Allegory of The Cave Essay

Submitted By ttoli
Words: 386
Pages: 2

Teila Toli

The Allegory of the Cave
In the Allegory of the Cave, Plato tells a story of prisoners chained in a cave since birth, where their eyes are forcefully fixed upon a wall in front of them. On the wall, shadows of images are casted upon it from the objects that appear behind them. Since this is the only thing they have been permitted to see, this is the only reality they understand. Therefore, when one of the prisoners escapes to the surface, he is blinded and astonished by the new world he has discovered. After realizing his entire comprehension of life was utterly wrong, he wishes to share his enlightenment with his fellow prisoners below in the cave.
However, who is to say they'll believe him? And if they do believe him, who is to say they will accept the new truth? They may be fearful of what lies beyond the safe, comfortable world that they have grown so accustomed to. Learning about a drastically different reality that would shatter the fantasy they dwell in may persuade them into settling for a lie. This is the issue our society faces.
Many choose to reject reality and truth because of their desire to remain in their safe falsified perception of life. They fear the process of adaptating and the unknowns that the new world may hold. This is a critical issue that can stunt the growth of our world: the fear of change that the truth will bring. This problem can be solved by discussing the benefits of the change. By addressing the advantages and