think for yourself. " I concur with that philosophy wholeheartedly. He also said, " only the extremely intelligent or the extremely ignorant can resist change." Another observation I would have to agree with. Socrates is considered the first moral philosopher so I am not surprised I am drawn to his writings. I too am concerned with morals, especially as they relate to government. Government should not define those morals, just recognize them. It is my belief that there is no such thing as " situational morality. " I find that inconsistent with rational thought. 

 Another thing Socrates said that I find especially applicable today is, " the beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms. " I'd say the variety of " terms " bantered about these days is causing much confusion. If we, as a society, can not agree to the defining of terms how can we expect to establish understanding? It was an issue in Socrates time and is an issue today. A last quote from Socrates, " I cannot teach anyone anything, I can only make them think. " Exactly. It is my thought that far too many attend our schools, at every level, and learn to repeat the lesson presented to them. Too few however are inspired to think for themselves. That is the result of one thing, success is predicated upon providing the expected answers. If you wish to graduate, repeat the lesson. Ever hear of Saul Kripke? No, he isn't that character on the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. He is a contemporary philosopher. Don't hear much about philosophers these days. Socrates agreed to kill himself rather than recant his thoughts. That's a strong conviction. But he was thinking for himself and hoping to inspire others to do the same. 

 Now after this rather long dissertation I want to come to the point. If I said, " A system of morality which is based on relative emotional value is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true "  would that be noticed? Would it be published again as a significant observation. Would I be world renowned ? Most likely no, it would be dismissed. Thing is, Socrates said that. I didn't know that when I began talking about situational morality and isn't that in the same vein? Yet my words are obscure and most likely will be lost to history, probably by tomorrow. That's my point. Well like my old friend Socrates said, all I can do is make you think.