Auden an the Greeks Essay

We would neer have vex fully conscious, which is to vocalize that we would never have become, for better or worse, fully human. this quote is for W. H. Auden, who was a prolific writer and plat write. In this paper I will inclination to give insight ab let on the author of this quote, the origins of this piece, and what the author meant in worm it. As well as examples of proof that Audens theory was authorized or not.And finally I will give my belief whether I regain that Auden quote is condition. To start with a short back instal on the author Wystan Hugh Auden he was born in York, England, in 1907. He moved to Birmingham during childhood and was educated at Christ Church, Oxford. As a immature man he was influenced by the poetry of Thomas Hardy, Robert Frost, William Blake, Emily Dickinson, as well as old English verse,(http//www. poets. org ). Auden seem to have forever had a fascination with the ancient Greeks having been educated at a young age on the teaching of S ocrates, Plato, and Aristotle .Audens love of the ancient Greeks would in later life place him in the category as a Grecophile ( a lover of all things Greek). This love of Ancient Greek teachings, and traditions Im sure this led to Audens viewpoint of how the Greeks contributed to modern civilization. In researching Audens line close the Ancient Greeks and their contributions to ar modern day society I found that the line is interpreted from a larger writing entitled The Greeks and Us in Forewords and Afterwords, (W.H. Auden, fresh York, 1973, p. 32). The Quote is I can think of no better guidance of indicating what we owe to Greece than drawing distinctions, for of all intellectual acts, that is perhaps the most characteristically Greek.It is they who have taught us, not to thinkthat all human beings have of all time donebut to think about our thinking, to ask such questions as What do I think? , What do this and that otherwise person or people think? , On what do we pair and disagree? wherefore? And not only did they learn to ask questions about thinking, but they similarly discovered how, instead of giving immediate resolutenesss to suppose something to be the outcome and then see what would follow if it were. To be able to perform every of these mental operations, a human being essential first be capable of a tremendous feat of moral courage and discipline, for he must have learn how to resist the immediate demands of feeling and incarnate needs, and to disregard his natural anxiety about his future so that he can look at his self and his mankind as if they were not his but a strangers.If some of the Greek questions turned out to have been incorrectly put, if some of their answers have proved wrong, that is a worthless matter. Had Greek civilization never existed, we might fear God and exact justly with our neighbors, we might practice arts and even have learned how to devise fairly simple machines, but we would never have become fully consc ious, which is to say that we would never have become , for better or worse, fully human. (W. H. Auden, New York, 1973, p. 32). In reading this text I flummox to understand where Audens viewpoint is coming from.The main part of the text and purpose of this paper is console widely regarded as true by many citizens in our country today. That the ancient Greek society of Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates, still offers much to the modern world. And with out this it would be hard to imagine what our world would be like without their contributions. Auden is agreeing with this philosophy. Auden is basically saying that the ancient Greeks have contributed how we should be looking at things that affect atomic number 18 daily lives, however so many of us do not.This is saying that we should be looking at a subject from not only are own viewpoint, or are initial first thought on the subject, but to be introspective and take the time to contemplate how the world around us may, or may not, see t he same set of circumstance. And then fetching all opinions into consideration for the final outcome regardless ff that outcome is intimately or bad. This takes a lot of mentally thought and discipline since in modern society we tend to be less philosophical, most of us say and do what first comes to our minds regardless of what others around us feel or think of the matter, or the eventual outcome of the situation.In my opinion Auden was saying that we can and should apply this to every aspect of are lives whether it is a personal matter, a judgment call, or really anything. The Greeks felt, in my opinion, that you must everlastingly think of your fellow man first and place oneself in his shoes, how another would feel and react to a situation taking that in to consideration and basing ones thoughts and actions on that.This sets peoples apart from a reactionary society to a thinking one, and had Greek civilization not existed we may have do our way, however we would certainly not had compassion for our fellow man and their viewpoints, in other words we would have not become fully human. This rail of thought can be shown in example by the consanguinity of the three great ancient Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, theirs was a relationship of a teacher educating his pupils.Socrates schooled his followers, Plato, Aristotle with his vast knowledge and wisdom, the method became known as Socratic. consort to Socrates an inquisitive nature was comminuted in understanding and solving questions. And by posing this to every one from the man on the street to authorisation figures and taking their opinions into consideration would compel you to the most reasonable and logical answer benefiting all involved in the situation. However not even Socrates pupils always agreed with his teachings.Both Plato and Aristotle disagreed with some of Socrates views and disagreed with one another. One thing that some(prenominal) did agree on was that an open forum of opinions would help you to acquire the vanquish solution to a problem. Whether they agreed with it or not you must get word and always continue to discover from as many sources to come to the correct conclusion. In conclusion my viewpoint on W. H. Audens comment Had Greek civilization never existed we would never have become fully conscious, which is to say that we would never have become, for better or worse, fully human.That yes indeed, after researching what he was referring to and the trying to look at it from the perspective of the ancient Greeks that using critical thinking, and excepting all shades of opinion whether you agree with them or not and allowing them into your finality making process this is the most effectual way of deducing a question. In this I agree, however I find the modern world we are living in that few of my fellow humans take half-size or any of this into consideration. Today in my opinion we speak to a greater extent often before we think of what we are saying and how it effects other and these peoples viewpoints.To me this is sad, if we thought more about the views and feelings of one another and less about making sure our own voice is heard what a contrastive society we would live in. I would have to say I agree with W. H. Auden that if not for ancient Greece we would not have developed fully in to humans. However I feel that our modern society is growing quick away from theses ancient principals.