blog2

When we think about our history, there were many situations that people refuge to accept. During the first century in Greece, most people were Christian. Both slave masters and slaves believed in God. They also had a strong faith to priests who were people authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion. They had a very strong power on people. To prevent slaves from resisting their masters' rule, the priests said many things that could control slaves’ minds. They always told slaves to serve their masters as if they were serving Christ, with morals, faithfulness, and respectfulness.”  Slaves were told that “their suffering was similar to the suffering that Christ endured”. Sometimes the priests also took quotes from the bible to make their opinions stronger.  That is what all slaves were told to be and do to their masters. For many slaves, a priest’s speech was God’s message, so they really believed in that. Masters’ treatment of slaves and slaves’ obedience to the masters were justified by priests. That is how masters tamed their slaves. During this time, the misfortune of slaves and unfair relationship between slaves and masters were nothing wrong. Even if slaves did not want to be a slave and endured such a painful time period, they willingly chose to be a slave as God said to do so.

If people who live in this time period looked at this situation and were asked what they think about it, they will say that the slaves who completely believed in priests lacked good judgment and they would not understand them. If I compare this story with "The allegory of the cave", They seem to be very similar. The slaves were in the cave and they thought that this was real. In my opinion, to get rid of our caves, we should try to see things differently and widely so that we can at least find out real world that we could not recognize.

(summary) "the allegory of the cave"

In “Excerpt From The Republic”, Socrates tries to explain how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened by using an example of prisoners who used to live in a cave. In the cave, their movements are restricted by chains which make them only see a low wall in front of them. Behind of them, there is a blazing fire and between the fire and the prisoners, there are men carrying statues and figures made by various materials so that they only see the people’s shadows on the low wall. For the prisoners, shadows of people’s images and sounds are the only real world. They have been believed it for their entire lives.

In this situation, if those prisoners are released and experience outside of the cave, the first thing they face will be very painful and cannot see things clearly because of a sun that they have never been experienced before. If someone approaches to them and tell them what they see now is the real world, they possibly avoid the truth at first time. They also cannot recognize and name objects near them. They have never seen them before. However, as they have been exposed and used to the real world for more time, they now can see things clearer and break off the old habit in the cave. They are willing to accept a new habit from the real world Therefore; they cannot go back to their old situation of the cave. If they go to the cave and try to inform the real world to the rest of the people who have never moved out from the cave will deny them and they will rather kill them, because their eyes are weak enough to see the shadows clearly, again. So, the rest of prisoners will think that the world of outside ruined their eyes.
Socrates said that the idea of good is barely seen only with an effort, but when it is seen, it is the cause of beautiful and right. So, if someone who wants himself or herself to have a rational behavior, they have to have the idea of good.

blog1 the cave and i

 

When I was little, I believed that I would live with my parents forever and they would give me everything I need.  I thought that they would protect me from everything. That is what I believed until I left my country and lived in New York City. Leaving my parents for a long time was the first time in my life.  The first few months. I thought that I would return to my country after one year. However, as I stayed in New York longer, the situation has been changed. I transferred from the college I went to in my country to the City University of New York.  I realized that maybe there would be no chance to live with my parents again, because, I am already the age of an adult, and I have a dream for my future job. To achieve my dream, I have to stay in New York longer than I expected. I also see many people who are the same age as me, they no longer live with their parents anymore as they think they are grown-ups. They were all ready for being independent except me. The whole situation made me realize that everyone had to leave their family someday. I really felt sad about it. I think I am not ready to accept the fact that maybe I cannot live with my parents and they cannot help me forever. When I imagine that my life with my parents was the last period of time to live with them, it makes me feel weird and sorrowful. But, I had to overcome the situation I faced and be realistic. The feeling I had was not helpful for me and for me parents. To be able to independent, strong, and get rid of the sadness, I kept saying to myself that this was the lives of many people.

 From what i recall, I think I used to believe I was in a small cave, which at that time i did not realize. In my opinion, my personality possibly makes me live in a cave, too. I am very introspective, so i do not enjoy meeting new people. I only hang out with close friends. I think I just live in my small society. That personality makes my own cave.