The following is a dialogue between three individuals. One of them is a well-known historical figure, Socrates. The remaining two are named Shinji-San and Odysseus. Socrates was a philosophical scholar in Ancient Greece during the 4th and a short part of the 5th centuries BCE. The extent of our knowledge about Socrates and his development of Greek philosophy comes from the writings and dialogues of Plato, Socrates most renowned and distinguished pupil. Shinji-San is a young Japanese fisherman recently out of high school who lives on a small island called Uta-Jima, “Song Island” with his mother and brother. His life took place around the time of the Second World War. The third and last character in the dialogue is Odysseus, who lived during the 2nd century BCE. He is an illustrious king of Ithaca in the epic novel titled The Odyssey. Odysseus is a mythological hero notorious for his clever and cunning personality.
Although only Socrates lived in the 4th century, that the period of time when dialogue takes place, being that none of the characters’ lives occurred during the same era. The three meet with one another in Ancient Greece in a small marble building standing a short distance from the Parthenon Theatre. Previously in this building, Socrates had been preaching about the nature of man, whether man is good or evil. Among the attendees were his colleagues Odysseus and Shinji-San. Upon the lecture’s denouement, the two men approach the Greek philosopher.
Socrates: Well hello gentlemen. Odysseus, how do you do?
Odysseus: Frankly, Socrates, I have been doing exceptionally well, thriving, if you may.
Socrates: Wonderful, Odysseus. And you, Shinji-San, how have you been? It’s been nearly three years since I last had the pleasure of your company.
Shinji-San: Very good, Socrates. And you? How have you been? And your family?
Socrates: In the recent past, life has been very prosperous for my children and me.
Odysseus: And your lovely wife? What have you to recount of her?
Socrates: Regrettably, she passed away two winters ago of what was supposedly malaria.
Odysseus: I believe that I speak for Shinji-San as well as myself when I say that I am terribly sorry for your loss.
Socrates: Thank you, friends, but on another note, am I right when I say that I saw you two in the audience during my disquisition on the temperament of man earlier this morning?
Shinji-San: Yes, yes you are. Although I found it difficult to understand a lot of what you were speaking upon, Odysseus related to me in simpler terms what you were explaining to the group.
Socrates: Well, Shinji-San, I understand why it was problematic for you to comprehend the complicated diction I use; considering the fact that English is not your primary dialect. Odysseus, you were able to grasp the concept of my lecture, correct?
Odysseus: Yes of course, Socrates. If not, how would I be capable of helping my good friend Shinji-San to understand it?
Socrates: That is a good point, Odysseus.
Odysseus: You believe that men and women are born evil as children; it simply takes sympathy and loving care from their parents to change their nature. Oftentimes, parents neglect their children, thus forcing them to retain their bestowed evil nature. What is our society to do about these unfortunate occasions?
Socrates: Regrettably, the only thing we can do about it is to teach, love and care for these children as if they were our own. Deserted by their own families, they have nothing. If this is not done, children’s true predetermined natures will become apparent; only God knows what will occur after that.
Odysseus: And you don’t believe it is inappropriate to be helping these children?
Socrates: Of course not, Odysseus. These children are helpless.
Shinji-San: What about their parents?
Socrates: Their parents? What about them?
Shinji-San: Don’t you think this will make their parents feel awful?
Socrates: How do you mean?
Odysseus: What my friend is trying to say is this: Say you have a child named Jesse, perhaps, who you are unable to take care of when someone offers to take in little Jesse and care for him. Although you realize it is what is best for him, you cannot stop thinking, “What did I do wrong?” Wouldn’t taking this substantial charity from this stranger demoralize you to a point never before reached?
Socrates: I suppose, but knowing that Jesse is in good hands would counterbalance these feelings of shame and make me feel better about this rational decision.
Odysseus: I concur; although seemingly immoral, it would be the proper decision.
Although Odysseus and Shinji-San take pleasure in the discussion on this topic, they have another matter on which they would like to speak about with their friend, the knowledgeable philosopher, Socrates.
Odysseus: Socrates, my friend, Shinji-San, and I have been speaking and debating about a topic we have been told you are familiar with.
Socrates: What would this matter be?
Shinji-San: We have been attempting to decide whether it is better do wrong than to suffer wrong. Doing a wrong deed is bad for the soul, but to suffer injustice can be physically harmful.
Socrates: Odysseus, can you expand on Shinji-San’s statement and help me to better understand?
Odysseus: Take the simple rules of the animal kingdom, for example. “Kill or be killed.” Although much more vulgar, this four-word phrase is metaphorical for the present situation.
Socrates: Tell me, both of you, what you believe. Shinji-San, you may begin by stating your position.
Shinji-San: In my position right now, including my family situation at home, I would certainly chose to do something wrong than to be done something unjust.
Socrates: When you say “family situation,” what do you mean? If it is too personal, you don’t need to share.
Shinji-San: No, it is fine. In case you didn’t know, my father, like your wife, Socrates, died. This left my mother to care for my brother and me. I recently graduated high school with a minimal passing grade and am now working vigorously as a fisherman to support my family. If anything bad were to happen to me, my family would not be able to afford to live.
Socrates: I see. Now that we have heard you Shinji-San, Odysseus, what is your perspective on the matter?
Odysseus: Shinji-San, I understand your situation and respect your standpoint on the issue. Conversely, I personally would rather have something wrong done to me. I come from a wealthy family, so I do not need to steal to survive, not implying that you do, Shinji-San. I would prefer to keep my moral values and principles to the high standard that I have kept them for most of my life. There have been times in which I chose to hurt others rather than being hurt.
Socrates: Haven’t we all?
Odysseus: Although I have done wrong before, I must hold true to my moral ethics and say that I would rather suffer wrong from someone than to do wrong to another.
Socrates: Interesting. Your positions are utter opposites, but somehow, I agree with both.
Shinji-San: How do you mean?
Socrates: If someone is in a life-or-death situation where either they die, or someone else does, ninety-nine percent of humans will chose to live. Like many things, simply put, it depends on the situation.
The previously raised question, “Is it better to do wrong than to suffer wrong?” can be interpreted in a variety of different ways. Socrates, the philosopher, Shnji-San, the fisherman, and Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, have come to the conclusion that, depending on the circumstances, either choice is appropriate.