How and why was Socrates killed?

Socrates, the greatest philosopher of all time, was actually the most hated man in Athens.

He was accused of cruelty and corrupting the youth.

The popular court, the Heliaia, sentenced him to death; and Socrates, one of the brightest minds in history, died by drinking hemlock.

But why all the hype?

Apparently, Socrates wasn’t doing anything dangerous:

He asked questions, spoke with anyone—nobles, ordinary citizens, young people.

But his questions, in their frankness and simplicity, demolished the certainties of his interlocutors, forcing them to confront the emptiness of their own convictions and the inconsistency of their reasoning.

He taught them to doubt.

Socrates was a character far too uncomfortable for the doubts he instilled.

He had the audacity to expose corrupt politicians and false teachers who, believing they knew, boasted false truths and fake knowledge.

That is why he was sentenced to death. He was a threat to the status quo, a danger that had to be eliminated.

During the trial, Socrates refused to repent or beg for mercy.

He even refused to call upon an orator (the equivalent of our lawyers). Why? Because according to Socrates:

“You cannot use your rhetorical skill to play with words, charm the crowd, perhaps even lie, even if my life is at stake.”

Intelligence is uncomfortable—this is what Socrates’ trial teaches us.

The masses want illusions, not truth; they want to be flattered in a few words.

Intelligent men are shamed.

They are forbidden, ostracized, despised, because they disturb the dreams of the masses, question authority, and reveal the deceptions of institutions.