That all persons call
the same thing mine in the sense in which each does so may be a fine
thing, but it is impracticable; or if the words are taken in the other
sense, such a unity in no way conduces to harmony. And there is
another objection to the proposal. For that which is common to the
greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it. Every one
thinks chiefly of his own, hardly at all of the common interest; and
only when he is himself concerned as an individual. For besides
other considerations, everybody is more inclined to neglect the duty
which he expects another to fulfill; as in families many attendants
are often less useful than a few. Each citizen will have a thousand
sons who will not be his sons individually but anybody will be equally
the son of anybody, and will therefore be neglected by all alike.
Further, upon this principle, every one will use the word 'mine' of
one who is prospering or the reverse, however small a fraction he
may himself be of the whole number; the same boy will be 'so and
so's son,' the son of each of the thousand, or whatever be the
number of the citizens; and even about this he will not be positive;
for it is impossible to know who chanced to have a child, or
whether, if one came into existence, it has survived. But which is
better- for each to say 'mine' in this way, making a man the same
relation to two thousand or ten thousand citizens, or to use the
word 'mine' in the ordinary and more restricted sense? For usually the
same person is called by one man his own son whom another calls his
own brother or cousin or kinsman- blood relation or connection by
marriage either of himself or of some relation of his, and yet another
his clansman or tribesman; and how much better is it to be the real
cousin of somebody than to be a son after Plato's fashion! Nor is
there any way of preventing brothers and children and fathers and
mothers from sometimes recognizing one another; for children are
born like their parents, and they will necessarily be finding
indications of their relationship to one another.
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