Truth

Perceived Reality

amber2635 20-1D, Critical Essay, Writing , , , , 0 Comment
Perceived Reality

          The affinity behind perceiving what truth can be is founded upon what reality is, sensed by the beholder. Although establishing truth compels individuals to rely on facts their environmental awareness identifies, truth perception distinguishes our views of reality. Philosophers commonly define reality as a substance in an external world; to exist without the need to be proven to live is to be real.

          Therefore, if an individual’s truth is what they solely perceive and believe, it soon becomes their reality. With this logic in mind, human beings in society choose blindness and cannot comprehend the fullest of reality as their insight into reality is based on what they perceive, which holds true in their life. This creates the whole aspect of ignorance, as it is created by the unwillingness to be open-minded.

          In the dialogue, Allegory of the Cave, Greek philosopher Plato writes a story about people existing in a cave between a conversation between two characters, Socrates and his follower Glaucon, which serves as an allegory for human society. He writes about prisoners chained up to a rock wall deep within a cave, with light illuminating. With the inability to turn their heads or bodies, they cannot see the light source and are forced to perceive solely what is in front of them. This leads to other individuals waving puppets on sticks above their heads on top of the wall where the prisoner’s backs face, reflecting shadows on the walls of what the prisoners see.

 

          As their perception of the cave wall is what they deem as accurate, it becomes their sense of reality. If one were to unshackle the society of people and lead them out of the cave, they would refuse to believe the outer world as authentic in the form of ignorance, as their eyes cannot adjust to the brightness of the world immediately. However, if one is open-minded to the world and alters their perspective (letting their eyes adjust to the brightness of the outside world compared to the luster of the cave), they will eventually see absolute truth.

           Throughout the dialogue, Socrates and Glaucon have a back-to-back discussion about people existing in a cave, and the idea of unshackling individuals and guiding them away from the cave is introduced. Socrates conveys the concept by stating, “Under that light, would his eyes not be nearly blinded, unable to discern any of those things that we call real?” In this quote, Socrates suggests that individuals who achieve the truth behind the existence of another perceived reality by seeing the world around them will be unable to do so as the sun would be too bright. Furthermore, this implies that they would be unable to properly observe the world around them, which can symbolize ignorance in individuals. That said, that would indicate how individuals will choose blindness in society as they are so used to the world that they see it as the “truth.” For example, compared to a normal-sighted individual, color-blinded individuals could not correctly understand how to visualize colors as they had never seen them before. All they could adequately do was portray them with their conception of what it looks like. It would be impossible to shape their perception to see the complete truth. 

          In conclusion, what individuals portray themselves to see can determine what clear truth is. Perception shapes what has deemed the truth to be interpreted based on the beholder. With this in mind, human beings choose blindness as they cannot come to terms with solid truth as they are too used to their perceived reality. This intern shapes what is defined as ignorance in society.

Citations: 

http://thirdmonk.net/knowledge/plato-allegory-cave-animation-analysis.html

https://www.thoughtco.com/the-allegory-of-the-cave-120330

https://heartofashepherd.com/2014/09/30/proverbs-3017-the-eye-is-the-window-to-the-soul/

Modern Day Caves

nathanielm212 20-1D, Response to Literature , , , , 0 Comment
Modern Day Caves

Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” despite being written nearly two and a half millennia ago still holds true today in the 21st century. Many people throughout history have been liberated from the darkness,” both before and after Plato’s time, I too am one of those liberated as are many people I know. Despite many different people with their own stories, everyone is in a “cave,” in one sense or another. 

 

The “cave,” I was once trapped in was one regarding my moral code and the way I saw the world around me. When I was younger I had only believed in good and bad, light and dark, and black and white, never once thinking there could be anything in between. However, one day I began playing video games with this group of people and over time I learned more about them and their beliefs, one thing I discovered is that many of them had beliefs opposing my own concerning topics I am passionate about. Due to this revelation, I was considering stepping away from the group and was waiting for an opportunity to make my departure. However, one day the group began to fracture due to an argument but one member of the group defused the situation with a phrase that would change my worldview even to this day, he said, “We all aren’t here because of all of our differences in beliefs, we are all here because we all love this game,” these words have made me see the light and live outside the cave because I realized despite my grievances with these people on certain topics I still enjoyed playing with them and upon further analysis of my emotions I discovered that you do not have to agree with someone on every topic.

In the past, my mother’s side of the family once lived “In the cave,” as back in the Philipines they were very superstitious and believed in witchcraft and devilry. When my mother was younger often they would take the sick to which doctors despite alternative options being available. When I was younger we would never decorate the outside of our house for any holidays as my mother had a fear that it would, “invite in dark spirits,” as in the past she was very fearful of such ideas. However, in the present day, she was able to understand her mistakes and change her ways, no longer letting fear control her life. Situations like this show how often caves can be caused because of others’ manipulation. 

Another person who suffered from manipulation placing them in a cave is the YouTuber known as STST (Speak Truth and Say Truth) who was manipulated by con men to believe in the flat earth theory. Thankfully, after discovering another video online debunking his own theories he had an epiphany which led him to the light allowing him to see the truth clearly and live outside the cave. He currently still speaks about how the flat earth conspiracy is nothing but a trick by con men and he has made it his goal to try and save as many others from the cave he was once in just like the story says many do not believe him.

Caves are something that many different people have experienced in their lives and often it takes the help of others to leave the cave and see the light. The caves in people’s lives come in many different forms whether it be knowledge, morality, or beliefs. All of these factors culminate in everyone having their own caves that they must fight to leave if they ever hope to escape. 

https://blog.prepscholar.com/yin-yang-symbol

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines

https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/struggle

Fighting flat-Earth theory

Buried in a Cave – Under the Truth

chester693 20-1 B, Response to Literature , , , 5 Comments
Buried in a Cave – Under the Truth

Plato, a famous Greek philosopher, once wrote a story titled, “Allegory of the Cave.” In the short story, it explains that people can be easily deceived into believing that something is true, that it is the reality of the world and anything else they are told is false. The prisoners in the cave believe that the shadows they see are their whole world, and they do not believe that the outside world is real or safe, even when one of their own tries to explain otherwise. They’ve yet to become enlightened to the true reality that exists outside of their cave.

Everyone has believed in things, and many times those certain things could’ve been proven false. After putting in some thought, I began to ask myself how people even started to believe in such things and why. I suppose to start off, I should recall a time when I was ensnared in such a lie.

When I was younger, maybe seven to eight years old, I was quite a rowdy kid. I was loud and disruptive while I was trying to have fun. I wasn’t harming anything, but my parents believed it’d be better if they could find a way to contain my excitement.

I believed in an entity known as “Uncle Storm”. My parents would always tell me that if I didn’t go behave myself, “Uncle Storm” would become very angry and snatch me away. Even when there wasn’t a drop of water outside, I fell for their bluff every single time. Like the prisoners in the cave, I was led to believe that something utterly absurd was the truth. I hadn’t matured enough nor had the knowledge to figure out that my parents fabricated the entire thing. I too hadn’t been enlightened. I took their word for it, and that was final until I was 10 or so, when I finally called their bluff. No more “Uncle Storm” to frighten me away.

Now I realize that, in comparison to others, my personal cave seems much less impactful. After all, I’m talking about a thunderstorm that was somehow my uncle and scared me to behave. Nevertheless, it connected me to Plato’s story and led me to my conclusion on one reason why people will believe falsehoods. It is the people responsible for raising us. Guidance is what the young need, and their guardians are there to provide that. We are shaped by the things we learn and experience. Anything that they teach us, we will accept and believe. In my case, it was the personification of a thunderstorm to get me to behave and stay silent. The fear it instilled in me convinced me to think of it as the truth. In Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”, the prisoners have never seen anything other than the caves walls and the shadows that accompanied it. This suggest that they were raised in the cave and taught that nothing else existed. That was their truth. 

This cave of mine has been an eye opener for me. Through time, I have become enlightened. I’ve gained the knowledge to overcome superstitions and make my decisions based on more rational thought. Thus, I am no longer trapped in a cave and the truth is no longer out of my reach.

 

Image Citations:

Feature Image: https://www.deviantart.com/andreyzero/art/Metro-exodus-788598289

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderstorm

https://www.redbubble.com/i/poster/plato-philosophy-allegory-of-the-cave-by-matintheworld/55438946.LVTDI

Lost Dreams

japraas752 20-1 B , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
Lost Dreams

Alone,

In the dark I sit,

Reflecting upon my past,

I dream,

I dream of grass stains on my knees after playing a game of soccer

I dream of family dinners where we sit together and laugh about how my brother failed his chemistry test

I dream about a time where I would wake up to a bright glowing sun shining down and warming my face

I dream of colors, nature, wildlife

I dream about my friends, family, loved ones

I dream of a time where we lived happily and in peace

I dream of going out of my house to feel the fresh breeze of winter weather 

I dream of cold water running through my body after a game of tag

I dream of bed time stories with my dad

I dream

But like all dreams

Mine fade into a pile of dust

War Dream Meaning Interpretation - Dream Meaning

Sitting in the corner of my room 

Waiting to be swept up in a cloud of smoke 

caused by a molotov cocktail 

I go to sleep knowing that it may be my last

I dream 

All this pain, this war

All over a flag

All over a large chunk of dirt 

My backyard, a playground for tanks

My streets, a maze for soldiers

My home, a bunker for survival

My dreams, the morphine to my pain

My city, the hunting grounds for target practice 

My school, a hospital for the injured

I dream 

The Dream and the Reality | Blakely Bennett

Barbed Shields

abdul0157 20-1 A, Personal Response, Response to Literature , , , , 0 Comment
Barbed Shields

The Child Before a Mirror of Strangers, by Wole Soyinka

The title of this poem alone is enough to hint at the purpose behind it – that being the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In so naming the poem,  Soyinka rather brazenly undermines the tenets of the 1989 treaty. A child, after all, will suffer more detriment than any other, should they find themselves ‘before a mirror of strangers’.

Children, young as they are, have the greatest need of the comfort that is familiarity; the presence of strangers leaves them without protection against the pressures of the world, for children are, in their youthfulness, fluid of disposition, having yet to form beliefs that would soon set in stone their mindsets. They’re easily warped, consequently, by everything they come to perceive.

The poem’s title serves to preface Soyinka’s mention of once-innocents in the poem – as if to say that this first displacement ‘before strangers’ was and always will be the instigator of a loss of innocence. Without familiarity, there is no certainty; if unsure of what will grant one safety, will not they turn to the first point thought safe?

Will not such a shift guarantee the loss of the uniqueness with which a child is born? Uniqueness serves the purpose of creating for oneself a niche – in its absence, there remains nothing but a stagnant, most empty decline. The opposite, as stated by Soyinka in the poem’s earlier stanzas, is the wonder present in a life of innocence; innocence, after all, will remain only so long as the unknown remains wholly unknown. With a true introduction to these previous sources of wonderment, the uncertainty found therein will be enough to redirect one’s trajectory, and make moot any past wonders.

______________________________________________________

He was young, he knew. Not 25 years of age; even so, many things were lost to him in his supposed youth. Hence his weariness. It was inexorable, in hindsight, given his earlier innocence.

My struggles against jadedness are as nothing, for we’re all as muscles, aren’t we? All bound to feel strain, and, eventually, tears. Attached to each of us are joints – the truths that give reason to move. Therein lies the system’s fallacy; pure, innocent calcium can do naught but crumble before the weight of the world’s experiences.

All reasons lose their potency to time, and what then? A forced, sudden scramble with two outcomes. The tearing of muscles, or the forming of unnatural, impure joints that can stand to match a world that has moved far beyond nature’s limits. To which of the two, I wonder, do I turn… no… the die’s been cast long since. To which of the two have I turned? 

How aptly paralleled, he thought, the cynical cast of his mind clear, resounding as only statements of finality could. And still his thoughts flew on, unabated in their flow.

Impurity – both product of and armor against an impure world. It is the joint pushed to grow; the shield held aloft. The joint, alas, is deformed; the shield riddled with barbs that can but puncture the very skin that holds it high. Flock, all you children, to safety – it hurts, does it not? The world’s ceaseless pound against your defenseless selves; pulsating, growing ever stronger. Find in impurity an abrupt, indeed desperate, shelter, and watch once more as its walls close in – crushing to dust the little that remained of your once-innocent bones and joints and ligaments and muscles.

Watch, children, for you can do naught but. 

The Truth in Objectivity

rowan345 Personal Response , , , , 0 Comment
The Truth in Objectivity

Writing Journal- Enlightenment.

There is a common phrase that often appears in response to major life events or changes of heart that makes an individual rethink their current state of life to strive for a better future. That phrase is “seeing the light” and in those moments, there is often the idea that an individual’s life has flashed before their eyes and that the light they had seen is a call to action to change themselves for the better. More often than not, light is usually portrayed as a positive and whimsical thing that represents purity and truth. In literature, that light can be used to cement countless themes and moods and the Allegory of the Cave by Plato is no exception. In this philosophical allegory, that same symbolism is being used to show the power of knowledge and enlightenment in an individual’s life. Inside the cave, the individuals were surrounded by darkness and lived through projections and shadows shown to them by the outside world, knowing naught of the world outside of the cave. Their whole life was lived shackled and chained facing a wall of shadows, yet that still was their truth. They had a forced perspective on life and everything that they knew was deemed incorrect. The allegory discussed what would have happened if one of those individuals was taken out of the cave and forced to “see the light” in both a literal and metaphorical sense. In seeing the light, the individual saw the truth of their situation and sought out to change and better the lives of the people still in the cave by revealing the ‘truth’ to them.

Truth is an objective concept though, what one believes is true could be incorrect to others and in seeing the light, that just expanded that individual’s perspective of the world. Although, just because that individual may have had their eyes opened to something new, that doesn’t instantly mean that the life the people in the cave, the people not given the opportunity to enlighten themselves, have been living has been untrue. The dark is commonly associated with misconception, deception, and in some cases evil, but again, living in the dark doesn’t mean that they have been living a lie. Everything that they had experienced and grown up with can’t instantly be discredited because those experiences were still had, their life has still been lived, and all of that had become their truth. In this story, the light had more of a connection to knowledge and it played on the evil of the darkness that is suppressing the cave people from seeing the light of enlightenment. In our lives, when we are presented with a new idea that goes against everything that we have been told throughout our upbringing, it is very difficult to suddenly change one’s perspective in favour of the new one. After all, doesn’t it make more sense to believe in the thing that is so deeply rooted in one’s character than something that an unknown individual claims to be the truth? In our world, there are many cases of that deep-rooted belief interfering with an individual’s ability to accept something that, to many, may seem to be the only logical explanation.

Throughout history, there has been an age-old conflict between science and religion and that conflict stems from an individual’s inability to put aside what they know to open their mind to new knowledge. From a scientific perspective, many aspects of religion can be disproved and explained by experiments and logic, yet when that information is shown to people of faith, there is usually an initial reaction to disapprove of that ideology. In turn, aspects of religion that don’t have a logical explanation to them can be brought up and exhibited to people in the field of science to try and show them “God’s way” which ends up leading to more of an effort to explain that occurrence. In both situations, we can’t necessarily call one side less enlightened than the other considering that both groups ‘truth’ stems from their personal experiences, upbringings and beliefs. An individual who doesn’t believe in God telling an individual who does will usually be deemed wrong and a heretic by that group because, like Plato’s allegory of the Cave exhibits, it is hard, and sometimes even impossible to change or “enlighten” an individual when everything that they know in their life goes against what the other individual is saying. The same idea goes the other way and thus, that causes a conflict solely because each group is trying to show the other their idea of the truth. What may seem to be the light in one individual’s life is the cave of primitive ideas for another. everything doesn’t have to be black or white though, opposing ideas and knowledge can be integrated and understood if an individual is able to open their mind and have an objective approach to new ideas and knowledge coming their way. even in the cave, slivers of light could be seen and if an individual is willing to seek enlightenment even when it blinds one’s eyes at first, there is always something that one can learn from that experience.

image 1 , image 2 , image 3 , featured photo

True Vision Blind Eyes

japraas752 20-1 A , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments
True Vision Blind Eyes

Through color can an individual experience life in its full form. True color shows a perspective of the world where everything they see has more meaning outside of the obvious. Through the significance of looking versus seeing, can people be filtered out from the monotone black and white, to the optimistic colorful mix. Human interaction being the making of a bond through methods of feeling and emotion is vital for individuals to live a happy and open life. Open being understanding, like the blind man in the short story, Cathedral, written by Raymond Carver. The act of seeing in Cathedral is linked to physical eyesight, yet seeing involves a higher level of engagement. The storyteller/narrator demonstrates that he has complete vision. When the narrator arrives, he looks at his house and wife, as well as at the blind man. Because the narrator has working eyesight, he assumes that he is higher and stronger wiser than the blind man, whose name is Robert. The narrator claims that Robert’s eyesight prevents him from being able to make a lady like his wife content, let alone live a regular life. The wife’s husband is convinced that vision is everything, and he makes no effort to perceive anything beyond the surface. This explains why he doesn’t really know his wife. Robert, in comparison, has a much deeper meaning to the use of seeing even with the conflict of not physically being able to. Robert better  understands the narrator’s wife despite the fact that he has never seen her. This is because he has a greater sense of value and understanding of life. The irony of the short story reflects on how even people with eye sight or understanding may not be able to get a full grasp of what’s going on whereas people who may not be as privileged will because they don’t assume like the ones before. The narrator reflects a man of monotony as the story reflects that he has no meaning in life and judges a person based on physical characteristics. Reflecting on more relatable examples, this individual is the one who goes about their day with no emotional status, leading them to become dull and bland. On the other hand an individual like Robert is one that senses emotion through personality traits and seeks to find a person’s true self through in depth relationship building and creating strong bonds. 

 

Reflecting on my personal history I feel that I have been on both sides of the story. There was a time where because of my constant low grades and inability to do work I dug myself a rabbit hole where I would not put in effort for human interaction or school work because I couldn’t see a reason to do so. At this time everyone around me felt like shadows moving around, going about their lives. I was like a stop sign where all my friends would go about passing me while checking in once or twice even if I wouldn’t reply. This posed a great conflict because at that stage I was not able to do anything with my life. My light through that dark tunnel were my close friends as they reminded me how life was once colorful. They were as significant as the blind man in the short story as they led to my awakening and getting my life back on track. Now I can successfully go about my business and keep a great circle while also doing good in school because I know that the impossible is only as impossible as I make it. This bump in my life taught me a great lesson that sometimes one must pretend to be blind to truly see what the full picture is. This short story reflects how the difference in looking and seeing can play the greatest factor in an individual’s personality and therefore life itself.

Idealism Versus the Truth

zarinn 20-1 A, 20-1 B, Critical Essay, Response to Literature, Uncategorized, Writing , , , , , , , 2 Comments
Idealism Versus the Truth

Journal Prompt: Discuss the significance of idealism and truth in an individual’s life

 

Having established a perpetual sense of comfort and security is considered to be the pinnacle of achievement in one’s life. An individual experiences a watered-down version of these sentiments whilst pursuing an idealized version of their given reality. During this pursuit, they avoid the truth for the fear of losing the hope that has provided them with the, albeit false, feelings of fulfillment in their life. Within the short story “Two Kinds”,  Amy Tan presents the idea that when an individual forces their idealistic aspirations upon others, feelings of resentment may emerge, which will eventually culminate into a harsh awakening into reality when the truth is finally revealed. 

Losing grasp of idealistic dreams 

Hope is a powerful factor that can motivate individuals to make impressive accomplishments unless it is followed blindly. It can become dangerous when individuals use it to help create an idealized version of a future, without fully accepting the possibility of failure. “My mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in America.”  This is the opening line of the short story and is stated by the narrator, Jing-mei. As an immigrant carrying the burden of providing for their family, Jing-mei’s mother views America as their savior of some sort. She is driven by the same “American Dream”, that has been proven to be futile to countless others before her. Due to these fallacious expectations, she has already immersed herself in an idealized world. Within her perceived reality, she envisions Jing-Mei automatically excelling at life due to having access to opportunities that weren’t available to herself. She begins to exert these expectations onto Jing-Mei’s life, urging her to become a prodigy simply because she deemed it possible. Her aspirations for Jing-Mei’s future don’t accommodate her daughter’s own true feelings towards the matter, as she views her daughter as a mere vessel to fulfill the ambitions that she was unable to pursue herself. “She would look through them all, searching for stories about remarkable children.” This statement displays the true motives of Jing Mei’s mother, as it becomes clear that she doesn’t value the unique qualities that Jing-Mei may possess, but instead the potential of molding her into another one of those headlines.  An individual who displays blatant disregard to the personal well-being of others, in favor of upholding their own deluded desires, will often be more vulnerable when the truth is finally revealed. 

 

Erasing prior views once the truth is revealed

Idealism is defined by its unrealistic thinking, as it is often incompatible with the truth found in reality. An individual who is immersed within an idealistic mindset often remains unaware when feelings of resentment emerge within others that are affected by their actions.  Although Jing-Mei initially shows enthusiasm at the prospect of becoming a prodigy, her confidence is shattered when she continuously falls short of her expectations. Her self-worth continuously deteriorates as she is unable to grasp the unattainable ideals that her mother has placed upon her. “…. and I saw only my face staring back – and understood that it would always be this ordinary face – I began to cry. Such a sad, ugly girl!”  Jing-Mei has a difficult time reconciling her desires for mediocrity -her true identity- with her mother’s unwavering desire of having a prodigy daughter. After a period of quick contemplation, Jing-Mei finally understands the futility of trying to appease her mother’s unrealistic ambitions, as it contradicts the truth of her individuality. Having declared this shift in attitude, the first seeds of bitterness are planted within Jing-Mei, as she asserts that she won’t bend to the will of her unrelenting mother. “I won’t let her change me, I promised myself. I won’t be what I’m not.”   Although choosing to behave in an idealistic mindset may provide some semblance of comfort to an individual, those who are forced to face the brunt of their unrealistic thinking are expected to find extreme displeasure in being pressured to fulfill some faulty fantasy. It becomes difficult to explore one’s true identity and find happiness within when the irrational desires of somebody else are constantly looming over them.

The Two Sides

It’s inevitable that an individual will reach their breaking point and no longer find any interest in entertaining someone else’s warped perception of the world. Their idealistic beliefs clash with the truth, consequentially affecting the quality of both their lives. One is stuck in a stage of denial, where they desperately try to cling onto whatever dying hopes that still provide them with some remnants of comfort. The other is prevented from staying true to their identity and becoming at peace with themself. Jing-Mei yearns for her mother’s approval of her, even without meeting her unreasonable expectations, and hopes that the failed piano recital will finally make her realize that she is unwilling to be who she wants her to be.  Unfortunately, her mom still doesn’t understand, causing Jing-Mei to lash out with years of pent-up resentment spilling out. Although Jing-Mei did manage to live a life that was truthful to who she was, her mom had to grapple with the jarring reality after having spent years believing otherwise. The truth will inevitably prove to be incompatible with one’s ideals, and understanding how to reconcile the two will help prevent future sources of conflict.

 

Openminded

kathryn121 20-1 B, Response to Literature, Writing , , , , , , 2 Comments
Openminded

The expression, “don’t judge a book by its cover”, is a metaphorical phrase meaning an individual should not judge the worth or value of something by its outward appearance alone. This idiom is generally referred to when discussing equality as it is unfair to make assumptions about an individual based on only their exterior traits. To demonstrate equality, one must put forth their best effort to ensure that every individual, regardless of race, religion, disability, etc., has an equal opportunity to make the most of every situation. The theme of equality is apparent in the text, “The Cathedral”, by Flannery O’Connor. In this short story, the narrator assumes that all blind people are the same; As a result, he is consistently proven wrong. The narrator is continuously surprised by the blind man’s normalcy; the man has a beard, doesn’t wear dark sunglasses, smokes, and easily navigates his meals. Therefore, the narrator was extremely incorrect in regards to his stereotypical assumptions about his blind guest. By writing, “The Cathedral”, Flannery O’Connor disproved common stereotypes that are often associated with physical differences. Due to this, equality is a consistent theme throughout the piece as it demonstrates the fact that you can not make assumptions about people based on society’s stereotypes. Therefore, the main theme present in this short story is equality, as well as the open-mindedness to act in such a way.

CRACKED.com — Source material aside, did you find yourself...

The intention and impact of honesty on an individual’s life and the power an individual has to create a meaningful life are two prompts that connect to the short story, “The Cathedral”. The text tends to circulate around how false ideas and assumptions affect an individual’s point of view and suggests that we all must make the best of every situation. This is demonstrated through the narrator’s constant bewilderment regarding the blind man’s way of life as it is not necessarily the stereotypical life of a blind person. Despite his disability, the blind man lives a happy and fulfilled life, looking at every situation with an optimistic perspective. He says things such as, “I’ve got ears”, when asking people to describe physical things to him. The blind man has such a positive outlook on life that the story becomes ironic in the sense that the man who can see learns things from the man who can not. The narrator learns the importance of being open minded and inclusive despite the outward appearance of someone or something; he learns that true joy exists within making the most of any situation. The intention of honesty is a crucial thing for all circumstances as truth is what allows us the ability to build connections with one another. Although honesty with others is very important, honesty with ourselves should be a priority as we are unable to be open minded without being truthful with ourselves. Being honest with oneself is more complicated than it may seem, as an individual rarely resists the temptation to fall victim to believing society’s stereotypes, tainting one’s view of the world around them; instead, an individual must ignore stereotypes and vouch for themselves. Once an individual has achieved the talent of open-mindedness, they’ll have the ability to set their mind to anything and live their desired life. Everyone has the power to create a meaningful life for themselves, it simply comes down to being open minded and honest. The blind man demonstrates this to the reader through his honesty with himself as he has come to peace with the fact that he is without the ability to see, instead, he makes the best of his situation and relies on his other senses to live his life; regardless of his disability, the blind man has lived a happy and fulfilled life.

Therefore, equality is a consistent theme throughout the short story, “The Cathedral”, as the text describes the narrator’s initial surprise at the lack of applicable stereotypes in regards to his blind guest.  Throughout the story, the blind man teaches the narrator the importance of being honest and open minded, ultimately teaching him how to create a meaningful life. The narrator’s originally biased perspective is altered as a result of meeting a blind man who doesn’t fit into the standard stereotypes regarding disabled people. As a result, he learns the very important lesson of open-mindedness.

Personal Cave

aliyah4675 20-1 A, Personal Response, Response to Literature, Writing , , , , , , 3 Comments
Personal Cave

My eyes were tightly bound
With a cloth made of blood and steel
I knew not of freedom and love
Reliant solely on the invisible hands around me
Like a puppet-master playing with strings
And even if I spoke out
I could not
For my lips were sewed shut
With a thread spun from silken lies
I screamed myself hoarse in my mind
And eventually that too became silent
As there was nobody to listen to me
And everybody for me to listen to
I crumbled underneath the pressure
I yearned for the truth but I feared it at the same time
Could those invisible hands be my jailers
When they were supposed to be
Helpers but no I should not
And yes I should, I will
For the light burns with more fire than
Morningstar used to create the sun
But it is the light I am determined to see
And it is the truth I determined to know
The whole truth
And so I swear
Nothing but the truth

This poem is in response to one of the journal prompts from ‘Allegory of the Cave’: “Using Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Cave’ as an allusion, write your own version of the story.” In Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Cave, the philosopher uses the concept of the cave to ruminate between belief and knowledge. Specifically, the ways that belief can interfere with the perusal of true knowledge. Plato implies that for true enlightenment to be reached for all people, those who have knowledge must not only say what they know without proof. Instead, they must come to where they used to be (the dark cave) and teach that same knowledge personally to the prisoners. Meaning, only experience can start the process of enlightenment.

On many occasions, I have experienced different caves in life. Some of them have been unwittingly, some of them have been purposefully done (either by myself or others, in an attempt to showcase and track my growth as an individual), and others still that I have no doubt undergone, but currently do not have any idea of. Those sorts of caves are the ones that will take me many more life experiences and some more maturity to fully understand and accept as a stepping stone towards my growth. However, in this case, there is one particular cave that I had (and still, occasionally, do have) that I feel that’s important to talk about. That cave is a blind belief in authority.

You might chalk it up to filial piety or familial obligation, whichever one fits better for your own personal use and experience. You might also think of it as a side effect, of sorts, as a result of the societal norms that I’ve gotten up in. Either, it is one that exists nonetheless. I grew up — I am growing up — in a culture and time where respect to authority and elders is heavily put on my shoulders. 

Perhaps it might not be the same if I was born in another time period (it is likely my experiences would be wildly varied), but this is my opinion as I see it. In terms of authority, it might be considerably far off, in a distant land like a government official. Someone I do not know but know enough to give respect to, respect to a higher position and rank. Most of the time, however, these figures of authority are close by. The teachers and guardians, my parents, adults that have direct interference in my day-to-day life.

The cave, of itself, is not the issue of respect. Humans deserve respect, and I am human and they are human. It is simple in that regard. The cave is blind obedience and belief. Dangerous things come out of blind obedience. It’s a recurring theme throughout history; it is good to obey the laws, but it is better still to challenge them. Not too long ago, obeying laws included slavery and racial segregation. But they were still the laws. They weren’t meant to be respected and obeyed. But just because they were laws, does not mean they were right. And I feel like that’s something highly important to remember.

Throughout our entire lives, we are constantly told to respect authority without question. Your teachers know better than you. (In many aspects, perhaps not all). Your parents want what’s best for you. (That may be true, but what if their wants for you aren’t what you want, and thus, what will make you the best person that you can be?) Politicians know what they’re doing. (Let’s… not even get into that. There’s a reason why a democracy is one of the best governments in the world).

I’ve had my fair share of issues that came from blindly respecting authority. An example would be when I was in 2nd grade. For some reason, my teacher didn’t like me. I couldn’t comprehend why it was. Had I done something wrong? Not as far as I knew. But my teacher would push me apart, single me out in front of the class for the strangest of reasons. I had an untidy desk. 80% of my entire class had an untidy desk. We were a group of 7-and-8-year-olds; what did they expect? My teacher wouldn’t take the time to explain things to me, and disliked it when I went up and asked questions directly.

As a result of my blind belief in authority, I automatically thought that whatever it was that I had done was my fault. It took me 7 years, and a series of pointed remarks in my earshot, as well as the careful explanations from my mother and the books I had read, to realize that it wasn’t my fault. My teacher didn’t like me because of the colour of my skin. Was it fair? Absolutely not. But it was still something I couldn’t understand. My teacher was supposed to be fair and understanding and have all those other teacher-like qualities. I was supposed to trust my teacher with my education and my learning. Anything else was supposed to be my fault. It wasn’t, and that’s when I first realized that firstly, some people are prejudiced for no reason. Secondly, the world wasn’t as black and white as I thought it was supposed to be.

I’m not saying that obeying authority is a bad thing. Quite the opposite. As Socrates said, “Without rules we are nothing but animals.” That quote has its own issues, but it works well enough for this purpose. And this purpose isn’t to get into a philosophical and moral explanation on societal rules and the ways people change over time. The point is, it is not bad to obey. It is unwise to obey without question. Especially when you consider that it is in human nature to be highly reluctant towards admitting mistakes. Without the knowledge of our mistakes, history repeats itself, and we’ve seen the various, devastating ways that history repeats itself.