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Date Posted: 18:55:17 05/04/08 Sun
Author: JD Reed
Subject: Re: Self-Help Books
In reply to: Caitlin 's message, "Self-Help Books" on 19:48:25 04/13/08 Sun

I do not think that this is a new phenomenon. As I have pointed out before, Plato and Aristotle use the idea of imitation to lead to habit. Plato modeled his teachings in the Republic after this idea; society would be censored so as to eliminate any promotions of unwanted qualities or attitudes. In this way, the children would only be exposed to the good, and thus the only thing they could imitate and then come to love is the good. Aristotle used this idea explicitly in that he said to make children only act good and form the habit. Through habit, Aristotle said that virtue came to finally exist and be appreciated by the young.

Thus this manipulation of the process of mimesis is used by modern society, bu it was also used by much older societies as well. Furthermore, I think it shows that to "exploit" this process is not necessarily a bad thing, it just depends on how it used.

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Replies:

  • "A New Earth" -- JPJ II, 19:52:05 05/04/08 Sun

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