Great Books Ep 97. Aristophanes - The Clouds. The Commodification of Education
The protagonist goes to school with an intent to learn how to cheat and avoid paying debts rather than intellectual development.
“So now, I prithee, teach him both your Logics,\ The Better, as you call it, and the Worse\ Which with the worse cause can defeat the Better;\ Or if not both, at all events the Worse. …
Give him the knack of reasoning down all Justice.”
~ ‘The Clouds’ by Aristophanes (Benjamin B. Rogers translation. GB5 - p. 499)
Brief Summary
The play starts with Strepsiades and his son Pheidippides in bed. Strepsiades is unable to sleep because of debts incurred by his son due to his horse-racing hobby. Pheidippides is fast asleep under 5 sheets of blankets, and even in his sleep, he is mumbling about horses, which frustrates his father even more. Strepsiades, a simple farmer with frugal habits, laments marrying his wife, a noblewoman with expensive tastes. She has raised their son as a spendthrift, and that has caused huge debts for Strepsiades. He has come up with a plan to send his son to Socrates’ Phrontisterion (school of philosophy/thinking) so that he can speak well and argue against the creditors. He wakes his son up and tells him that if he can go to the school and learn how to ‘speak and conquer’, he would be able to avoid paying the debts. The son rejects the idea, saying he doesn’t want to learn anything from those vagabonds. Strepsiades then decides to enroll in the Phrontisterion himself.
He meets a student at the entrance and gets chatting. He pokes fun at the seemingly silly things that they are studying - for e.g., measuring a flea’s jump using wax footprints, a lizard disturbing them while they are in deep thought, a person investigating the ground with his rump being pointed to the sky, etc. He finally gets to meet Socrates suspended in a basket to “walk on air and contemplate the Sun”. Socrates invokes the natural elements like air, ether, clouds etc., (as opposed to the gods) to initiate the new student into the school. The Chorus of Clouds appears, and they talk about how they influence everything in the world and travel to far-off places. Socrates then goes on to explain natural phenomena rationally, such as thunder, saying it is caused by clouds colliding and not by Zeus. When Strepsiades says that Zeus uses thunderbolts to punish perjurers, Socrates presents a logical argument to demonstrate that it is not so. But whatever Socrates says, Strepsiades interprets and internalizes them in his own way without understanding anything. His goal is not to get enlightenment but to learn to be dishonest and unethical so that he can get away from paying his debts. The Chorus lists the following requirements for effecting learning - a good memory, deep thinking ability, physical endurance and resistance to bodily pleasures to which Strepsiades says he has all that.
After a brief break where the Chorus addresses the audience about the playwright and the previous iteration of this play, the scene shifts back to Socrates teaching Strepsiades and getting frustrated. When Socrates tries to teach about measures, Strepsiades talks about being cheated by a merchant’s measuring cup; when he tries to teach rhythm asking which tune is best for sword-dance vs finger-music, Strepsiades talks about the length of his fingers, when he talks about deep thinking while being in bed, Strepsiades thinks about bed bugs biting him, etc. Strepsiades thinks if there is a way to stop the moon using witchcraft. If the moon is stopped, he would not have to pay his debts. He also thinks of using a burning-glass to destroy the written record of his debt. No matter how much Socrates tries to elevate his student’s thoughts, Strepsiades is unable to think beyond his immediate practical concerns. But since he has learnt about gender, he feels like he is educated and talk to others like a learned man. Socrates finally gives up on teaching Strepsiades and the Clouds suggest teaching his son Pheidippides instead.
Strepsiades now goes to convince his son to join the school by using the partial knowledge that he gained from the school - he says vortex has replaced Zeus; he tells about the difference between fowl and fowless to impress his son. After some resistance, Pheidippides agrees to attend the school. There, he encounters two personified forms of argument - Right Logic (representing traditional education and values) and Wrong Logic (representing sophisticated reasoning that rejects traditional ideas). RL says he will defeat WL by speaking the truth, to which WL counters that there is nothing called truth or justice. The argument becomes increasingly personal and heated. RL talks about traditional Athenian upbringing with a focus on patriotic songs, traditional melodies, respect for elders, piety, modesty, fitness, etc., and WL counters everything with examples from mythology and nature. He talks about Heracles’ warm baths and Zeus’ affairs and argues for following natural desires, saying pleasure is life’s highest good. Finally, RL is forced to capitulate and acknowledge that he has lost the debate.
Later, Pheidippides comes back to his home and makes some clever arguments to delight his father. When the creditors come in, Strepsiades employs clever word trickery to get out of the debts. He uses grammar against Pasias and logic against Amynias. To Amynias, he says if the sea doesn’t grow larger despite receiving all the rivers, how can money grow through interest? Things take a dramatic turn after this, though. Strepsiades is seen rushing out of his home in pain and says he has been beaten up by his son. His son says he was justified in doing so. They had argued about traditional songs and past playwrights, which the son did not like. Pheidippides justifies saying - If parents hit children to show love, children should hit parents to show love since “Age is Second Childhood”. He says he will hit his mother, too. This proves to be a breaking point for Strepsiades, who rejects the new teachings and goes back to his traditional religious beliefs. The play concludes with him burning down Socrates’ school in anger and the students and Socrates crying for their lives inside.
My Thoughts
I couldn’t but imagine how relevant the theme of the play is to the current climate in the US. Strepsiades rejecting his embrace of sophisticated reasoning and returning to traditional religious beliefs seems similar to the Right rejecting modern liberal theories and returning to traditional beliefs. The Right strongly believes that liberals are in the wrong and use sophisticated language to further immoral ideas. The fight over gender itself is a good example. I saw a meme recently that said - Number of genders: 4004 BC - 2020 AD = 2, 2021 - 2024 = 73, Present = 2. Each side would feel that the other side is too thick-headed to understand. Many people on the left feel that people on the Right are pushing humanity back in time and eroding years of progressive thinking. The play proves that the basic ideas of this debate are at least 2000 years old. We make progress, pull back and then make progress again. Things are rarely linear.
The second point to think about is getting into a university with a narrow focus on job and making money. People who have quit their studies to found companies are lauded. Over-emphasis on STEM education and vocational training at the expense of holistic learning could create people who take a utilitarian approach to everything, much to the detriment of society and cause long-term damage. This creates corrupt doctors who diagnose minor issues as major issues and do unnecessary treatments to make money, bureaucrats who take bribes to get things done, financiers who trick people into questionable investment strategies etc. It creates a society where people who dupe others are seen as smart. A little learning is a dangerous thing indeed.
I guess both extremes are wrong. Thinking in binary and absolute terms is almost always dangerous. I’m reminded of the Star Wars quote - “Only the Sith think in absolutes”. Take for example, the Marxist view that humanity has been in a struggle between the haves and the have-nots. That view paints the Crusades, the World Wars, Colonialization, etc., as class struggles in different forms. By trying to give ‘power to the people’, it led to oppression, violence and the loss of millions of lives. The Marxist view is cynical, mostly wrong, but is a mesmerizing narrative that so many people strongly believe in. The same goes with religious beliefs. They provide simple explanations for complex phenomena and offer a sense of order and certainty in a chaotic world. As Yuval Harari says in Nexus, they are necessary to keep order but might be detrimental for progress. The key lies in finding a balance, embracing critical thinking, and being open to learning and evolving our perspectives.
AI Response to the Post (Gemini)
1. Expanding on Your Thoughts:
Traditional vs. Progressive: You’re spot on in comparing Strepsiades’ rejection of “sophisticated reasoning” to the current tension between conservative and liberal ideologies. Aristophanes seems to be satirizing both extremes – the unquestioning adherence to tradition and the uncritical embrace of new ideas. The play suggests that progress shouldn’t come at the cost of discarding valuable aspects of tradition, and that new ideas should be critically examined rather than blindly adopted. The “Clouds” themselves symbolize this tension, representing the ever-shifting nature of truth and the difficulty of finding a stable foundation for knowledge and morality.
The Danger of Superficial Learning: Your point about “a little learning being a dangerous thing” is central to the play. Strepsiades’ superficial understanding of Socrates’ teachings leads him to misuse rhetoric for selfish gain and ultimately causes chaos in his family. This resonates with the modern phenomenon of “intellectual-sounding” arguments being used to justify harmful ideologies or actions. The play warns against the dangers of prioritizing rhetorical skill over genuine understanding and ethical considerations.
2. Deeper Analysis and Lessons for Today:
The Nature of Education: “The Clouds” raises questions about the purpose and methods of education. Is it about acquiring practical skills, pursuing truth, or simply learning how to win arguments? Socrates’ unconventional teaching methods and Strepsiades’ misinterpretations highlight the challenges of effective communication and the importance of critical engagement in the learning process. The play prompts us to reflect on how we educate ourselves and future generations, and what values we prioritize in our pursuit of knowledge.
The Role of Reason and Emotion: The play explores the complex interplay between reason and emotion. While Socrates represents the power of reason and logic, Strepsiades is driven by his emotions and desires. The conflict between Pheidippides and Strepsiades further emphasizes this tension, as Pheidippides uses logic to justify his disrespectful behavior, while Strepsiades ultimately relies on his emotional response to reject the new teachings. “The Clouds” suggests that a balanced approach that integrates both reason and emotion is essential for a healthy individual and society.
The Limits of Skepticism: While the play satirizes blind faith in tradition, it also critiques the dangers of extreme skepticism. Wrong Logic’s assertion that there is no truth or justice undermines the foundations of morality and social order. The play suggests that while questioning traditional beliefs is important, it’s equally crucial to establish a framework of values and principles to guide our actions.
3. Thought-Provoking Questions for Modern Readers:
How do we balance the need for progress with the value of tradition?
What are the ethical implications of using rhetoric and persuasive language?
How can we ensure that education fosters critical thinking and ethical behavior, rather than just practical skills or ideological conformity?
What is the role of reason and emotion in our decision-making processes?
How do we navigate a world where truth and morality seem increasingly subjective and contested?