8 Famous People From History Who Were Surprisingly Socially Awkward

3. Socrates

Socrates was the Ancient Greek founder of Western philosophy, who lent his name to Socratic irony and the Socratic method. He was not awkward in the sense of being shy or cringe-worthy, but in the sense that he was very stubborn. He was openly anti-democratic, held unusual religious beliefs and generally rubbed people up the wrong way. He was sentenced to death for his rebellious philosophies, described as a 'gadfly' of the state. Before his execution Socrates was apparently encouraged by friends to flee the city, but he refused on principle. Stubborn to the end, he self-administered the deadly poison that killed him.