Why were young Athenians attracted to Socrates’ way of questioning people?

Young Athenians were drawn to Socrates and his method of questioning primarily because they enjoyed watching their elders—often prominent politicians or figures of authority—become embarrassed when they were unable to defend their own beliefs or knowledge.12

By using the Socratic method, Socrates exposed the inconsistencies in the opinions and actions of those who claimed to possess wisdom. For the youth, this process was intellectually provocative; it challenged the traditional moral standards they had learned from their community and parents. While this questioning was seen by many as a necessary step toward true knowledge and the "examined life," it also led to accusations that Socrates was "corrupting the youth" by inspiring them to disrespect authority and reject conventional morality.341256

Ultimately, the appeal of Socrates lay in his challenge to complacency and his role as a model of integrity, even as his relentless pursuit of truth created significant resentment among the Athenian establishment.376