Explain The Allegory Of The Cave

The Allegory of the cave represent how people perceive illusion versus reality. It shows how the environment around us and even the people effect how we perceive information and our surroundings. Education and knowledge is gained by what we hear and see. The story is based around the men of this cave and how they were chained up from their childhood until adulthood. “Here they have been from their childhood and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their necks.” (Plato, 2011, p.284). The cave was their only sense of reality. As a human race you must take the time and put in the effort to become more educated. In many situations where one only
Seeing the passing shadows of different objects and making assumption of what the they thought the shadows were. The men gained whatever knowledge they can giving the circumstances. I believe the men wanted to learn more, breaking free or released from their shackles. The story also suggests what if the men were forced out of the cave to face reality. “And suppose once more, that he is reluctantly dragged up a steep and rugged ascent, and held fast until he is forced into to the presence of the sun himself.” (Plato, 2011, p.286). They feared and was unaware of the outcome, but for some they wanted to know what was beyond the cave. Exiting the cave, the bright light blinded them and made them turn away. That moment represents seeing the truth. It was a whole another world beyond the
Appearance is what you think you know or see and reality is what’s known to be true. But, appearance doesn’t always signify reality. People sometimes can only believe what is told to them or what is at face value. “The light of the fire is the sun.” (Plato, 2011, p.287). The men not being able to see what everyone else sees put them at a disadvantage. For so many years the men seen this bright flaming light at the end cave and having the perception that it was fire. So many get held back in life because they can’t or won’t face the truth about their reality. Social media/ internet is an example of appearance versus reality. Anyone can become who they want when they sit behind a computer screen. By the click of a button you can create the persona you want to portray. Cyber bullying, a person wouldn’t be able to treat another in a negative way in face to face encounter. But, via computer there is not interaction with anyone, their hiding the reality behind a computer screen. Also, there is editing and photoshopping pictures. Someone can change the way the look by enhancing or removing certain features, so they can be perceived in a certain way. Many get stuck in the world of social media, so they don’t have to face their reality. They are stuck just like the men in the cave stuck in one position for so many years of their life. In this case I believe that this is what happened to the men of the cave. All