What can the ancient philosopher Plato teach us about building a network and thriving in today's intellectual economy? I talk with Alex Petkas, a Princeton PhD in classics, who shares insights on Plato's rise and his brand-building strategies within the decentralized world of Athens in the late fifth and fourth centuries BC, where widespread literacy and the new media technology of writing created an intellectual landscape strikingly similar to the one we inhabit today. (0:00:00) - Introduction(0:04:51) - Plato and Ancient Greek Writing(0:20:04) - Plato's Models and Brand Building(0:33:55) - Plato's Rise and Influence(0:43:45) - Plato and the Power of Mystery(0:52:44) - Plato's Network and Philosophical Training(1:02:44) - The Economic Machinery of Philosophy(1:07:56) - Plato's Power Machinery and Business Model(1:20:29) - Plato's Lessons on Building a Network(1:25:59) - Plato's Lessons for Decentralized Thinking(1:35:31) - Alex's Rome Retreat Alex Petkas | https://ancientlifecoach.com/Learn more about Alex's upcoming Men's Retreat in Rome: https://ancientlifecoach.com/retreat/ Other Life✦ Subscribe to the coolest free newsletter in the world and I'll send you all of my private book highlights. https://otherlife.co✦ Join the Other Life community (free) https://otherlife.co/join IndieThinkers.org✦ If you're working on independent projects, join the next cohort of https://IndieThinkers.org