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... w, he never will because until he dies. There is still the possibility. Once again, for anyone in society to become virtuous, good examples need to be set for them by family, peers and possibly role models. To begin, children learn the most in life from their parents.
We adopt many of their views, habits, personality traits, etc. If they can set a good example, it should not be too hard to reject those ideals as one grows older. Children also pick up a great deal from their friends. So for kids or anyone at any age really, role models are good to have. They can show people how to lead their lives in a more positive manner and show them values.
On the other hand, if a kid grows up in an environment where all he sees are drug deals or his father beating his mother, he will see that as acceptable and may go on to do it later in life. But if a child has loving and caring parents that keep their child away from what is bad like these things, then the child will not grow up seeing those things as acceptable. It is also a great idea to be involved in activities that fill ones schedule and fulfills the mind and body. Some examples of activities include athletics, computers, art, church, clubs and academics. If one were to fill their life doing things they enjoy they will have less time to corrupt themselves or fall into a crowd with negative intentions. For example, I worked over the summer at a homeless shelter.
There were a group of men who were involved in this program called Cornerstone. These were men who at some point harmed their lives so badly they ended up with no job, no home and no one to turn to. Many of these men had drugs and alcohol as their downfall. However, not only did they enter the drug and alcohol free homeless shelter, they took part in the group. They meet every night and discuss what happened in their lives to bring them there, what they wish they had done instead of making those mistakes and how they are growing from it to become better people. This is inspiration to the new guys and all the other men in the homeless shelter not involved in the program.
They also talk a lot about God and read from the Bible, something they all agree on having tremendous love for. This brings them together and fills their time with something positive. I believe that although these men have made mistakes in their past, they have redeemed themselves and are very virtuous now. Along with good examples being set, experiences teach lessons to everyone in society. To go back to the men in Cornerstone, they have dealt with a great deal of troubles and they will always have that in their mind as a reminder of what may happen if they make the same mistake as they did before to put them in the shelter.
If ones mistake was becoming a drug addict, he will certainly think twice if someone offers him cocaine. Also, for example, if someone committed a crime, once time lapses that person may really be sorry for what harm they caused. I believe that most people could agree with that, including the United States law, which is why they have punishments such as community service as opposed to jail time for minor offenders. And even for the people who do serve jail time, it is not impossible to become a better person, just like people committed to the underworld after death.
On page 24 of the Meno, Socrates brings up a Greek myth involving Persephone, the goddess of the underworld to explain how good people occur. He says Persephone will return to the sun above the in the ninth year the souls of those from whom she will exact punishment for old miseries, and from these come noble kings, mighty in strength and greatest in wisdom, and for the rest of the time men will call them sacred heroes. Persephone has been punishing people who have done wrong in the underworld for 9 years and now she is bringing them back for another chance at life. In those 9 years those people who have done wrong must have done something to redeem themselves to be given another chance. So those 9 years have given them a chance to think about all the mistakes they made and what they should have done instead and this proves that even if someone has made mistakes, they can learn from them and try harder to make a better decision if given another chance. Not only does it serve as experience, but it also serves as a bad experience and punishment so that one will know better and have some sort of fear instilled in them and will think back onto the punishment when given another chance.
And besides people who are sorry for what they have done and redeeming themselves, there are people who do not realize that they have done bad until it has already been done. One may do something to try it out, not knowing that it is harmful and then once something bad happens, then he learns it is bad and will know not to do it again. Either way, that experience will always be in the mind of that person that whatever it is he did was bad and that he should not do it again. There is no reason that Meno could not become virtuous. There is no reason that anyone cannot become virtuous. Meno may have already been on his way while he was having the dialogue with Socrates.
I am sure there is help needed in becoming virtuous such as the will to do it, having positive examples set for you by family and peers and also learning from good and bad experiences. In conclusion I believe that anyone in society, including Meno can be or become virtuous. Irregardless of their past I believe the possibility holds true for everyone.
Grade, G. M. A. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, 1981.
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