Key points

Plato's Myth of Er explains why sudden success without character development often leads to self-destruction.

Lottery winners and child stars illustrate "virtue by habit" versus "virtue by philosophy" in modern life.

External constraints create false moderation; removing them reveals a lack of internal self-governance.

True preparation for success requires philosophical development, not just practical safeguards.

In Book X of Plato's Republic , we encounter a soul who has lived virtuously in heaven but immediately chooses the life of a tyrant when given unlimited options. Plato's explanation is direct: This soul had "participated in virtue by habit and not by philosophy " (619c-d). External circumstances made vice difficult, but the soul never developed true internal go

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