Summary: I Connect With Plato

Near the beginning of the semester, after having briefly delved into each book assigned for the course, Plato At The Googleplex was doomed to be my least favorite book. We have read Plato At The Googleplex a couple of times, but this is the first time that our studies have narrowed in on the real meat of the book, and now, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Plato At The Googleplex is my favorite book of the three books. I wouldn't say if it was Plato that I connect with so well, or if it was the conversation between Plato and the narrator that I connected with so closely. Something about the concept of what is to live a life worthwhile that perplexes my perception of intelligence. You see, growing up, I was always purported my my family and many of my friends to be the "smart guy." Of course, being an elementary school student, I never responded to these claims with positive or proud reception. Being the intelligent person around the block didn't matter to a 4th grader who just wants to go home and play Lego Star Wars II on his Nintendo GameCube. As I grew and my mentality towards academia developed, those around me who also grew up in similar circumstances began to take their schooling seriously. From the first semester of freshman year, after the long and tumultuous journey of highs school, all the way to graduation day, there were students who took their grades more seriously. Without effort or investment, I earned moderately high grades. My freshman year, I earned 7 A's and 1 B, and sophomore year, I continued the same status quo except with a bit more excellence and effort due to finally surpassing the immature dilemmas and conflicts that I encountered as a freshman, and simply earning straight A's. I still rarely studied or devoted myself to studies as an Honors student who also "doubled up" in math, proceeding as far as Calculus rather than just Trigonometry. I've always felt insecure about my intelligence, simply because, as a junior, I encountered privations that inspired a dismantling of the infrastructure of my concentration, school effort, and priorities, and as a result, I earned a few B's and a single C. It hurt. Still though, my pursuit of knowledge and intellectuality has always instilled in my mind a condescending perspective of individuals who not only lack interest in the pursuit of knowledge or academia, but mock it with their own condescending perspective.