The Allegory of the Cave, section VII of Plato's Republic, is one of the most referenced passages in Western philosophy. The story is a dialogue between Socrates and Glaucon, Plato's brother. Plato relays the allegory in the context of society's attitudes toward philosophical enrichment and expresses his own views regarding the desire to achieve deeper understanding. Overall, the cave allegory is about the importance of the pursuit of enlightenment and remains relevant more than 2,400 years after its initial writing. Just as Socrates and Plato observed in their societies, we see resistance to the pursuit of knowledge and greater consciousness. However, today we face much greater stakes for our well-being and that of the planet when it comes to choosing ignorance over the truth. We cannot transcend our problems if we passively choose to remain ignorant; therefore, regardless of the inevitable discomfort, we must voraciously seek enlightenment and think critically for ourselves. Through the story of slaves confined their entire lives in a cave, it presents this timeless dilemma of the human condition which invites us to contemplate it as individuals and as a global society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayThe greatest advances in human society have come from those throughout history who have voraciously sought a deeper understanding of reality. Albert Einstein challenged the consensus understanding of gravity that had been accepted for over two hundred years before presenting a possible alternative theory ("History of General Relativity." 1). His work eventually replaced Newton's law of universal gravitation, and his theory of relativity is now one of the central dogmas of modern physics. Justice's greatest victories, from the dismantling of the Nazi regime to women's right to vote, have also come about through convictions of truth and wisdom. Indeed, it is to the voracious search for truth and wisdom that we owe all of humanity's progress. The effects of exposure to the truth and its acceptance positively influence the way we interact with each other, Plato relates one such experience: "S. And when he would remember his ancient habitation and the wisdom of den and his fellow inmates, don't you think he would welcome the change and pity them?G. Certainly he would. And if they were accustomed to attribute honors among themselves to those who were most ready to observe the passing shadows, and to notice which of them passed before, which followed after, and which were together; and who was therefore best able to draw conclusions as to the future, do you think he would care for such honors and glories, or envy those who possess them? (514a-521d). » Could this freed prisoner now lead others to the enlightenment he has achieved? If we ourselves chose the path to enlightenment rather than the comfort of ignorance, would we be able to do the same? Research by Elizabeth J. Krumrei-Mancuso of the Division of Social Sciences at Pepperdine University has established direct and mediated links between prosocial outcomes and intellectual humility, as shown here; “…intellectual humility was associated with higher levels of empathy, gratitude, altruism, benevolence and universalism, and with higher levelsinferior in the pursuit of power. Analyzes supported empathy and gratitude as mediators between intellectual humility and prosocial values” (1). This further strengthens the argument that the pursuit of knowledge is paramount to human progress. One could argue that it makes perfect sense for citizens to neglect their intellectual pursuits when the demands of modern life require so much investment. The whole point of having government officials in place is to direct and inform the population so that the responsibility does not fall on the individual. One might ask why give up leisure for the added challenge of a noble philosophy when we have instant access to information via media at the touch of a button? In the allegory of the cave, the shadows cast from behind resembled those of a puppet show. Because the prisoners had only been exposed to this source of information their entire lives, they believed that what they were seeing was the true state of the world. Plato describes: “S. Above and behind them a fire burns at a distance, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised path; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the path, like the screen that the puppet players have in front of them, on which they show the puppets.G. I see.S. And do you see, I say, men passing along the wall carrying all kinds of objects, and statues and figures of animals in wood, stone and various materials, which appear above the wall? Some speak, others are silent.G. You showed me a strange picture, and they are strange prisoners.S. Like us, I replied; and they only see their own shadows, or the shadows of each other, which the fire projects on the opposite wall of the cave? G. It’s true, he said; how could they see anything but shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads? And among the objects that we transport in the same way, they only see the shadows? G. Yes, he said.S. And if they could converse among themselves, would they not believe that they were naming what was really before them? (514a-521d). “This scenario is very similar to our current relationship with the media. Recent research reveals that the average citizen will spend almost seven years and eight months watching television over their lifetime and a total of five years and four months on social media platforms (Asano). What is the source of information we consume in the proverbial puppet show? In the allegory of the cave, the people who pass behind the fire and are responsible for creating the shadow show represent authority figures in society. These authorities, such as governments, media networks, corporations, religious and educational institutions, influence the opinions of society and have a direct effect on the attitudes and beliefs of individuals. Many rely on these authority sources for information and assume that what they are told is correct and true. The issue of climate change today is an example of how our leaders and the mainstream media may not be the most honest source of information, as evidenced by NASA data: The average temperature at The planet's surface has increased by about 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit since the end of the decade. 19th century, a change due largely to increased emissions of carbon dioxide and other human-caused emissions into the atmosphere. Most of the warming has occurred over the past 35 years, with the five warmest years on record occurring since 2010. (1) Despite scientific evidence.