ANTS ARE SOCIAL INSECTS THAT HAVE EVOLVED OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS TO LIVE IN COMPLEX SOCIETIES WHERE THE COMMON GOOD IS PRIORITIZED OVER INDIVIDUAL DESIRES. IN AN ANT COLONY, EACH ANT HAS A SPECIFIC ROLE TO PLAY, SUCH AS FORAGING FOR FOOD, CARING FOR THE YOUNG, OR DEFENDING THE COLONY. SIMILARLY, IN PLATO'S IDEAL SOCIETY, EACH INDIVIDUAL IS ASSIGNED A ROLE BASED ON THEIR NATURAL ABILITIES AND TRAINED TO FULFILL THAT ROLE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE WHOLE SOCIETY.

BOTH THE KALLIPOLIS AND THE ANT COLONY RELY ON A STRONG SENSE OF DISCIPLINE AND A WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE INDIVIDUAL DESIRES FOR THE GREATER GOOD. IN AN ANT COLONY, INDIVIDUAL ANTS ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE THEMSELVES TO PROTECT THE COLONY, WHILE IN PLATO'S IDEAL SOCIETY, INDIVIDUALS MUST BE WILLING TO SUPPRESS THEIR DESIRING PART TO PURSUE THE COMMON GOOD.

BUT WHAT IF EVEN FOR A MOMENT ONE OF THE ANTS QUESTIONS ITS ROLE?

(AI generated images)