The Greek philosopher Socrates (470-399) was so annoying even his wife, Xanthippe, couldn't stand him.
He frequented the Athenian agora (marketplace) and used to chat with people about 'big questions' like what is justice, love, beauty, and piety.
The conversations he struck up with people aimed at getting them to reconsider what they assumed they knew about living a good life and being good citizens.
We know little about Socrates because he never wrote anything. He preferred dialogue (dialectic) to the written word because the latter was bound to be misinterpreted, he argued.
Everything we know about him comes from the dialogues written by his student Plato.
Socrates was the kind of person who would refute the answers or arguments given by his interlocutors.
He rarely gave a definitive answer to any of the questions under consideration because he was interested in something else.
You see, Socrates thought it was fundamental to examine ourselves and to question our belief systems to live better lives.
His method was not well received by the Athenian government...
So he was brought to court on the charge of 'corrupting' the youth...
and WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH.
To think for oneself, and to help others do so can be perceived as a threat, I guess?
"The unexamined life is a life not worth living." — Socrates