In this essay I will discuss the notion of the noble lie in Plato's Republic. The meaning of a noble lie is the distinction that is made between a true lie and a lie expressed only in words to maintain harmony throughout society. This lie gives rise to the idea of ​​imitation because it leads to misunderstanding information that is not necessarily true. Ultimately lying is unethical, but if it benefits society it is a noble lie. Plato wants to divide this city of individuals into three different sections. These sections would include guardians, auxiliaries, and producers. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay To start, the Guardians are the elite of the city and rule over all other individuals. The auxiliaries on the other hand would be known as the middle class as they do their best to protect and preserve the people they live with. Finally, the producers are the individuals who make up the lower class. Plato then goes on to talk about how Socrates will choose who will become the teller of these “noble lies.” It was then that Socrates said to Glaucon 'well, as I was saying a moment ago, we must find out which of them is better at keeping within themselves the conviction of always having to do what they believe is best for the city. We must observe them from childhood and assign them tasks in which a person would be more likely to forget such a belief or be deceived by it. And we must select those who remember and are difficult to deceive, and reject the others (Republic 413d).' Right before this statement Socrates talks about how all this deception of the truth comes from the idea of ​​witchcraft and that is why they have to look closely at who they choose as the teller of noble lies. Socrates goes on to talk about how this individual must show compassion for the city without falling into witchcraft as this would lead to grave ruin in the city itself. Socrates further explains this concept by talking about how they will choose among the guardians “the kind of men who, from our observation, seem to be most inclined, throughout their lives, to do what they believe to be advantageous to the city, and the most reluctant to do the opposite (Repubblica 412e).” This statement clearly shows what Plato means when he talks about finding someone who will express the “noble lie” and set the standards of the city in which he lives. While this may have seemed like a good idea in Plato's time, I personally don't think it would be acceptable in today's society. So many people now firmly believe in what they stand for and are unwilling to change or adapt to help society thrive. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay On top of that, it almost seems like people now get upset over the smallest things and make assumptions that aren't necessarily true. This is why this idea of ​​noble lie may not work best in today's society, knowing how individuals now deal with social problems..