Archive for the ‘Allegory of the Cave’ tag
I Can See Clearly Now – Really?
Shadows, light and texture
Yesterday evening, I got to see my oldest grandson’s photos which he had taken for a digital media class he had taken this past spring. He had taken a photo similar to one I took about a week ago. It w.as an introductory class and he found it to be a class where he felt he had learned a lot as well as finding out that he “had an eye” for seeing. It made for a good way to talk together, shared interests between a 16 year old and a 63 year old.
Just about the first thing that I thought of once choosing this photo for today’s post this morning, especially after the conversation of yesterday evening regarding what one saw as one changed position allowing light to transform what was seen from a variety of angles, was Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. What one sees is not reality, but only a representation of reality. In talking with my grandson and listening as he described his various photos, I realised that each of us sees the world differently. We all carry our cave within us which colours how we know the world. It does make one wonder about what is real.
I know that I get tripped up often when trying to understand the world and others. I understand how my filters that are biological as well as psychological, get in the way of hearing and seeing, and sometimes even in touch. What did that smile mean? What did the lack of a smile mean? I, like almost everyone else, ask myself question, both consciously and unconsciously, about the nature of others, especially in relationship to self. Because of the filters, one doesn’t really ever get to “know” the full reality of another person. It is hard enough trying to “know” the full reality of oneself – if that is even possible.
