Sharing stories to learn from each other.

The tradition of oral storytelling passes down the tools for success and survival.

Here in the 20th century, we have the luxury of using the Internet. With our digital Library of Alexandria beside us, we are learning from our past more than ever before.

The Greeks honed oral storytelling to a fine point. So fine in fact, their works transcend to us today. Literary classics like The Odyssey, staring Odysseus and The Iliad, staring Helen of Troy are written accounts of oral dramas.

One story of interest stars Socrates.

He was tried by his jealous peers and sentenced to death as an innocent man.

Socrates spoke with his friend Hermogenes about his impending doom.

His words give us interesting insights into the nature of his success over the course of his life.

Socrates calls out his divine sign, his guiding voice.

“A voice of God is made manifest to me indicating my duty.”

It is recorded that Socrates heard an inner voice only when he was about to make a mistake.

The sign is often taken to be what we would call "intuition".

However, Socrates' characterized the phenomenon as daimōnic.

This is defined as:

“A special being watching over each individual, a daimon who has obtained the person at his birth by lot.”

Interestingly, this concept is common globally across many cultures. Many believe that within us lies a voice. A voice whose origin is divine, mysterious, and independent of our own thoughts.

This idea has been passed down through the ages for a reason. It is up to each of us to listen to that voice, if we can. Ignore it at your peril.