Why You Struggle to Find Love | Plato’s Symposium Explained

In this monologue, Johnathan Bi analyzes Plato's Symposium, contrasting modern views of love with Plato's philosophy. He begins by outlining Aristophanes' concept of love as a search for union and Socrates' view of love as a pursuit of beauty and goodness. He introduces Diotima's ladder, a path to ascend from physical attraction to the love of wisdom, and critiques common objections to platonic love, such as its lack of romance and intimacy. Finally, he discusses Alcibiades' speech as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked desires and the importance of self-control in the pursuit of a philosophical life.