Matthew Arnold Comments on Philistinism in England and America

In his es regularise, Philistinism in England and the States, Matthew Arnold examines the antiquated ideas of Plato in the context of a 20th hundred, capitalist b wholly club. As he agrees with or so any of what Plato had to regulate, he also admits that he is outdated, and that some of his teachings brush aside non be applied to us, surviving in an industrial superpower such(prenominal)(prenominal) as the United States. Still, though, Arnold defends the antediluvian patriarch philosopher. information as a route to psychical and physical righteousness is always a good idea, whether it is in modern the States or Ancient Greece. I dissent with this, and it is here that I must postulate the writings of Plato, as well as the essay by Arnold, for he is decidedly a strong backer of the ancient i films. In Platos sound judgment, the value of an development is to clear ones head word of impure thought, bring it to a high(prenominal) lever than at the start, and attain a cer tain level of righteousness.This may realise been a good idea 2300 days ago, but today, I see it as very restrict and impractical. In his time, nonwithstanding the rich aristocrats went to crop. Its purpose was non for the students to l exonerate skills or ideas that would help them ulterior in feeling, but to expand their minds, gum olibanum making them into better people. There was no need for them to l take in any ruminate skills. Back then, if you came from a rich family, you were rich. working at simple military controls was for the peasants and slaves.Today, liveliness is different. Our fellowship is completely unlike that of the ancient Greeks. We sport no caste system close the wealth and prominence of any citizen, we prevail no slavery to handle all the manual labor, our army is proportionately littler and much less honored, and religion is a part of ones snobby carriage, not a dominating existence force as it was to the Ancient Greeks. about people today contribute a regular, day to day job, whether it be in an office, store, factory, or anywhere else.We sustain to earn our wealth by working, not inheritance. That is wherefore most people go to school today. I am attending NYU so that I crowd out breed a job later on in brio. I study chemistry and engineering, in the hopes that I can become a chemical engineer. According to Plato, this is wrong, and Im subvert my mind. At this point in my life, I should be reading history and literature, enhancing my mind, and not worrying about developing a skill. To me, that is an unrealistic goal.As I render older, I indigence to switch a job that pays well, so that I can support a family, and be reposition to do whatever I fate in my spare time. I move intot want to have to shroud with restrictions in my life caused by a lack of money. If I lived and was educated in the way that Plato suggests, my life would probably cristal out differently from that, and that is why I di slike his ideas. In the fourth degree centigrade BC, when Plato was alive and writing, society was different. His writings on preparation relate to that time, when modern capitalism was over two thousand days away.He had no idea what life would be like today, so it is risible to base ones life on what he said so long ago. Arnold refuses to admit this. He does say that Platos ideas are outdated, but adds that the foothold for his thoughts could still be applied today, for the procession of society and the people that live in it. If thats the way he feels, Im fine with it, but for me, breeding a skill that will urinate me some money when Im older is more important than meliorate my mind.Matthew Arnold Comments on Philistinism in England and the StatesIn his essay, Philistinism in England and America, Matthew Arnold examines the ancient ideas of Plato in the context of a twentieth century, capitalist society. As he agrees with almost all of what Plato had to say, he also a dmits that he is outdated, and that some of his teachings cannot be applied to us, animateness in an industrial superpower such as the United States. Still, though, Arnold defends the ancient philosopher. reading as a route to psychical and physical righteousness is always a good idea, whether it is in modern America or Ancient Greece. I disagree with this, and it is here that I must bout the writings of Plato, as well as the essay by Arnold, for he is by all odds a strong backer of the ancient ideals. In Platos mind, the value of an education is to clear ones mind of impure thought, bring it to a higher lever than at the start, and attain a certain level of righteousness.This may have been a good idea 2300 age ago, but today, I see it as very limiting and impractical. In his time, entirely the rich aristocrats went to school. Its purpose was not for the students to learn skills or ideas that would help them later in life, but to expand their minds, thusly making them into b etter people. There was no need for them to learn any job skills. Back then, if you came from a rich family, you were rich. working(a) at simple jobs was for the peasants and slaves.Today, life is different. Our society is completely unlike that of the ancient Greeks. We have no caste system limiting the wealth and prominence of any citizen, we have no slavery to handle all the manual labor, our army is proportionately small and much less honored, and religion is a part of ones undercover life, not a dominating globe force as it was to the Ancient Greeks. intimately people today have a regular, day to day job, whether it be in an office, store, factory, or anywhere else.We have to earn our wealth by working, not inheritance. That is why most people go to school today. I am attending NYU so that I can get a job later in life. I study chemistry and engineering, in the hopes that I can become a chemical engineer. According to Plato, this is wrong, and Im demoralize my mind. At t his point in my life, I should be reading history and literature, enhancing my mind, and not worrying about developing a skill. To me, that is an unrealistic goal.As I get older, I want to have a job that pays well, so that I can support a family, and be redundant to do whatever I want in my spare time. I take overt want to have to deal with restrictions in my life caused by a lack of money. If I lived and was educated in the way that Plato suggests, my life would probably bias out differently from that, and that is why I dislike his ideas. In the fourth century BC, when Plato was alive and writing, society was different. His writings on education relate to that time, when modern capitalism was over two thousand years away.He had no idea what life would be like today, so it is paradoxical to base ones life on what he said so long ago. Arnold refuses to admit this. He does say that Platos ideas are outdated, but adds that the basis for his thoughts could still be applied today, for the overture of society and the people that live in it. If thats the way he feels, Im fine with it, but for me, learning a skill that will charter me some money when Im older is more important than purify my mind.