So, I was gonna bullshit a big long post.

But instead, I decided to reinstall and play Bloodlines for an hour.

But while I'm waiting for it to install, here you go.

We discussed Plato's allegory of the cave today in class, and I found that after reading it anew what I once thought to be a wry and insightful look at society concealed a number of niggling irritations which only now begin to make themselves known. Not much time, the program's already half-finished; thus I'll mention only my greatest gripe, that Plato's imagined story is far too heavy-handed. When the seeker descends back into the depths, his eyes adjust poorly to the dim conditions after being exposed to the dazzling brilliance of the outside world and he has great difficulty distinguishing the particulars regarding the shadows projected on the wall before his fellows. Since the prisoners' only pastime is interpreting the shapes thrown onto the wall, this activity is solely responsible for their determination of social hierarchy; when their vagrant companion finally returns, not only has he gained nothing from his ascension, he has in fact lowered himself in his pursuit of truth. Plato emphasizes the seeker's sense of pity for his former compatriots, bemoaning their lack of understanding and willingness to remain in ignorance; but if the seeker were truly changed by his discovery of a world beyond what his senses first made clear to him, does it not logically follow (assuming the seeker isn't a colossal boor) that the greatest truth gained from the climb was not that the light was truthful, but that the senses were false? Oh hell, the program's done and I've gotten nowhere but the most basic restatement of a premise most everyone should already be familiar with. Let me sum up:

The allegory of the cave (and likely, of Socrates' trial and execution) contains some elements of truth but is ultimately overweening and heavy-handed in that the protagonist never truly learns to accept that his senses are worthy of doubt; rather, he discovers the brilliance of the outside world, and then assumes that it is truth. He returns to the cave and reigns in pity over his chained brethren, secure in his lofty certainty that he has seen Truth. But if this new truth renders his old assumptions and world-view obsolete, is not the first lesson to assume is fallacious? What proof does he have that the truth he has found is absolute?

In truth, I covered little of what I actually wanted to delve into, none of it new or even terribly intriguing. Oh well; I'm off to shoot zombies. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow.