I Learn That Sharpie is Superior to Crayola While Drawing A Cave

So, this is my cave. My idea behind it is that we’re introduced to something, and we become obsessed and don’t really “branch out” from them. I cave, as you can see, has the supporting structure at the opening comprised of social media platforms, parents, school, and books. These are supposed to represent what we learn from. The more we depend on these single sources and trust their validity (Learned how to use that word in history. Thanks Kochanuk), the further we find ourselves traveling into the cave. The interior of the cave is black and windowless because once we find ourselves engrossed and all trusting in something, it’s hard to turn around and find our way back to what may be called truth or reasoning. As my stellar drawing skills show, books (like the Bible or the Quran) also add to our sheltering from what is the truth. Some religious extremists don’t believe in science because what they’ve read has told them to believe otherwise. To me, this is what Plato’s cave is all about, our refusal of knowledge in favour of security (security as in the comfort of religion or what you think you already know).

 

Plato's Cave & Raging About Dinosaurs

Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” the people are, obviously, us. We have no choice but to believe what we are told because it’s the only thing we’ve ever known. When the prisoner was lead into sunlight, he was removed from his ignorance. Although at first apprehensive, he eventually learns the truth about life and acquired knowledge he didn’t previously have, thus “broadening his horizons.” As he returns to the cave he is ostracized because the other prisoners refuse to accept what he has to tell them since all they have ever known as the truth is suddenly being called false. They’re being told that everything they’ve ever based their lives on is incorrect and foolish, and they don’t take kindly to this.

         This aspect of the cave, the unwillingness to learn more is, and forever will continue to be, confusing to me. I relish on the idea of learning. My mind is a sponge that mops up knowledge like it’s no one’s business (unless it’s chemistry, I really understand none of that). To me, closing your mind to learning is very prevalent in today’s culture. People are constantly setting themselves up for failure when they decide to be close-minded. Some of it is just ridiculous, teenagers refusing to pay attention in class because their teacher is sassy or hard-core bible students totally ignoring the existence of dinosaurs (THERE ARE LITERALLY MUSEUMS FULL OF BONES AND PROOF. HOW COULD YOU JUST REFUSE ALL THAT?). So to me, in modern day, Plato’s cave is all about the ignorance of people and their refusal to educate themselves or be told that they're, perhaps, wrong.