Unmasking the Democratic Man: A Modern Application of Plato's The Republic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down and it has become clear how thin the human veneer truly is. In order to protect their citizens from contracting and spreading coronavirus, governments have had to enact strict measures, including mandatory mask bylaws. With anti-mask protests emerging across the province of Alberta, it is difficult to understand the rationale behind the protesters. By applying Plato’s description of the 'democratic man’ to the anti-mask protests, the conclusion that previous thinkers’ contributions cannot be underestimated, no matter the age of the text, is reached.