Throughout the history of mankind, civilizations have always been run by a leader or a kind of figure to govern over other people. These leaders usually emerge due to their superiority over others, in factors that may include strength, wisdom or even experience. However, does this mean that theyll be the best to assume the role of ruler? Not according to Plato. Plato was a philosopher who felt that successful leaders must emerge through a process to achieve enlightenment. He uses The Allegory of the Cave to further explain his ideas.
In the Allegory of the Cave, Plato explains to us, the notion of the cave. This cave resembles the environment around us, in which all existence that we know of, belong to. In this cave, there are several prisoners who are shackled so that they may only look forward. Being in this cave for as long as they can remember, this appears normal to them and does not even think looking backwards is possible. A bonfire is placed behind the prisoners and even farther is a pathway leading out of the cave. Objects are moved in between the bonfire and the prisoners, casting shadows of the object on the wall in front of the prisoners. When the prisoners see these shadows, they name the object, as if they were real, and not just a mere shadow. This resembles us, trapped in a society where we know nothing beyond what is shown before us.
Plate continues on, explaining that a single prisoner was to be liberated from his shackles, allowing him to see behind him. This resembled the beginning of the process in which strong leaders emerge from. As the prisoner is exposed to the real objects casting shadows on the wall, he is confused, realizing that the shadows are not reality. Then, the prisoner will see the light given off by the pathway leading out of the cave, and feels repelled by it, as his eyes have been adjusted to see in the dark all his life. Then the prisoner is finally able to accept these facts and heads out the cave through the pathway. As he emerges from the cave, he is exposed to sunlight and is blinded. However, through time, his eyes slowly begin to adjust to see in the light and realize there is a world beyond what he had once thought, was the world itself; the cave. The prisoner is enlightened.
This whole process represents the thought process of philosophers. Philosophers often question the norm, which is the equivalent of looking backwards in the allegory. Then, they learn to accept the fact that things may not always be the way that theyre presented to you, nor may be pleasing. However, if one is able to see passed these things and learn to accept them, then they will ascend to a higher level, rather than be confined within the cave.
Plato then furthers his point by allowing the prisoner back into the cave and tries to help others out of the cave that they have been trapped in all their lives. He informs the rest that they are in confined in shackles and the objects on the wall have been merely shadows theyve been watching their whole life. However, the prisoners think hes a madman, saying that he has lost touch with reality if he really thought looking backwards is normal. They decide that he may even be dangerous. If the prisoner is to persist on freeing the people, he may be killed.
This represents the problem in which Plato feels, bars great potential leaders from doing so. Great philosophers such as Plate himself, explores what is beyond what they are shown in their society and then attempts to share the knowledge with others. However, being out of the norm, people of the society reject that knowledge as they wish to stick to the norm. And if the teaching of that knowledge is to stay persistent, society may see you as dangerous and a threat, as Platos predecessor Socrates was treated. The problem was they could not get enough followers to accept their teachings without being condemned by the society as a whole.
Plato felt that it is the duty of philosophers, to educate those who are willing to accept their ideas, to become leaders and kings themselves. He stated that it would be a government administered in spirit unlike that of other States, in which men fight with one another about shadows only, and are distracted in the struggle for power. By this, he means that people who have not seen the truth yet, cannot succeed at ruling over people and that theyll ultimately end up power-hungry, making them fight and struggle for more.
Platos programs had obviously failed for his time but not completely, as his philosophical teachings are still alive today. People during his time, were less tolerant of change than we are today. Although his program may still not succeed as of today, it definitely wouldnt get completely rejected as it had in his time.
Throughout history, we have already begun to see people turn against the grain in attempt to prove something to the world. For example, Rosa Park refused to give up her seat, when it was law that she was supposed to. The news of this spread and people realized what was really going on, instead of accepting the norm and condemning her actions.
Martin Luther King was another, who not only stood up against the government but introduced to his followers a new form of non-violent resistance, as opposed to the normal use of violence in angry protests, and was successful.
People today are much more subject to change and adaptively. Society in which we live in now, is much more diverse, and thus, may not see the same universal norm in which the allegory has perceived. While some may disagree with these ideas, there will always be enough people who accept them without being condemned by the society as a whole.
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