Heroism, Love, Art & Censorship | Angie Hobbs

In this episode, Professor Angie Hobbs and I explore Plato’s philosophy, heroism, celebrity, love, friendship, art, censorship, and the relevance of ancient Greek philosophy to modern life. Continuing our previous conversation on her book *Why Plato Matters Now* , we discuss how ideas of heroism have changed since ancient Greece, why we look up to particular individuals, and what our admiration of celebrities, billionaires, and powerful figures reveals about society’s values. We also explore Plato’s psychology, the importance of role models, and how social media can influence our character and understanding of success. We then discuss the power of myth, Plato’s allegory of the cave, misinformation, and the importance of distinguishing truth from falsehood. Professor Hobbs explains Plato’s views on art and censorship, how they differ from Aristotle’s, and the relationship between artistic expression, moral development, freedom, and personal responsibility. Finally, we explore friendship, romantic love, Platonic love, Plato’s *Symposium*, the ladder of love, codependency, and what ancient philosophy can teach us about loving others and living well.