Henry David Thoreau And Socrates Comparison Essay

From opposite sides of the world, and in two societies changed and shaped from the countless years that are in between, Socrates and Henry David Thoreau stood for many of the same concepts and shared many of the same ideas. These differences help to communicate the idea that no matter how much times passes by or how different the places in which a person lives may be, there will always be those who question their communities and stand strongly by everything they believe. The two men can be compared to each other in many aspects of their beliefs, but there are some very prominent differences. One of the most important differences are that Socrates believed that experts know best and should have the authority to advise, and to a certain extent control, the lives of citizens while Thoreau believed that citizens, when they are well educated and have a

He believed that intelligence and having a sound understanding of oneself was far superior to the beauty standards that were very prominent and important in Athens during his time period. Although he obtained no traits that would have identified him as beautiful in his society, he was still successful and thriving in his own eyes, and this in itself went against much of what Athens stood for. However, Socrates did not believe in going against the government which allowed him to marry, gifted him with education, and in many ways, simply gave him his life. Even this idea could not prevent him from analysing the society, developing his own understanding, and sharing ideas that were opposite to which was expected from citizens. All of what he was sharing with his students was not widely accepted in Athens and it resulted in him being convicted by a jury. Instead of taking the easy way out of this serious issue, he stood by what he believed in and he never changed his original beliefs to escape his