The Allegory of the Cave

1. The "shadows" Plato would tell us we cannot trust as truth are the illusions or things in our lives and worlds that are not completely true or not all there. In "The Allegory," the people in the cave believe that the shadows are reality, when we know that they are not. A shadow we encounter in our everday lives are people who pretend to be someone they are not. They may cast a "shadow" or put on a mask to impress people or fit in with a certain crowd. Another example is Hollywood, celebrities, and tabloids. They portray lifestyles and attitudes that are not real; they are just illusions. Some people strive to be like these celebrities, but they do not have a realistic lifestyle.

2. An online source that portrays "shadows" is http://www.realitytvworld.com/. Reality shows are huge illusions or shadows in our world. The truth is, nothing in these shows is actually real despite statements from the producers that say they are. It is all dramatized and played up to catch people's interest. An example of a show like this is "Jon and Kate Plus 8". The show is filled with unrealistic drama, and people may think they know what goes on in the family's real life by watching the show, but they do not. All they know are the "shadows" this show and others like it portray.

3. Shadows impact society in the way they trick people into believing things that are untrue. When we see these "shadows" in places like television, the news, or politics it can be hard to see the truth. Believing the lies could be dangerous, and we need to analyze the information we are given to see what we can believe, and what is just a shadow. An example of this is when young girls look at fake, airbrushed models in magazines and try to be like them. It is impossible, and they can harm their health and self-esteem tremendously.