Plato believed that people's role in society is based on their unique strengths and talents.

He
concluded that people would generally fall into three classes: Workers, Guardians, and Philosopher-
Kings. He also said that for society to flourish, people may have to let go of their personal interests
and preferences and focus on the needs of society. Plato believed that people who are best to rule
are the ones who use their intellect and wisdom (i.e Philosopher-Kings).
This social/political system would not take into account the gender, race, or social class of a person
in society rather wisdom would be the only criteria. The problem created by this sole criteria is the
social divide that occurs across society due to the limited access to education.
Question: Is this ideology applicable in our current Philippine society? If yes, how so? If not, what
hinders us from using this concept? You may cite examples to back up your answer.

The nature of man itself would not allow such society to flourish permanently. The existence of
individuality and free will drive us to an almost limitless potential that is not bounded to a single
class and purpose. Due to this, whether it is in the Philippines or not, this ideology would not be
applicable.
The nature of man would not allow such a society to thrive indefinitely. Individuality and free will
propel us to a nearly endless potential that is not limited to a particular class or purpose. Due to
this, whether in the Philippines or elsewhere, this ideology is inapplicable.

At present, our country suffers from a great divide between fanatics of public servants and those
that rely on critical thinking in supporting political candidates. From this situation, there is already
a noticeable problem as to why this ideology is irrelevant in our current state - the supposed class
of philosopher-kings are chosen not from the intellect and wisdom that they possess but from how
they appeal to the masses or lineage regardless of their integrity, crimes, or their fitness to lead.
Furthermore, some workers do not wish to remain with their roles in the society but seek for
government positions in order to at least elevate the conditions of their industries brought about by
how they are treated with lack of support and opportunities for their growth. Guardians on the
other hand, as evident in today’s political events, may run for the senate or even for president. The
reason for workers striving for other functions outside of their design is mainly from injustices
while for guardians it is driven by greed for power and influence that they have initially
experienced.

Poverty, hunger, corruption, lack of education, personal interests, and the many inequalities in the
society perpetuate the drive for moving to another social class that causes Plato’s ideology less
likely to be unattainable. By gradually resolving each of these issues, we will get closer to such an
ideology, or one even better, that is oriented not just on a system of intellectual merit based on
wisdom, but also on the numerous intelligences that individuals possess.
The nature of man would not allow such a society to thrive indefinitely. Individuality and free will
propel us to a nearly endless potential that is not limited to a particular class or purpose. Due to
this, whether in the Philippines or elsewhere, this ideology is inapplicable.

At present, our society is divided between supporters of public officials and those who support
political candidates based on critical thinking. From this position, it is clear why this concept is no
longer applicable in our contemporary state: the alleged class of philosopher-kings are picked not
for their intelligence and wisdom, but for how they appeal to the masses or bloodline, regardless of
their integrity, sins, or capacity to rule.

. This may be attributed to greed or human mo

No, I do not believe that this ideology is applicable in our current Philippine society. If our country
were truly ruled by someone who uses their intellect and wisdom, then we would not have a
president and administration that tolerates or rather promotes the violation of basic human rights.
People would not have to be scared of being put behind bars (or worse) for simply sharing their
thoughts about the government. Corrupt officials would not even get close to gaining and keeping
seats of power just because they are close with the president. Funds and efforts would be directed
towards projects that actually help the Filipino people. Members of the minority would be heard
and put into proper consideration instead of being neglected. Tens of thousands of innocent people
would be alive right now, not dead because of some false accusation. The pandemic would not be
grossly mismanaged, and our economy would be fine by now. Perhaps one of the many factors that
hinder us from applying the concept of Philosopher-Kings is the lack of proper voters' education.
Now that the elections are fast approaching, it is essential that accurate information is made
available and accessible to ALL constituents for them to fully understand their rights and
responsibilities as well as to meaningfully participate in the voting process. While this does not
exactly and automatically guarantee that the Philippines will be ruled with intellect and wisdom in
the future, it is still a vital step towards achieving the change that we want to see in Philippine
society.

· Reply · 3d
Robert Ortiz
I don’t think that this ideology is currently applied in our society due to the deeply rooted
corruption that runs in our institutions. Our current leaders (at least some of them) may have the
intellect to rule but they don’t have this selfless quality and dedication in service for the good of the
nation.
I also don’t think that this simplified governance ideology can be applied in our complex society
today. Our nation has different sectors that must be led by experts in their respective fields.
However, I believe we could get the idea of merit-based society where we could elect people based
on their capabilities and contributions, rather than by birth. Leaders have the influence and power
that can affect entire generations, so it is only appropriate to select people who have the
intellectual and moral capacity to rule regardless of gender, race, or social class. We could achieve
this by providing universal access to education for people to have the capacity to choose the most
qualified leaders.
I also believe that it is ideal for people to fit into society based on their strengths and talents.
However, this idea is obstructed by capitalism where people’s passions may not coincide for a job
or business that pays the bills. We could strive for this society where everyone can do what they
love and contribute to society without worrying for their basic needs by advocating our institutions
for social welfare.