Plato’s Cave
Similarities of Plato’s Cave and Today’s People in the 21st Century
In “Plato’s Cave”, prisoners can live and do things inside and outside the cave (Cohen, 2006). Though the technological era has been already present, the similarities between prisoners and ordinary people in the 21st century are still evident. This essay focuses on the field of surfing the internet and how it is similar to “Plato’s Cave” that's what transpires inside and outside the cave are similar to what is happening in the internet world and to its surfers or users.
Firstly, the events inside the cave are still happening today. Wong (2007) mentions that teenagers nowadays prefer staying in a room in front of a personal computer either surfing or playing games, which in the process creates a cave. Similar to a prisoner, an ordinary person no longer has to turn his or head when surfing to find what they want to buy or browse. Merely looking at the modern wall (a laptop, personal computer, or even through the mobile phone’s screen), they can surf the world outside at their fingertips and experience the shadow of reality.
Secondly, just like the prisoner who goes out of a cave, a modern person also goes out and back to his or her cave. According to Gesenhues (2013) and Hickley (2015) a huge percentage of consumers are influenced by online reviews. The good reviews compel the individual to buy and experience the world outside. Then he or she goes back to his or her cave to upload the pictures of experience on the web.
Thousands of years have passed yet the cave of Plato is still in the midst of everyone’s daily life without even realizing especially when someone surfs. Surfing was not able to set a border for Plato’s Cave to stop. It is now a cycle for the modern people looking at the wall, unable to turn their heads to see the shadow of reality. With the same wall, they go out of the cave, to learn and share back what they learned outside through reviews. This is a cycle that will still transpire even in the new world of technology.
Reference
Cohen, M. (2006). The Allegory of the Cave. Retrieved from http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/cave.htm
Gesenhues, A. (2013, April 9). Survey: 90% Of Customers Say Buying Decisions Are Influenced By Online Reviews. Retrieved from http://marketingland.com/survey-customers-more-frustrated-by-how-long-it-takes-to-resolve-a-customer-service-issue-than-the-resolution-38756
Hinckley, D. (2015, September 2). New Study: Data Reveals 67% of Consumers are Influenced by Online Reviews. Retrieved from https://moz.com/blog/new-data-reveals-67-of-consumers-are-influenced-by-online-reviews
Wong, D. (2007, September 9). 7 Reasons the 21st Century is Making You Miserable. Retrieved from http://www.cracked.com/article_15231_7-reasons-21st-century-making-you-miserable.html
