Based on the dialogue between Plato and Glaucon (The Allegory of the Cave). Book VII of The Republic
[Artist is speaking with a Friend]
[Artist] You can liken our human nature in terms of enlightenment and ignorance... - I said, - Imagine that people seem to live in the same space of the country. From an early age, they watch cartoons, then films and news in the same language and in the same cultural and historical environment, in other words, they see only what is right in front of their eyes. Most of the time, people face the light of the screen of TVs, computers or mobile phones, which work in the limited-service space of this country and there is no way to use a VPN to access the international Internet. At the same time, imagine that what they see on the screens is a projection of the world and events that occur outside this country, developed and arranged by the same people as the viewers themselves.
[Friend] I can imagine it.
[Artist] So imagine that the people who create materials for news, films and entertainment content are those who, from an early age, also grow and develop in this country, without the opportunity to see the world and experience other cultures. At the same time, as usual, some of them even host their own shows and news on TV, while others remain silent.
[Friend] You present me a strange image and a strange closed country.
[Artist] Like ourselves. First of all, do you think that being in this position, people see anything else, other than the information coming from these screens?
[Friend] How can they see something different, since all their lives they look at the same screen, in the same language, about the same culture?
[Artist] What about the events that are shown there on the screen? Isn't the same thing happening to them?
[Friend] That is?
[Artist] When the citizens of this country talk to each other, don't you think they would think that they are giving names to exactly what they see?
[Friend] Surely so.
[Artist] Further. When voices come from the screens, do you think they would attribute these sayings to someone other than the one they see on the screen?
[Friend] I swear I don't think so.
[Artist] Such viewers would fully and completely accept the words and events occurring on the screens as truth.
[Friend] This is completely inevitable.
[Artist] And now look again, and see what will naturally follow if the screen viewers are released and disabused of their error. When someone's ban is lifted and forced to leave the country, he suddenly has to survive, try new places and cultures, travel to different countries in search of work, and finally look at events and people that he had previously only seen on screens. And what do you think he will say when they begin to tell him that previously he saw the world only through a screen, and now, by approaching more real existence and turning to a more authentic one, he could gain a clearer vision? Moreover, if they begin to point out this or that event happening in front of him and force him to answer the question, what is it? Don't you think that this will be extremely difficult for him and he will think that there is much more truth in what he saw before than in what he is being shown now?
[Friend] Of course he'll think so.
[Artist] And if you force him to look directly at the essence of the event, if he turns out to be an eyewitness, will not tears well up in his eyes and will he not hastily turn away to what he is able to see, believing that this is really more reliable than the things that are shown to him?
[Friend] Yes it is.
[Artist] If someone forcibly drags him around different cities of the world, forces him to communicate with people of different cultures and does not let him go until he gets acquainted with all the diversity and possibilities of life, will he not suffer and be indignant at such violence? And when he got to the museum of contemporary art, he would be so amazed by what he saw that he could not understand a single object of those that he is now told is authentic.
[Friend] Yes, he couldn’t do it right away.
[Artist] This requires a habit, since he has to see all the diversity. You need to start with the easiest thing: first look at the objects in the museum, then at the installations and performances of people and various objects, and only then at the things and events themselves; at the same time, he can understand their essence only by reflecting and critically thinking.
[Friend] Undoubtedly.
[Artist] And finally, I think, this person would be able to look at the most difficult thing - life itself outside the museum, to discern its properties and versatility, not limiting itself to observing the manifestations of this life in the museum.
[Friend] Of course, this will become available to him.
[Artist] And then he will conclude that life itself is beautiful and amazing, and its main value is human life, where every person around the world strives for security and happiness, and they are somehow the reasons for everything that this person and others in his country have seen on screens before.
[Friend] It is clear that he will come to this conclusion after those observations.
[Artist] And when he remembered his former home, the wisdom there and his companions, would he not consider the change in his position blissful and will he not have pity on his friends?
[Friend] Certainly, he would.
[Artist] And if they gave any honours there to each other, rewarding the one who was distinguished by the most acute commentary when observing current world events and to remark which of them went before, and which followed after, and which were together, and on this basis predicted the future, then, do you think, someone who has already freed himself from bonds would thirst for all this, and would he envy those who are revered by citizens and who are influential among them? Would he not say with Homer,
Better to be the poor servant of a poor master, and to endure anything, rather than think as they do and live after their manner?
and rather endure anything, just not share the ideas of the screen patriots and not live like them?
[Friend] I think he would rather suffer anything than entertain these false notions and live in this miserable manner.
[Artist] Consider also this: if such a person were to return to his country and sit in the same place, wouldn’t he be confused by the unambiguous information surrounding him?
[Friend] Certainly.
[Artist] What if he again had to compete with these eternal patriots of his country, analyzing the meaning of certain news? Until his opinions and views were adapted - and this would take a lot of time - wouldn't he seem ridiculous? They would say about him that he returned from his trip with spoiled views, which means there is no point in even trying to leave the country. And whoever would begin to help those who wanted it so that they had the opportunity to look at an alternative life for themselves, wouldn’t they kill him if he fell into their hands?
[Friend] They would definitely kill him.
[Artist] So, my dear Friend, this comparison should be applied to everything that was said earlier: limited movement within the world is like a prison dwelling, and the light from the TV screen is likened to a reality created by someone, but not you. Travelling and contemplating things and various world cultures is the ascent of the soul into the realm of the intelligible. If you allow all this, then you will comprehend my cherished thought - as long as you strive to know it. So, this is what I see: in what is knowable, the idea of good is the limit, and it is difficult to discern, but as soon as you see it there, the conclusion suggests itself that it is precisely it that is the cause of everything that is right and beautiful. In the realm of the visible, it gives birth to light from the screen and its ruler, and in the realm of the intelligible, it itself is the mistress on whom truth and understanding depend, and anyone who wants to act consciously in both private and public life must look for it.
Bibliography and references:
1. Plato, Book VII of The Republic, The Allegory of the Cave [online] At: http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/platoscave.html (Accessed on 21.11.23)
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