Plato’s, “The Allegory of the Cave” and the 1999 film “The Matrix” are both metaphors of how the human race corresponds with reality. In “the Allegory of the Cave”, Socrates explains that we as humans, live in “a cave” and are blind to the realities life brings upon us. He illustrates this by saying there are beings in a cave who are in chains, which hinder their ability to look towards the outside world. Socrates then says that if one were to escape, that one prisoner will be amazed of what they will see, and that knew found freedom known as reality will be better than the illusory reality (the prisoners life in the cave). However, in “The Matrix”, the beings were placed in a post-nuclear apocalyptic landscape where all of their kind was enslaved by machines. Beings who were still living in “the cave” believed to be living their lives before the helotry, and those who reality has been revealed to now must suffer with the reality that is a dystopia. When comparing both transactions from an illusion to reality, I believe that the film “The Matrix” has a more accurate outcome, than Plato’s writing “The Allegory of the Cave”.
Throughout history people have been tucked away in “caves” because those who feel they are stronger want to protect those who are weak. They want to protect them from each other, to protect them from themselves, and to protect them from worry. Take the Government for example. If society knew the circumstances the government was put in and the choices they had to make, there would be riots in the street. And who knows what one will do when there is no order. This is why the government keeps society in “a cave”- to keep them calm and organized.
Parents tend to keep their young children “in caves” so their innocent minds will not be corrupted by our harsh reality. Parents keep their young children away from the news and encourage imagination so that reality will not strike fear into the children and so they live a healthy, happy childhood. Only until they believe the child is ‘mature’ enough to handle such information to they allow them to explore bits and pieces of reality. And when one is finally ‘mature’ enough and freed from their “cave”, their innocence is ripped right from them. This is when they begin to learn life’s harsh lessons about lies and deceit, pain and suffering; yet another dystopia.
Many movies and writings were written of “caves” and how people have turned away from the truth because of its disgusting nature. For Example “The Giver” by Louis Lowery. This book is about an entire society kept hidden from the truth. And only one being in an entire lifetime knows the truth, and passes on the harsh knowings to one he sees fit. The ‘passings’ are made through several years due to the pain it causes the new keeper. This is another example of a dystopia. And this is why I believe that the matrix has a more accurate outcome than Platos writing.
Heather, you can certainly use examples of government cover-ups or parental lies, but you need to mention some specific ones as evidence. Staying at the level of generalities does not convince an audience or help them see what is the specific situation to which you refer.
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