My take on Plato's virtues

Lecturer : Daniel; Media Cultures and Histories

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Topic of discussion: Plato's "Allegory of the Cave"

Post no. 2


When I first encountered the idea from Plato; as well as the Googled images related to this,

I have concluded that it has a strong relation to the definition and effects of media to the subjects exposed to it. The prisoners being the mass public and the puppeteers representing the Media. The fire, is used as a medium to communicate what the puppeteers want to show to the prisoners through shadows. By doing this, the puppeteers could manipulate the images and thinking of the prisoners. 

Hence, this could create a false reality for the mass.

This was actually the first essay topic which I have chosen to do. I actually downloaded Second life to analyse this theory! 

Speaking of Second Life, it actually adopts the same principles of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. This internet social medium is capable of recreating the perfect avatar, character and location of any person's dreams. This, somehow gives a second chance of life, or as I might add, an escapade from the cruel realities. Programmers paint the perfect world for the users that would indulge them, chain them to the seats of their computers. 

According to Allegory, the prisoners that climb out of the cave are shocked in afraid from what they have been told which was real, isn't. Metaphorically this could be applied to hard-core gamers that would hide in their 'cave' for long periods of time, unexposed to the world. Upon escaping the habit, they would be experiencing new realities and understandings of the real world.

This could also be applied to the local newspapers or entertainment tabloids that have the capability of transforming normal issues into misconceptions that could blow the sales off the stands. 

Therefore, this is what I think about Plato's Allegory of the Cave. It pretty much aligns itself with the original theory.

-Charissa Ong