A Tale of Shared Humanity

Two humans.

One was known for being ugly.
Many consider the other the apex of feminine beauty.

One is famous for being famous.
The other to this day is held up as the pinnacle of wisdom.

The ugly wise one was highly skilled in argumentative reason. He had a playful wit and loved irony. He did not care about money and lived a simple life, wandering the streets dressed in rags. He had a strong moral code made up of five virtues: courage, moderation, piety, wisdom and justice. His mission was to urge his fellow citizens to care for their souls, by trying to understand and acquire the five virtues. He had an entourage of loyal supporters, one of them spent much of his life recording and delivering his master's messages.

The beautiful famous-for-being-famous one is highly skilled in self-promotion. She is a successful businesswoman, and her multitude of businesses has made her very wealthy. She lives a lavish life and struts the streets dressed in designer gear. She has a strong support network made up of family, friends and staff. She is a key member of a Hollywood dynasty family who have their own TV show and she is the central star. She keeps her family close and they are an integral part of her brand.

You can probably guess who each of these humans are.

Had they both lived at the same time what would have they thought of each other?

Would Socrates have encouraged Kim to deepen her understanding of courage, moderation, piety, wisdom and justice?

Had Socrates met Kim would he have become a master in the art of self-promotion?

As strange as these may seem, it turns out that Kim and Socrates share a few commonalities. Both have been accused of corrupting the youth and of having no talent. Kim is known for making a spectacle of herself and so was Socrates.

Neither life could be regarded as ordinary and quiet. They are two beings that have made a mark on humanity, they have both been judged, and will continue to be.

It is easy for us to pass judgement on both Socrates and Kim. Perhaps you're having a moment right now, quietly deciding which of these two deserves your respect. We use judgement to suss out a situation or person but sometimes our thoughts are harsh.

Often we are disapproving of other people because they make us uncomfortable about our own insecurities, but we know deep down that there's no beauty or wisdom in disapproving of others just to make ourselves feel better.

Judgement is inherent. We have to be able to judge situations and people in order to survive, but our thoughts about someone else can be a window into our own self-esteem. This can also be true when others judge us. How we receive judgment often depends on the resilience of our self-esteem.

We can all learn from both Socrates and Kim, because if we dig deeper within ourselves we will discover surprising threads across humanity.

"I love when people underestimate me and then become pleasantly surprised." - Kim Kardashian

"When the debate is over, slander becomes the tool of the loser." - Socrates