Americans basically believe that schools should teach children how to become productive citizens who are willing to participate in capitalist enterprise, a philosophy that Plato did not contend with in ancient Athens.

Today, millions of Americans are obese or out of shape. At the same time, Americans are obsessed with bodies, which are plastered on the cover of almost every newsstand magazine. But because schools do not promote physical education as being integral to the development of the whole human being, exercise is conveyed as a struggle. As a result, people force themselves to go to the gym knowing that the exercise will keep them fit. The pursuit of money in modern American society has made care of the body secondary.

On the other hand, care of the body was a primary concern for many ancient Greeks. The ancient Greeks were aware of both the aesthetic and salutary benefits of...
[ View Full Essay]