When we hide in a cave…

When we hide in a cave…

On 03.11.10, In Humanity, by Christos

I saw Platos Cave the other days in youtube. A very good video which presented in clay models the paradigm of Plato regarding ourselves and how we act towards each other. But most of all what kind of truth we perceive and what we do to those who wants us to learn the truth.

Here is the video also.

The paradigm is well presented in a cave and an exit from that cave and all situations that take place for those who had a glimpse of the outside the cave environment, plus the ones that remain in the cave.

Taking this into daily life, I questioned myself, how many times don’t we act like this even on the basic concepts of the cave. For example, the psychological cave of ourselves, or the cave we inhabit where we feel safe and sound from the “evil outside”. What types of fears does this brings up indeed? To exit from the cave? To live outside the cave? To stay outside the cave? All these perhaps.

Seems in these questions there are easy and difficult choices. Some will bring trouble but perhaps eventually more safety, others will bring direct safety but perhaps even more troubles. Like, for example, returning in the cave after seeing what’s outside of it. I guess, that perhaps, changing of our psychology is a continuous effort. Its not just to get out from a negative situation (even when it seems comfortable and “safe” to be in it) but to also stay out permanently.

Nature has this thing, called Entropy, whereas to bring us down to the lowest point. Depression too. To not get down to that point (either an actual cave, or a psychological cave) needs effort. But we miss that point many times. For example we seek the secure cave environment in depression as this state makes us feel. Thus, we forget (or worse try to forget) or never search on how it is to be in the sun. This needs effort and is not easy. When we are outside in the sunshine, we can be really there and use this memory of what it was to try to be in the sunshine. Close your eyes and look at the Sun. you will feel the Sun, Sense the sun.

Now get in a cave and close your eyes. Even if the Sun is somewhere outside and you know it by remembrance, all you see is darkness. Soon, the remembrance of the Sun will torture you as you want it but the cave looks “safe”. And once again you may or may not exit from the cave. So, I wonder, what is the point of all this in/out thing. See what you like and stay there!

I find that once one is in the sun he can see the shadow of darkness, but one who is in the darkness may need to fight to see the sun glowing at the far end. Once he is out there exploring and going to the sun he will many times see an easy “comfortable” way to get back in the cave. Or better to get back in the rabbit hole.

But where can this lead? To be in the hole and digging up memories that once you managed to get your head out of it? Or see the hole and what represents and do anything in order not to get back in there?

In a few words, safety can mean many things and until we reach the sun and step on it and be citizens of the sun, we are not safe, I think. To see the hole and what it represents. And, of course there is freedom of will and we always have choices.

In nature, creatures get into holes to sleep or die. Not to live. Of course there are some who live in holes all their lives and they think this is the best thing ever. But for them there is this Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of Thumbelina and the mole .