Shackled

I have never written on this blog about my personal life or growth. But I think that it is relevant today. I am going to write about my awakening and use “Plato’s Republic” to do it. First off, I know many people have not read this book so I will give a brief summary of what relevant story I am referring to. In book VII of The Republic, Socrates uses a story to metaphorically explain a person’s inner ability to become educated. That story is called The Allegory of the Cave.

In the story, a group of people are shackled entirely causing an inability to move or look anywhere besides this wall. It is dark but there are shadows casted onto the wall. Because these people were born and have always lived this way, this is the only reality they know. One day, a person comes down into the cave and breaks the shackles off one of the men. He tries to explain the truth to this man but the truth was too much to bear. He refuses to believe him.

After some time, the cave man is willing to venture on his rescuer takes him higher in the cave behind where they have been shackled. He shows the cave man the fire, the people, and statues that had been behind them causing the shadows to appear on the wall and the voices that were heard. Again, the truth was far too much to bear. It hurt the cave man a lot.

After some time, as before, the cave man was willing to venture on. The rescuer takes him outside but the sun was so bright he could not see. He fell to the ground in agony. He then started to touch the grass and see the shadows casted by the trees. He could later see reflections off the water and then the water itself. It could see the trees and plants and, eventually, he was finally read to see the sun.

The cave man was given the chance to go back into the cave and tell the others what he saw. When he did, the others called him a fool. They resisted and told him to come back and stay with them because that was the true reality. But as much as the cave man’s discovery hurt, he refused to go back. He knew that it was better to know the truth and it hurt than to live in blissful ignorance.

When I first read this story, I saw it as my growing up into an atheist. I went to church and believed in god growing up. But at age 14, I started to have little questions. The little questions turned into big questions. The questions drove me forward into finding answers. It was painful because I never knew anyone who questioned Christianity. But I pushed forward until I finally realized that it could not possibly be true. The questions were my shadows and reflections and the atheism was my sun.

I now see that this story fits so much more than just religion. It fits our entire functionalistic society. We are raised in shackles. Whether our chains are religion or the comfort of having a roof over our head, we are enslaved. Most people are so dependent upon the system that they don’t want to see the truth. They are not ready, even if it is right in front of their face. There are many of us who do see the truth, however. We see that we are used as pawns for a few people’s benefits. They are using religion, money, comfort, etc. to keep us enslaved. We must break away from our shackles if we ever want true freedom. The problem is, are we ready? Are any of us really ready to give up the comfort of that warm cave and go through the pain of leaving without a place to go in order to find the truth? I originally started writing this as a message to others but as I write, I realize that it is a message to me. I may see the truth, but am I ready to break out of the cave and face the fear of the unknown in order to try to free everyone else? I don’t know. But I must. This world needs it and if I don’t, who will? Face your fears, Bryan. Stop looking at the sun through a cage, break out and go feel its warmth. Now is the time!