Was Socrates even wrong, though? There have certainly been millions of words written that were lacking in wisdom and have convinced people of falsehoods to their detriment! When’s the last time you saw a debate be reasonable? devoid of cheap jokes or hot takes? actually change someone’s mind? or the whole audience’s mind?

In the world where we didn’t outsource Western manufacturing to China, our homes would not be overflowing with disposable junk; in the world where the Luddites won, our wardrobes would not be stuffed full of disposable clothes; perhaps in the world where Socrates won our minds would not be jammed full of nonsense.