ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE SONNET

The Allegory of the cave, my eyes did open
The prisoner seemed like you and I
until we became outspoken
they stayed in the cave instead of saying goodbye

It was not their fault, that was their normal
but we refuse to be trapped
for that is infernal
poor prisoners for they were blacked

The dark cave, ignorance it was
the restraining shackles
but still they did not buzz
it was a battle

A battle between fear of the unknown and what is known
but  knowledge, we decided, we could not let go.

BRAIN WITH [8] LEGS

Izamar, Miranda, Nakesha and I are going to be reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

We plan on reading 40 pages a night to be done by December 1st.

We also plan on creating a separate blog for our conversations and discussions on the novel.
Our blog should be up and running by this friday. On the blog we will include our summaries, what we understood and what we did not, questions and anything that helps us understand the text better.

Don’t drown in your selfishness

There is no them

There is no me 

but

There is us. 

David Foster Wallace’s question is engraved in my head; What is water? As I think about this question I think of living an aware, educated and compassionate life. If we could stop being so wrapped up in our own worlds and paused to think about water and what it is we would live in a much more humane, just and compassionate world.

Water is what we live in, it is the norm therefore many stare blankly when asked what is water? To become better people we must know what water is. We must be aware, compassionate and selfless. We should be able to pause and lend a helping hand, a good ear, and/or a warm comment.

I firmly believe that we will not be able to know what water is until we are conscious of others and their lives. I am very disturbed by the fact that some of us can get through our day with out asking how are you? Can I do something for you?  Or Are you okay? It is quite ridiculous how little time we spent trying to understand other’s lives. That is not our job, but that does not mean we should not take some time to do so.

There is no you.

There is no me.

There is us.

And 

This is water. 

DON’T DROWN IN YOUR SELFISHNESS. 

What a great way to spread germs :)

Apparently it is not just me

I wake up and I get ready and drag myself to the bus stop. When I am at school I have such a good and positive attitude. I have a front that is unbreakable and quite resistant. When I get home I find myself in a much less positive attitude. In fact I am more easily irritated and angered. I crumble little by little and before I know it that school mode face has crumbled.

WHY IS IT THAT WE ARE MORE EASILY AGGRAVATED WHEN ALONE?
Does the thick skin wear out when we get home?

I had a conversation with a couple of my colleagues about the topic and they promised me I was not the only one going through this weird habit. Some said that the fact that their is company at school and people who are going through the same things we are is comforting and allows them to keep themselves together. Some people even thanked me for asking them how they felt. Sometimes that is exactly what you need to do...just talk about it.

Can this be considered as hypocritical behavior? Is it fair that our family and the people at home get the leftover energy of us?

Plato's Allegory of the Cave

1. According to Socrates, what does the Allegory of the Cave represent?
The Allegory of the cave represents everything that inhibits someone from being free.  It is everything that does not allow someone to think for them selves or to practice something else other than the norm. It represents the dogma that many people are trapped in.

2. What are the key elements in the imagery used in the allegory?
The darkness, shackles, cave, and mentioning of the shadows create an image for the reader. These elements set an area of eeriness and distinct image for the reader. These elements are the symbols for restriction, being naïve and ignorant. The shadows represents everything they do not understand. The sun represents the light and the freedom of being able to think freely.

3. What are some things the allegory suggests about the process of enlightenment or education?
It suggest that so many people are so afraid of coloring outside of the lines that they get stuck in dogma all their life. The freed prisoner is the opportunity in the allegory. He is the opportunity that many people in our society refuse to take. The process of enlightenment and education is very long, but if accepted is very rich and fulfilling.

4. What do the imagery of "shackles" and the "cave" suggest about the perspective of the cave dwellers or prisoners?
The shackles and cave suggest that the prisoners are unable to break away from their routine. They are unable to look past what they are and where they are because all their life they have known nothing but that. The prisoners are naïve and unaware of the world outside of their own little bubbles.

5. In society today or in your own life, what sorts of things shackle the mind?
Structure and being told there is only one answer are the biggest shackles in daily life. For as long as I can remember I have been told to do as the teacher says and to organize my notebook and school work a certain way, the right way. I have been trapped in other people’s opinions or thoughts on something because I have been told that their thoughts are the rights ones. Well, can’t my ideas and thoughts be right too? Many may read this question and say no, but when I look at it I see opportunity to think differently and think yes. Steve Job once said, “Don't be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice.” The shackles are the opinions of others that drown our own.

6. Compare the perspective of the freed prisoner with the cave prisoners?
I believe the freed prisoner is struck by the unwillingness of the cave prisoner to leave. He cannot grasp in his head why the cave prisoner would not like to be free. He has forgotten what it was to have a limited, structured, habitual, and dark life.

7. According to the allegory, lack of clarity or intellectual confusion can occur in two distinct ways or contexts. What are they?
One is the outside of the cave. At first there is confusion, but within time freedom is found. Th second is returning into the cave. The ex-prisoner could not grasp how the others can bear stay in the cave. He is isolated and criticized for not being naive/ignorant like them (prisoners).


8. According to the allegory, how do cave prisoners’ get free? What does this suggest about intellectual freedom?
Prisoners get free by breaking away from structure. They get free by leaving behind the cave, by leaving behind whatever inhibits them to be free. This suggests that intellectual freedom allows the person to be more creative and open-minded. It allows a person to free him/her self from habit and structure.

9. The allegory presupposes that there is a distinction between appearances and reality. Do you agree? Why or why not?
I believe there is a difference between appearances and reality. An appearance is something seen, but not everything we see is real. The allegory says that knowledge is created by what is real, not by what you see, by the sciences not the senses.

10. If Socrates is incorrect in his assumption that there is a distinction between reality and appearances, what are the two alternative metaphysical assumptions?
Metaphysical: relating to things that are thought to exist but that cannot be seen.
The alternative is that people will believe everything they see and everything they see will be a reality for them. The only learning experience would be from what they see.

Another day, another question.

Why is it that when you look in the mirror you do not see what others see in you? How is it possible that people see more in you or less than you see in yourself?

How can someone's faith in you be bigger than what you have ever had for yourself? Do not get me wrong it is a total blessing, but how do you live up to those extremes?
The thought of someone having so  much confidence and pride in you is ridiculous. I can' t even grasp the idea of someone liking me more than myself. I mean isn't that essentially what it is. Someone having higher goals and expectations than you ever had for yourself. It is driving me crazy!

Maybe that is why mirrors only allow you to see the outside of yourself. Maybe the point is to search inside of yourself and find who you are.
What is so special about you?
What makes you stand out?