Back to the Allegory

A while ago in class we read Plato's Allegory of the Cave. This reading has been on my mind for a while now and i just wanted to share some of my thoughts. The cave represents being closed minded, and exiting the cave represents enlightenment. The man who exits is thrilled at his discovery and when he tries to inform the people in the cave they do not believe him. This fact makes the man very depressed. I think there is something to be learned from this in more ways than one. There are an unlimited amounts of caves to be entered in our lifetime. There are many ideas and ideals to be had. As long as you remain open and don't chain yourself to any ideals you remain enlightened. These thoughts we conjure up are mere shadows on a cave wall. However, entering caves is not a bad thing. While there is need for open mindedness there is also the luxury of imagination and speculation. But to repeat, never chain yourselves to these ideals and keep the outside of the cave in mind at all times