I think the key to understanding Plato is to understand that before Aristotle, there was no clear distinction between religion and philosophy. It's clear from reading the works of Plato that he was to some extent trying to start a religious movement.
Aristotle was the first to decided that religion and philosophy are two completely separate things, and this distinction has held since in western thought.
Whereas in eastern thought, the lines between religion and philosophy remained blurred and studying the one was often seen as end to achieve the other.
Platonism never had widespread appeal and its mystical aspects ended up being absorbed into Christian thought.
Plato was my introduction into philosophy in general and while I'm grateful to him for teaching me that life should not be lived passively but analytically, I seemed to have outgrown his rather arrogant style of thinking and I just have not been able to get back into his dialogues, despite making an effort during the past year.
That said, the Apology of Socrates is one of the most incredible things ever written, but it's also the least Platonic of all Plato's writings.
Aristotle was the first to decided that religion and philosophy are two completely separate things, and this distinction has held since in western thought.
Whereas in eastern thought, the lines between religion and philosophy remained blurred and studying the one was often seen as end to achieve the other.
Platonism never had widespread appeal and its mystical aspects ended up being absorbed into Christian thought.
Plato was my introduction into philosophy in general and while I'm grateful to him for teaching me that life should not be lived passively but analytically, I seemed to have outgrown his rather arrogant style of thinking and I just have not been able to get back into his dialogues, despite making an effort during the past year.
That said, the Apology of Socrates is one of the most incredible things ever written, but it's also the least Platonic of all Plato's writings.