I see the light! ;-)

Most of humanity has still not escaped the confines of Plato’s cave. There is a certain amount of comfort and security to be found in these shadows which occupy our lives. To question our reality and existence is exactly what great philosophers like Socrates and Plato have done, but one must be willing to do so. “…If you interpret the upward journey and the contemplation of things above as the upward journey of the soul to the intelligible realm, you will grasp what I surmise since you were keen to hear it.“ Glaucon can begin his journey because he is ready. Some people may dwell in the cave all of their lives while others will break away out of undying curiosity and courage. I like how Ryan reiterated this process as being a quest rather than an immediate state of consciousness. It is certainly a quest for vision and whether there is an end or where we will reach it is impossible to say.

Being that photography is a passion of mine and my primary art form, I couldn’t help but relate the story of the cave to the effect that pictures have on the human race. Being educated by photographs may very well be compared to the shadows which appear on the wall, but can they also instill in us the knowledgeable truth that Socrates and Plato present? Perhaps in another way. There is not a doubt in my mind that photographs have to the ability to fit right in with movies and television programs. Anna brought up a good point about the projected images and messages we get from the media being the shadows that dance on the cave‘s wall. However, when letting go of this addiction to have photographs serve as our only reality it can be understood as something completely different. I think of being behind the lens of the camera is like an extension of consciousness. Ultimately, I have the power to take an experience and transform it into a new way of seeing.