IndexIntroductionA great idea: justice, moderation and minimalismConclusionReferencesIntroductionSocial thinkers like Plato present a school of thought that allows society to live in a cohesive and harmonious manner . The ideas presented by Plato define social problems and are based on solutions that ensure the improvement of society in different areas. People in 2019 can find essential thoughts from Plato that can improve contemporary life and lead to a life with purpose. Even though Plato defined society based on the structures and lifestyle of the time, people in 2019 can still draw power from the thoughts presented. The social changes that have occurred between then and now are immense, but the structures that define society are the same. Social processes and social institutions seek to define the laws that guide society towards the realization of goals. This article examines Plato's ideas in the Republic that can facilitate the improvement of life in contemporary society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay A Great Idea: Justice, Moderation, and Minimalism Plato's Republic emphasizes the need for justice. It is important to be just rather than unjust to avoid misery and live a happy life. The text also teaches us the value of self-control and moderation in asserting democracy (Plato & Cornford, 2010). In defining the necessity of right and wrong, Plato develops an analogy between the city and individuals. The city contains several classes, all driven by the desire for happiness. A person ruled by desires turns out to be unjust and lives an unhappy life. The key ideas that we can derive from Plato in contemporary society are justice, self-control and moderation. Socrates in the fourth book provides an answer on what defines a just society. A city that does not use money so there is neither rich nor poverty is considered a just society. This may prove difficult for people in 2019 to adopt as part of contemporary life. Contemporary society has transformed into a man-eating society where individualism is at its highest level. The madness in society has led to the creation of an antagonizing society. People are no longer willing to commit and work together for the betterment of society, but are driven by individual desires. This is what Plato calls an unjust society. Justice is desirable based on its consequences. This analogy resonates in the contemporary world and is a key element of The Republic. One of the key lessons that contemporary society can adopt from the teachings of The Republic is moderation and self-control. Moderation was threatened because of humanity's desires. For example, contemporary society focuses on investments to the detriment of the environment. Trees are cut down to make way for buildings. This has led to degradation of the environment which has led to climate change. There has been no moderation in the need to acquire wealth at the expense of environmental degradation. Although the current focus is on environmental sustainability, this has proven difficult to achieve due to interests and desires. The rush to gain wealth and social stigmatization as a result of social class in society presents an unjust society not guided by moderation. Implementing moderation in today's society would prove to be an arduous task as society has been programmed unfairly. Plato incorporates contextof a city and connects it to the soul. He states that the soul is made up of different parts. The right and healthy soul is one that maintains a harmonious relationship between its parts which include spirit, appetite and reason. According to Plato the soul has a dominant nature and justice is remaining faithful to its disposition (Plato & Cornford, 2010). It's normally a delicate balance. The realization of balance is what becomes difficult for contemporary society to adopt Plato's teachings. Desire for too much distances him from nature and this upsets him. Plato suggests the reason for the structure that governs the balance where Socrates states that: “And we will call him wise because of that little part of himself which governs in him and makes those declarations and has in it the knowledge of what is advantageous to each.” part and for the whole soul, which is the community of all three parts…and is moderated by the friendly and harmonious relationship between these parts, that is, when the rational part governs and does not enter into civil war against itself.” Justice is identified as a harmonious balance between the parties guided by reason. The contemporary society imagined by people in 2019 is not defined by judges as reflected in the balance of parties. Society is at war as each person tries to satisfy their desires at the expense of others. Plato states that lack of balance and the desire for something more leads one to engage in irrational practices in which one ensures that one takes what belongs to the other person. By seeking more, we are driven to forcibly take away or steal what belongs to others and this results in an unjust society. Socrates therefore focuses on building an ideal society that ensures uniformity (Plato and Cornford, 2010). It is this uniformity that is very necessary in contemporary society to create a balance between the parties. Equilibrium states that if each member focuses on what they are good at and their true nature, then the rational rule defines such a society as just. This means that the true meaning of justice will be found. The question that then arises is whether people in 2019 will be able to stick to what they are good at. Contemporary society is set up in such a way that the masses are guided by what is trending. People tend to waver and don't understand or stick to their purpose. This requires self-reflection to understand your purpose and stick to what you are good at. Justice can be achieved if everyone carries out the functions and purpose for which they are intended, guided by reason. The ideal society in contemporary society is therefore defined by justice (Plato & Cornford, 2010). It can be accomplished through self-reflection to understand what you intend to do. According to Plato, what afflicts current society is the desire to have more and more. The context of wanting too much is what destroys an individual and the entire society. In the analysis of the Republic, Socrates defines the desire for more in Greek as pleonexia. Socrates states that “Pleonexia is what one succumbs to when one always wants to outdo everyone else by always getting and having more. Pleonexia is, or is the cause of, injustice, since always wanting to surpass others leads to trying to obtain what belongs to oneself, what is not one's own. It is in contrast to doing or having one's own, which is, or is the cause of justice.” The idea of ​​minimalism is to fight materialism. Plato shows that it is not only the desire for material goods that causes the decay of society, but also the desire and craving for greater recognition. In contemporary society, the desire is to obtain more status, more pleasure, more success and more power. The balance defined by Plato to achieve a just society means learning who we are, what we should.