Lauryn Hill and Socrates?

I thought to myself, “What does philosophy have to do with American pop culture?” Come to find out, the ideas of philosophy are constantly being incorporated into American pop culture, especially musical lyrics. I found a lot of Socrates concepts in Lauryn Hill’s lyrics, but applied to different situations. For example, Socrates compares his “chains” as a form of imprisonment like his body which is the imprisonment to his soul. And when he is released from his chains (body), his soul shall be freed in death and transcend to another realm. In Lauryn Hill’s song “I Get Out,” she sings, “I get out of all your boxes…you can’t hold me in these chains.” In this sample piece of the chorus, the “boxes” and the “chains” she is referring to in this song is social bondage. She is basically trying to say that when she eventually gets out of social bondage, she will be able to move on in a free life of righteousness. Another concept that Socrates established was that the unexamined life is not worth living. I believe that he is trying to say that if we do not question our life and all that it entails morally then we cannot grow as a person, as a society, and as a culture. Lauryn Hill’s “I Get Out” lyrics better exemplifies this statement when she states in the third verse, “The only way to know is to walk then learn and grow.”

Phaedo is not the only concepts of philosophy incorporated in the song “I Get Out” by Lauryn Hill. In the third verse of this song, Lauryn Hill explains that when we conform to one person’s ideas, thoughts, and beliefs, we eventually become too afraid to speak out and/or face reality thus following the mass majority. To be exact, she says, “Oh, you’ve had everyone believed that you’re the sole authority, just follow the majority, afraid to face reality, the system is a joke.” In Crito (pg. 47), Socrates asks Crito why one must care what the majority think, and then he further explains that following the majority is not always the right choice nor is it always following something ethical.

“I Get Out” is not the only song with mirrored views of philosophy. “Mystery of Iniquity,” also written by Lauryn Hill has philosophical concepts and thoughts that have been established by Socrates. This song, to me, tells the story of Socrates before and during his defense (Socrates: Euthyphro and Apology). For example, the lyrics state, “Ya’ll can’t handle the truth in a courtroom of lies. Perjures the jurors…false indictments publicized….cross-examined by a master manipulator…receiving the judges favor, deceiving sabers doing injury to they neighbors…the prosecution…orally armed to do bodily harm. The courtroom of lies can be seen as the people in the courthouse that has attended Socrates trial. The master manipulator would be considered the sophist which is Meletus, and he has gotten the judges and the jurymen to side against Socrates. The “sabers” would be the people of Athens, and they have been deceived by the “mass manipulator” a.k.a the sophist (Meletus), therefore giving Socrates no chance of an advantage to win the trial fairly. The “sabers” (people of Athens) were deceived because they sided against Socrates, and Socrates believes that his removal from this world would harm the Athenian society. Meletus is “orally armed to do bodily harm” because he initially sentenced Socrates to death.

It really does amaze me how philosophy can be seen in American pop culture…and I’m sure it does not stop there. 

P.S. Below are the videos of Lauryn Hill's unplugged version of the songs mentioned in this post. Check them out! These songs are amazing! Such an amazing lyricist! I love her! =)

A Different Approach

Dear men of Athens,

     What has Socrates done, but seek wisdom in his own home he so dearly calls Athens? You accuse him of “corrupting the young and of not believing in gods in whom the city believes, but in other new spiritual things (p.28:24b)." He has done no such thing but seek the wisdom of which a god has willed him. Tell me this, men of Athens, if Socrates is doing a deed of a god, then he must believe in some of your gods if not all of them, correct? Socrates has not corrupt the young nor has he brought harm to Athens’ society for he goes “around doing nothing but persuading both young and old among you not to care for your body or your wealth in preference to or as strongly for the possible state of your soul (p.34:30b).” This good men of Athens, is exemplified by Socrates thoughts of how “a good man cannot be harmed either in life or in death, and that his affairs are not neglected by the gods (p.44:41d).” Furthermore, Socrates encourages the people of Athens (meaning he has their best interest at heart) to try to live a pure life for their soul (for their after-life), so that they may receive blessings and wealth through their excellence. The gods will bless you, men of Athens, while you are in the physical realm because of the pure life you should try to live. Also, the gods will keep your soul and/or spirit safe from harm because you would be considered a good man by the “pure” life you have lived. Good men of Athens, giving Socrates the verdict of death will not harm him for he is a good man, but it will hurt Athenian society. You ask me, how could this possibly be? I shall tell you. Socrates seeks the wisdom of life and all that it entails. He helps Athenian society to truly understand ethics and the true form that transcends human thoughts of piety and impiety. Without a good understanding of ethics and moral beliefs, there is not a sound foundation of a society. Also, without a sound foundation of society, there is room for corrupt governments, overturned laws and mass chaos. I say for the last time, good men of Athens, the death of Socrates is not harming the man himself, but the good of Athenian society and the young who will have to live through the fall of Athens.


 Sincerely, An Observer of Judgment