Criticism In Plato's The Allegory Of The Cave

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The Allegory of the Cave is a metaphor found in Book XII of The Republic written by the Greek philosopher, Plato. It is a dialogue between Plato and a man named Glaucon that discusses several different theories about human nature and the idea of enlightenment. Many people question whether or not the theories mentioned in Book XII apply to the government of the United States as it is today. It is evident after reading Book XII of Plato’s Republic that the answer is yes; his theories remain relevant, even in the world of today. Plato begins the dialogue by describing the cave and the people to which he is referring. The cave is underneath the ground where a small fire is the main light source. The prisoners, who are shackled by their arms and legs, are sitting in front of the fire facing a wall. Above them there is a walkway connecting with a low wall, resembling a puppeteer’s stage. On this walkway people are carrying monuments and statues to make …show more content…

People today are willing to do anything to avoid facing the truth, and are willing to go to extreme lengths to silence those who encourage them to do just that. A great example in today’s society would be Donald Trump. He faces an astronomical amount ridicule each day because he tells people the truth about the actions of the government and refuses to compromise his beliefs to please others. It is hard for people to accept and understand something that challenges their beliefs. In fact, a multitude of people today would rather be told a reassuring lie than an inconvenient truth. This makes it easy for the government to keep feeding the people lies with very little opposition. Until people begin to analyze these lies in an attempt to discern the truth, they will remain as gullible and naïve as the prisoners chained in the cave and will forever remain at the mercy of their

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