Sunday 20 April 2008

Belief Confuses, Truth Liberates


“The unexamined life is not worth living” – Socrates (470-399 BCE)

Socrates’ insight that we must reflect upon the life we live was partly inspired by the famous phrase inscribed at the shrine of the oracle at Delphi, “Know thyself.” The key to finding value in the prophecies of the oracle was self-knowledge, not a decoder ring.

Socrates felt so passionately about the value of self-examination that he closely examined not only his own beliefs and values but those of others as well. More precisely, through his relentless questioning, he forced people to examine their own beliefs. He saw the citizens of his beloved Athens sleepwalking through life, living only for money, power, and fame, so he became famous trying to help them. He was rewarded by being put to death.

In the context of present-day Wales the public has been sleep-walking under Labour
and the time has come to waken to the reality of a resurgent Welsh nation poised to meet its destiny.

Alan in Dyfed

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