I've got no philosophical education but today I was thinking about Plato's Cave.
In my head this is how that story goes: people are stuck in the safety of a cave and wonder if they should go out for freedom or stay inside where they know what to expect.
To be honest i'd be 100% going out of that stupid cave
I wonder how many people would stay inside and how many people would leave?
I noticed that this theorem works for every day situations too:
I noticed that this theorem works for every day situations too:
Investment
People that are making monetary investments/ people working at a stock market must have this going through their head every second of the day. Should they invest their savings and have a chance to grow wealthier, or stay in the security of their current financial situation
Comment
This situation usually happens to me as I comment a lot on what people say. Most of the time, I am not afraid to comment even if it is inappropriate/unexpected. I wonder how many people keep their thoughts to themselves and fill up their minds of stuff that they'll never have the courage to say
Embarrassment
For all of you who want to sing a song out loud, show the world something you composed, display something you've painted...just fucking do it. It is most probable that people are afraid of embarrassment, the judgement of their peers or negative reactions. People that choose to stay in the cave are the ones that will keep their talents to themselves for fear of being ridiculed. I've got no right to judge but I simply think we should base our actions on our own motives.
While writing this I realized that the cavern theory is simply another term for the feeling of "risk".
taking risks is clearly explained by monkey bars in children's playground
you need to let go in order to move on.
how adorable, you're talking about plato and societal norms and constraints..
ReplyDeleteNice post, I agree. But if I'm not wrong, I think Plato's cave was meant for something other than risk..at least I don't think risk is the allegory's main point.
From what I remember, it has to do with the shadows. The outside world provides shadows into the cave and the people in the cave will look at the shadows on the cave wall and interpret how the world works. They will continue to do so until maybe one of them will decide to venture out of the cave to see the real world. Of course, once he has reached the 'epiphany' of what the world really consists of, he is unable to go back into the cave and study the shadows because he knows that the world is more than just those shadows. Those shadows, represent our socialization in which most of us decide to be sheep and accept that as our reality.
So in a way, you are right that people stay inside the cave because they are afraid of risk, but it also has to do with the fact that most won't know any better; ignorance. They can't IMAGINE that there is an alternative understanding of the world. Whether it is voluntary ignorance or involuntary.
Question for you: where is the line between taking a risk and acting blindly without thinking?