anna's allegory of the cave writeup

I remember reading The Allergory of the Cave awhile ago for a philosophy class. When I originally read it, I thought about enlightenment, how we attain it, what is our individual responsibility to seek it, and how do we foster it in others.

Reading it again, I could not help but think about our government, namely these past eight years. I also thought of the reading as it relates to being an artist, especially when Socrates explains to Glaucon, that a teacher imparts the knowledge, but the student still has to take it in and find their own truth in it.

I do agree with Plato in the sense that there is basic goodness in the world, that those enlightened have a certain responsibility to those not as fortunate, and that a good society should have wise leaders. I don't wholly agree with him, when he stresses that intellectual knowledge is the only way to wisdom. I believe inituitive sense is relevant too. Though I think here, Socrates is speaking about the literal senses of the body.

When Socrates describes the cave to Glaucon, it makes me think of the cave as our modern living rooms. The shadows cast on the walls, are our flat screen TV's projecting images and messages. What is real, what is truth? How much responsibility is ours to look beyond the shadows? To stay shackled, is that just to remain blindly trusting in the shadows before us? Is it more safe/easier not to question?

Humanity seems to keep recycling the same issues throughout history; the value of wisdom vs. material honors and glories. I couldn't help but think of our current administration. In my lifetime, the administration in office has been the most blatantly deceptive. I makes you realize the power of rumor, 'weapons of mass destruction', anyone? It's amazing that if you say 9/11 and Irag in the same sentence enough times, it becomes truth. How much is our responsibility to fact check a rumor?

Some of Plato's ideals like king-philosophers with compassion and wisdom that understand their own responsibility to the 'state' is something we hope for in our leaders. I also think it's important to seek knowledge both personally and in the worldly sense, whether it's shaping our vision/truth as an artist (after learning different mediums, artists, etc. what do you want to convey, express), or looking beyone the surface of mainstream media to form our knowledge and truths about the world around us.