How Does Socrates Corrupt Youth

Socrates has been charged with two crimes being a heretic and or atheist as well as corrupting the youth. Socrates claims where more than enough to dismiss all charges brought against him. This crimes should be dismissed because the first one is illogical since they contradict itself. While the second crime of corrupting the youth is an exaggeration, both made by Meletus who has a personal grudge against Socrates. His first crime he was convicted of being an atheist and heretic. To be a heretic, one must one must believe in one or multiple gods, to be an atheist one does not believe in an god or gods. Meletus first charge is invalid and should be used against Socrates. Even though during that period being apathies which

Socrates cannot corrupt the youth without damaging society; which is preposterous because society is already corrupt. Socrates question politicians about piety, virtue, knowledge and it turns out they knew the least out of poets and craftsmen. How sad is it being governed by those who do not know what justice is. This backs Socrates because he cannot corrupt that is already corrupt. If anything Socrates is educating the youth because he is making them think for themselves. Conformity in a society is corruption of the youth because it is indoctrinates them to think and act a certain way. If anything Socrates is liberating the youth. Which brings up a question is being smart a crime when it opposes societies values and our beliefs? Meltus even said he does not care about the youth, which is ironic because he prosecuted Socrates for corrupting them. “Furthermore, the young men who follow me around of their own free will, those have more leisure, the sons of the very rich, take pleasure in hearing people questioned; they themselves often imitate me and try to question others.” (page 28) Socrates disciples come to him on their own free will and are enlightened because Socrates admits he knows nothing so he questions everything. This is not a crime, but rather a gift. Socrates is not corrupting rather the corrupt the system is afraid to admit that Socrates is correct. There afraid to

Even if Meletus could justify his accusations we should not vote to kill Socrates because it is unpious. This goes back to my argument that Meletus is prosecuting Socrates because of his hatred towards him. Socrates did not commit a murder, he is not an atheist or heretic, and it goes against the gods to kill another individual. If the murder angers the gods, why Athenians should be allowed to kill, especially if they themselves are not gods. In that sense what gives them to right to decide who lives and who dies? “Indeed men of Athens, am far from making a defense now on my own behalf, as might be thought, but on yours, to prevent you from own behalf, as might be thought, but on yours, to prevent you from wrongdoing by mistreating the god’s gift of condemning me; for if you kill me you will not easily find another like me. I was attached to this city by the god- though it seems a ridiculous thing to say-as upon a great and noble horse which was somewhat sluggish because of its size and needed to be stirred up by a kind of gadfly. It is to fulfill some such function that I believe the god has placed me in the city.” (page