Philosopher-Kings and Fitness
The other day this funny interaction happened on X
Naval Ravikant (a very famous tech founder known for his erudite wisdom) was giving a rare interview with Megyn Kelly, explaining his endorsement of President Trump and why he saw the current Executive branch becoming tyrannical in using the "Law" to go after its enemies. This isnt about politics though. I was watching the video and noticed that Naval was looking lean and muscular. His deltoids and chest definition were obvious, he looked good.
I had a few friends message me some variation of, "NAVAL REPLIED TO YOU WHAT IS THIS!?"
Now, Ive never shared this publicly, but I do in fact know Naval personally, I met him 7 years in San Francisco at a get-together, and I would call him a friend.
I also know that Naval works out.
He has worked with great trainers in the past, and when I first met him, our conversation included him sharing some of his experiences with developing a Mind-body relationships (although truthfully I think we spent most of the time laughing, hes got a dry sense of humor)
Thus my comments on the video
Naval is a brilliant mind, an example of a Philosopher-King archetype.
This reminded me of another individual, the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele
Bukele describers himself as a Philosopher-King, which is not something any political leader has done in many decades.
I dont know what his workout regimen is, but I am fully certain he is diligent in his workouts. He has a look of health and vitality that is not accidental
What is a Philosopher-King?
The term orginates from Platos "Republic", his most famous Socractic dialogue (Socrates himself does a lot of the talking).
The Philosopher-King is an idealized ruler, a virtuous man, a WISE man,whose dedication to Philosophy, the pursuit of truth, this makes him the most ideal leader of a City. (Cities during this time in history were the center of states, and the conception of a nation did not yet exist as we think of it)
There have been a few rulers called Philosopher-Kings throughout history, Marcus-Aurelius being the most well known example. The process of becoming a Philosopher-King takes many decades, and it starts with education in childhood.
This is the point I wanted to touch on most of all, because the Republic is a treatise on Education as much it is governance and leadership and ethics and rule
To become a Philosopher-King, or to become Virtuous at all, a Man must be physically FIT
There is nothing else like Ancient Greek philosophy in describing how to become a complete human being, and what qualities must be cultivated.
One quality being that of health, and the practice of Gymnastics being essential to the education of a man.
Gymnastics, the daily practice of training the body, this is described as essential, both for warding off disease and giving a man vitality, but also for establishing a relationship with TRUTH.
For ancient greeks, aesthetics and health were directly manifest of virtue and universal forms. There was a mind, and body, and they had a relationship between them that could not be separated.
Gymnastics is so essential that it is argued as to the timing of when gymnastics training should start. It is agreed that young men in puberty (late teens) should devote 2-3 years of nothing but exercise, eating and sleep. And so in gymnastics, if a man takes violent exercise and is a great feeder, and the reverse of a great student of music and philosophy, at first the high condition of his body fills him with pride and spirit, and he becomes twice the man that he was
But devoting ones life SOLELY to gymnastics is not advised either
Unless a man is an athlete, is it not suitable that he devote all his time to gymnastics and nothing else. This does not produce a good leader.
Gymnastics training primes him in his youth for a more vigorous training, which is the Gymnastics of the Soul. And what happens (if a man does nothing but gymnastics)?
if he do nothing else, and holds no converse with the Muses, does not even that intelligence which there may be in him, having no taste of any sort of learning or enquiry or thought or culture, grow feeble and dull and blind, his mind never waking up or receiving nourishment, and his senses not being purged of their mists?
True, he said.
And he ends by becoming a hater of philosophy, uncivilized, never using the weapon of persuasion,—he is like a wild beast, all violence and fierceness, and knows no other way of dealing; and he lives in all ignorance and evil conditions, and has no sense of propriety and grace.
What does this mean for us today?
There are multiple interpretations no doubt, We could talk about HOW a philosopher-king should train (be muscular, cardiovascularly fit, well balanced, etc), but I dont think this is terribly interesting.
if you want physical standards (and how to achieve them) A better practical idea to draw from is this: It means that if you are someone who neglected your health for most of your life, and you realize its importance in adulthood, it would be wise to set aside 2-3 years of being wholly devoted to becoming healthy, fit, and accepting this process.
It takes about that much time to not only lose weight, gain strength, balance hormones, but to deeply internalize the habits and make the conscious, unconscious.
Or said another way, once you struggle through being a beginner, eventually you dont have to think about. Your weekly workouts, your diet, its just something you do.
You enjoy it, you are in a higher state of energy and living, but you want it to be ROUTINE.
There are other matters to attend to, other responsibilities.
You build that cornerstone of health, and then it is THERE, it is set in place. You dont need to keep rearranging it too much.
Life can be dynamic, but you have the spiritual fitness qualities to stay grounded.
That is the ideal to strive for.
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