Cult of Personality and Plato

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ5SVDYBNrY

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Cult of Personality and Plato

In Plato’s Republic, Plato tells society what would be the “right” or “best way” to function. Living Colour’s “Cult of Personality” strongly contrasts Plato’s ideals in a music video, without ever mentioning Plato directly. In Book III, Plato states that there should be three classes of people in order for society to function properly: producers, auxiliaries, and guardians. Guardians would be the highest, smartest class and would rule the society simply because Plato believe that they could do a better job.

“Cult of Personality” seems to argue directly with that point. In the music video, between segments of the band playing, there are flashes of world dictators and rulers that seem to fall under Plato’s ideals of a guardian. Mussolini, Kennedy, Stalin, Nazi marches, and even Gandhi are depicted and mentioned in the music video. Living Colour says in the chorus of the song, “Neon lights, a Nobel Prize/A leader speaks, that leader dies/You won't have to follow me/Only you can set you free” (Living Colour 2:40). They believe that leaders are not necessary for people to truly be free, as Plato thinks. Living Colour believes that people are only free once they free themselves. Plato, on the other hand, thinks that strong leaders can make smart decisions for society, and the society will be free because of that leader’s decisions.

According to Living Colour’s ideas about government, it would appear that Plato’s ideas are along the lines of Fascism. Living Colour also says “You gave me fortune/You gave me fame/You gave me power in your God's name,” (Living Colour 3:55), suggesting that God is not agreed on in this society. Yes, the leader being spoken of believes in his god, but Living Colour calls it “your god,” not “our god,” or even just “God.” This suggestion also plays on Plato’s ideas that the guardians will decide what people will be able to learn and what sort of entertainment that they can take part in. The god spoken of in this song seems to be an imposed god, as the gods likely were in Plato’s time.

Overall, Plato’s ideas can be seen everywhere in today’s society, whether they are agreed upon or not. Many people, such as Living Colour, seem to believe that the ideas of Plato are fascist and imposing—but that is merely the opinion of a group. The great thing about being able to think freely is that people can decide individually what is right for them. As Living Colour says, “Only you can set you free.”

Works Cited

"Living Colour-Cult of Peronality." YouTube. 27 February 2007. 15 Jul 2009

Murray, Penelope. Classical Literary Criticism. New York: Penguin Books, 2001.