From Shadows to reality: the algorithm and the cave

In the seventh book of the Republic, Plato describes a cave in which all the inhabitants are chained to chairs which prevent them from leaving or looking outside. A wall lies behind them and between the sun and a fire, reflecting light on the end of the cave where they are facing. Sometimes they can see the shadows of objects in the reflection of the cave, accepting these shadows as real. Eventually one of them manages to escape the cave and is blinded by the sun outside as he finally sees the real world for the first time as it really is. It takes some getting used to but eventually he’s able to see all around him. The allegory is a representation of knowledge about the world, however it could also be interpreted to apply in a different way in the modern world.

The modern day shadows on the cave wall are not mere puppets, but they are best represented in several forms. Social media and video algorithms are designed to keep you as a spectator, with visual hooks that are entertaining in the moment but don’t offer anything of meaning. You get to watch the highlights of the lives of others, while many neglect the opportunities and purposes of the life they have in front of them. I myself have in the past been stuck in this day to day loop, but I have gotten tired of it. Deciding to live an active rather than passive life is the hardest and yet also most rewarding thing you could do in your life. Many people are spectators and go through life without noticing it, we all start inside the cave at the beginning of life. The issue is not being inside the cave, it’s not trying to get out of the cave in any way. Getting out of the cave is a gradual process, it takes years and years until you finally find the purpose that God gave you on this earth. You have to find a passion and focus on that instead of becoming distracted. I still have much to learn myself, and a whole life ahead of me at 22 years old.