I read Plato's "The Republic" a while back, and I would be lying if I said that I do remember or understand that completely. However, the thing is: there is their reasoning; then there is one we understand.
So Plato, in The Republic, divides the human soul imto three parts: Logos, Epithymia and Thymos.
Logos is the one which represents reasoning. It is the part of us which thinks, questions, analyses stuff and tries to make sensible stuff. It revolves around rational behavior, things we should do. In simple words, logos plays a significant role in our lives. You kick this one out, the other two parts matter none. Even if you are existing, then you are just in comma.
Then, there is Epithymia which represents appetite and desire. It is responsible for our basic necessities and pleasures. Such as food, comfort, money, physical desires, and the list goes on and on. And, inherently, there is nothing wrong with it. After all we need food to survive, a little comfort to feel alive, and money, oh it plays the biggest part in modern day capitalist system. However, that said, there is also a problem even with these basic needs. It is the demand for excessive, or one can say greed.
Finally comes Thymos, and maybe the most interesting one of the three. At least this is what I think. Because, I believe, rest of the two are almost same for everyone.
Thymos in simple words is the one which is closely related to attention related stuff. It represents our internal behavioes: pride, courage, honour, dignity and the desire to be know. It makes us stand up for ourselves, defend our principles, and sometimes, fight for something which does not even matter. But we think it does. Best example? Social media followers. Well if one is earning, then I am going to consider this as an exception. Oh the capitalism is hitting me really good, lol.
Now let me give you guys an example.
Let us assume that someone insults me in front of my colleagues. My appetite might suggest me to avoid the argument, because trouble is the last thing I am wishing for. And my rationale will suggest that there is no benefit in arguing back. What if I get kicked out? I have my stomach to worry about. However, there is some possibility that my reasoning do support fighting back. But, my appetite will stop me. But, my thymos is going to remind me of my self-respect matters. It will say that I should not allow someone to wall all over me. That too, in front of my colleagues.
And, I am not saying that my thymos is wrong. If I have to survive, I have to fight as well. Usually, in such situations, we have two scenarios: fight or flight. The societal mindset will surely suggest the fight part.
Now, of course, there is a catch in this. Thymos becoming excessive. The desire to defend your dignity can turn into sort of obsession, the urge to prove myself, to defend my dignity. But the thing is, this way, every disagreement feels like an insult, every criticism feels like a personal attack, and I will think of every battle as a revenge. Now, for a moment, I leave my thymos aside; then, my other two parts will says this simple thing, fighting such battles never even needed to exist in the first place.
Now another example. Think of someone who buys an expensive car. Take Tesla - the flying one. Do I even need it right now? Of course not! But if I have one, what does it suggest? I am doing it for the attraction. I want my neighborhood to notice it. This now is a sort of mixture of appetite and thymos. The desire is there to possess something and the desire to be recognized.
In the end, the point here is not to dogest or kill ome part. Because, all three are just innate and important. But, the real challenge is to let the most important one - Logos, guide us. And then, let thymos give us the good things such as courage, to keep us going.
After all, wanting something is not the problem.
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Peace 🕊
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It sounds so illegal to say peace after all this strange stuff. Dah man, sometimes all this philosophical thing makes me even more illogical. But hey, at least, I tried. Good excuse :)
