PLATO - "The unexamined life is not worth living." - Socrates

Apology - Plato

The accusation Socrates fears the most to attempt to dispel -
Accusations made against him to the children, because he realizes that our children are the most impressionable and it is difficult to undo what has been taught to them.

Through out this work Plato consistently reports Socrates as speaking in a satirical fashion. He says he cannot speak eloquently, but speaks eloquently through out the piece, He says that he does not have nearly the amount of wisdom his accusers have, but sites that the oracle at Delphi stated that he was the wisest man. He also makes a point that there are those philosophers that would be paid for their instruction to young men, but he is not, and this is fair because he does not have the same extent of knowledge as these other philosophers. It is my belief that he understood no one would believe his false humility and would understand the slight he is making against his accusers in this way. Through his acting this way and taking this approach to his arguments he is making a over all statement of the fact that people, will believe anyone. People are easily lead astray by these false teachers. He makes one obvious point when comparing a man's children to sheep, asking who he would choose to teach and lead his children, since they are human, and their education so much more valuable than that of an animal. But the man fails this test and replies that he will send them to one of these paid philosophers, (because their paid.... they must be smart right?) (wow. we fall into that trap today on many levels, louis vutton anyone?) Socrates speaks, knowing that his audience is as easily lead astray as a flock of sheep. Pairing this point with his earlier point. During the most impressionable years of our lives, we are given over to be taught by those who have assumed wisdom (Accepted wisdom, because they are not the ones that face trial here) when it is nothing more than false pretence with bows and flowers (this reminds me of political correctness in the current day, we accept a lot of really stupid doctrines).

Next, Socrates talks about perceived wisdom.
Socrates states that is better to think yourself a fool (as he presents himself as thinking) than to think yourself very wise, and be a fool. He speaks to many classes of people, from politicians, to poets, to artisans attempting to find someone wiser than himself. He always finds that they only think themselves wise, based on their crafts, but really have no true wisdom. This little outing of his, is what created an immense hatred of him in the Greek society.

I see that the danger in thinking you are wise, would be that it has the ability to shut off your mind from finding the real truth. If you are wise with lies, you cannot be receptive to things that are true even if someone attempts to tell you, because you will be blinded by your own perceived wisdom (pride). I don't know how many of you are familiar with Plato's works, but if you are, I'm sure you can see the direct correlation here to "the cave."