Plato's Cave the Allegory

Many years ago  I was exposed to this great work about human behavior.I do wish I could remember how or who brought it into my world for teaching that allegory has become standard upload for any and all courses I teach.  That allegory now extends to thousands of jail inmates as well in my comments for changing one's reality is the beginning of change, right?

Now that this semester is in full swing and I have again stood a class of students around the wall, heels and palms against the wall while standing for a long period of time, lights in the classroom off to capture just a flavor of a cave ambiance, I still marvel at watching the students process this whole Cave story. Of course, I  embellish the story a bit and add some humor but the crux of the work by Plato remains central; Man's behavior is pretty predictable especially when exposed to a new reality. Those of us still "chained" in our reality translated as comfort zone, have no real interest nor desire to cut the chains and embark on a journey to truly understand what causes the shadows on the Cave's ceiling we are all familiar and COMFORTABLE with for that is our reality. So the question, got any shadows in your world that have formed your cocoon of reality which may or may not be good?

In watching the scores of students begin to tire from standing with hands and palms pressed against a wall with eyes shut and not looking around and I am the only voice in their then current reality, I can see the wheels of so many begin to non verbally dredge up pains and frustrations of their lives that align with the context of Plato's Cave.  I sometime ask for stories if they wish to share and they always want to share but then within hours I will begin receiving emails telling me their stories of angst, anger, frustration, disgruntlement, fear of their own person Cave and their yearning to escape the bindings of that old reality that has taken them down a painful pathway.

See, for me, education is Plato's Cave for it goes directly to the heart of changing one's reality. The more interesting component of Plato's work is that once a person has escaped the chains, made their way out of the cave of reality, the rest of us are still comfortably chained in the comfortable reality, to examine why the shadows bouncing around on the wall are there. Once we see the bonfire and dancing native around the fire outside the cave and had the aha moment of "now I understand" the shadows, it is the lack of acceptance by those still chained in that old reality that reject not only the message of the new reality but also the person bringing that message.  THAT is the driver, to me at least, of why education is so vital; it holds one's head under the water long enough that it forces the rapid intake of new information via the oxygen of a new reality.

The world in which we reside is screaming for change and leaders to lead others to that exit from the chains of current reality to discovery and understanding of the new, forward reality. Education is kinetic, not easy and happens not in the sanitized casings of a class room but in the daily lives and conversation of those cut loose from their chains holding them in the current reality and stories and lore.  It is the engagement by those experiencing the new reality with their friends, associates and hardest of all, their family, in conversation about the new reality; that is education when a student has the guts, competence and stamina and courage to begin to teach others their new reality. And then more and more are engaged in the discovery of the new reality.

This whole Plato's Cave teaching element is potent and each semester I realize the reason it is so important and eye opening is that the chains of this world are holding great minds to the wall of the cocoon but that cocoon is shielding and hiding more and more painful, disappointing and discouraging realities for the young minds. See, they reflect the rapidly and deterioration values and mores of our society and it angers me greatly to see the pain in these young people as they strive for something new, something better.

All of this is what fundamentally drives me to expend far too many hours and thoughts into building and executing a course but it is not about me but about the minds of these young people that challenge me to the very core to given them all I have to cut loose the chains binding their minds from finding a new escape, to smell the sweet smell of  a new, enlightened reality and then to enjoin others to cut their bindings to see that reality. That is powerful stuff! That is what teachers teaching with their heart exact from the minds and hearts of their students. That is why I do what I do!

This work, teaching, is a noble work but it is also a work of great value for it unleashes the forces of change for the new tomorrows. This is not a job for me, this is a ministry I GET TO DO! And who receives the richest blessing of all? That would be me!