The real community of man, in the midst of all the self-contradictory simulacra of community, is the community of those who seek the truth, of the potential knowers..of all men to the extent they desire to know. But in fact, this includes only a few, the true friends, as Plato was to Aristotle at the very moment they were disagreeing about the nature of the good.. They were absolutely one soul as they looked at the problem. This, according to Plato, is the only real friendship, the only real common good. It is here that the contact people so desperately seek is to be found.. This is the meaning of the riddle of the improbable philosopher-kings. They have a true community that is exemplary for all other communities. . Allan Bloom
About This Quote

In the poem, the narrator, a young man, speaks to an old man who has been his guide through life. In the beginning of this conversation, he explains that he has been in a rut and has lost touch with reality. He then asks his mentor what makes a good life and the old man begins to tell him about Plato and Aristotle and their true community of friendship. The narrator then asks if this is true in the modern world and the old man replies yes.

He explains that in our modern world we have lost touch with reality and we only think about ourselves. We are obsessed with money, fame, success and power. This is what led us to think that we were separate from each other when in fact we are all part of the same race: humankind.

Source: The Closing Of The American Mind

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More Quotes By Allan Bloom
  1. The real community of man, in the midst of all the self-contradictory simulacra of community, is the community of those who seek the truth, of the potential knowers..of all men to the extent they desire to know. But in fact, this includes only a few,...
  2. Error is indeed our enemy, but it alone points to the truth and therefore deserves our respectful treatment.
  3. Education is the movement from darkness to light.
  4. Education is the movement from darkness to light
  5. The failure to read good books both enfeebles the vision and strengthens our most fatal tendency -- the belief that the here and now is all there is.
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