25.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF SOCRATES AND INTEGRITY

(B)  I BELIEVE SOCRATES WAS A GOOD CITIZEN, POSSESSED AN ACTIVE
MIND, EXHIBITED INTEGRITY, AND HAD SPIRITUALITY.  IT IS REASSURING THAT
IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE ALL OF THESE QUALITIES IN ONE HUMAN BEING. (B)
FROM THE FOUR DIALOGUES I READ, EVIDENTLY THERE ARE MANY THINGS
WE, AS ALMOST TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY PEOPLE, COULD LEARN FROM THE
PAST.  I HOPE I CAN CONTINUE TO LEARN TO BE LIKE SOCRATES AND TO HAVE
THOSE REDEEMING QUALITIES.  HE BELIEVED IN THE PEOPLE AND THE LAWS
OF HIS CITY-STATE.  HE SPENT HIS WHOLE LIFE TRYING TO IMPROVE THE
ETHICAL, MORAL AND SPIRITUAL NATURE OF THE CITIZENS OF HIS FAIR CITY. 
HE WAS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN HIS WORLD, ONE PERSON AT A TIME.
SOCRATES NEVER CHARGED FOR THIS WORK.  SOCRATES BELIEVED HE WAS
CALLED BY THE GODS TO IT.  HE DID IT OUT OF HIS LOVE OF KNOWLEDGE, THE
LOVE FOR HIS FELLOW CITIZENS, AND HIS LOVE FOR THE GODS.  SOCRATES
EVEN RESPECTED THE COURT THAT SENTENCED HIM TO DEATH.  SOCRATES
REFUSED TO DISHONOR THE COURT SYSTEM AND BRING IN HIS FAMILY AND
MAKE AN EMOTIONAL SCENE.  HE HONORED THE COURT OF HIS CITY OF
WHICH HE CONSIDERED HIMSELF A PART BY ACCEPTING HIS SENTENCE
WITHOUT QUESTION. 
     SOCRATES HAD AN ACTIVE, NOT A PASSIVE MIND.  HE DID NOT OPERATE
ON JUST RECEIVED KNOWLEDGE AS OTHERS DO.  SOCRATES HAD
"CONSIDERED" KNOWLEDGE, BECAUSE HE HAD JUDGED INFORMATION AS HE
RECEIVED IT AND TRIED TO FIT IT INTO THE LOGICAL SYSTEM HE HAD
DEVELOPED.  SOCRATES REJECTED IT IF IT DID NOT FIT AND THERE WAS NO
EVIDENCE FOR IT BEING CORRECT.  HE DEEPLY CONSIDERED HIS THOUGHTS
ABOUT THINGS INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING VARYING, DIFFERENT, AND
CONFLICTING IDEAS AS OTHERS DO WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT THEM.  HE
USED LOGIC AND DISCUSSED THINGS WITH OTHERS TO FIND THE BEST WAY
OF VIEWING A SUBJECT.
     THE FACT THAT SOCRATES HAD PERSONAL INTEGRITY IS THE MOST
INTERESTING THING TO ME.  HE WAS WILLING TO DIE, BECAUSE HE HONORED
HIS BELIEF SYSTEM.  IT WAS NOT JUST A HOPE SYSTEM AS SOME PEOPLE
HAVE, BUT A TRUE BELIEF SYSTEM.  HE HAD NO DOUBTS ABOUT THE
IMMORTALITY OF HIS SOUL OR THE FACT THAT HE WAS GOING TO A BETTER
PLACE.  HE BELIEVED IN THESE THINGS WITH ALL HIS HEART, MIND, AND SOUL. 
I THINK ABOUT MY OWN DEATH SOMETIMES AND I WONDER IF I WILL BE AS
CERTAIN ABOUT THESE ISSUES AS SOCRATES, OR WILL I GO INTO THAT COLD,
DARK NIGHT SCARED AND UNSURE OF IF I AM GOING ANYWHERE.  EXTERNAL
INTEGRITY IS THE ABILITY TO BE HONEST IN WORD AND ACTIONS WITH
OTHERS.  EXTERNAL HONESTY IS FAIRLY EASY FOR ME TO PRACTICE.  I HAVE
LEARNED HOW TO BE HONEST WITH OTHERS MOST OF THE TIME AND TO
RECOGNIZE WHEN I AM NOT. I CAN GIVE THE CASHER BACK THE MONEY SHE
GAVE ME WHEN MAKING CHANGE FOR A TWENTY WHEN I ONLY GAVE HER A
TEN. THAT IS EASY, ANYONE CAN DO THIS.

     HOWEVER, INTERNAL INTEGRITY IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.  SOCRATES
HAD INTERNAL INTEGRITY; THAT IS WHY I ADMIRE HIM.  INTERNAL INTEGRITY
IS BEING HONEST WITH YOURSELF, WHICH IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN
WITH OTHER PEOPLE.  DO I REALLY BELIEVE MY OWN BELIEF SYSTEM? 
PERSONAL INTEGRITY IN MY OWN BELIEF SYSTEM IS WHAT I WANT.  MY
BELIEF SYSTEM MIGHT BE WRONG, BUT IF I CAN GO INTO THAT COLD DARK
NIGHT NOT SCARED AND UNSURE, THEN I HAVE HAD SOME PERSONAL
INTEGRITY IN MY OWN BELIEF SYSTEM.