Socrates’ Limit Of Knowledge, Plato’S Allegory Ofthe Cave, And Social Media

As technology increases so does the usage of social media, with the various platforms and the infinite number of opinions it is difficult to differentiate reality and illusions especially in psychology (Benjafield, 2015). Both Plato's Allegory of the Cave and Socrates' Limits of Knowledge relates to social media use in which both look at the idea of knowledge and beliefs as well as fact and fiction. Thus, when viewing social media, it is difficult to decide what is true, how it is deceptive, and what is the illusion being presented.

Plato's Allegory of the Cave shows how difficult it is to convince others of what has been discovered as many individuals are comfortable in their ignorance, as in social media individuals are hiding from the truth and believing in what they have seen online, in print, and in other forms of social media (Gendler, 2015; Hall, 1980). These individuals often become hostile to anyone who points out their ignorance and refuse to change their point of view. As mentioned in the text, Plato's work is a successor of the ideas that Socrates once asserted thus it would make sense that his Limits of Knowledge would relate to social media use in a similar way (Benjafield, 2015). Although Socrates argued that knowledge is innate, social media often changes one's perspective on a given topic, individuals put their beliefs in what they read over social media even when these ideas are irrational. In general, social media often shows us information of what Plato would describe as perfect forms, whereas we stop looking for answers once we have found one that is characteristic of an ideal world on the other hand, imperfect appearances are the reality (Benjafield, 2015). In terms of social media this would be similar to an example of reading a post stating that global warming does not exist and accepting this because it is what makes individuals feel more secure and that is it is the ideal belief, even though there may be scientific evidence to back it up which would be considered the imperfect appearance (Benjafield, 2015).

As previously mentioned, individuals become content in their ignorance and have difficulty believing otherwise. The aforementioned relates to Plato's cave, as the prisoners are stuck believing that the shadows are what is real and become hostile to the escaped prisoner who tries to enlighten them with what he has learned (Gendler, 2015; Salmann, 2011). The prisoners in the cave represent society, as individual's beliefs are often illogical based on the appearance they see – the shadows or often the information we receive from social media – and reality. As well, the chains represent ignorance and the sun represents the pure form of knowledge (Gendler, 2015). Furthermore, the cave then represents social media, as our backs are turned away from the fire and reality and are stuck in an illusion (Gendler, 2015; Salmann, 2011). Thus, the shadows represent the information given through social media that distorts reality and deceives society into an ideal appearance (Gendler, 2015; Salmann, 2011). In conclusion, the cave is a staged reality where individuals are forced to see ideal information that distorts their perception of reality into something that it is not (Deuze, 2011).

Back to the example of climate change, one can see how society is viewing a distorted world based on media coverage and how social media is limiting knowledge while producing distorted knowledge. In the past decade, there have been multiple studies supporting the impact social media has on individual opinions that have large scale effects, not only does this include social media sites such as Facebook but also fake news sites (Bakshy, Messing, & Adamic, 2015). There has been an overwhelming number of individuals stating that they now believe that global warming does not exist, even though some of these opinions have no knowledge behind them, but most have knowledge that is false, which relates to Socrates' Limits of Knowledge (Brulle, Carmichael, & Jenkins, 2012). Since climate change is dangerous for humankind, individuals are drawn towards finding an ideal alternative, which in this case has many negative factors. It has been shown that individuals who do not believe in climate change often pollute more, thus when looking at this disbelief on a large scale there are likely to be higher levels of pollution (Malka, Krosnick, & Langer, 2009). Although there are many extreme environmental examples of social media creating negative effects, there are also other problems with how social media changes opinions such as bullying or celebrity gossip, where individuals spread rumours that others believe as they do not look to gain other knowledge and just accept what they are given or accept the 'shadows' (Benjafield, 2015).

The 'shadows' in Plato's Cave are the false truths society is given whether, through social media or other individuals, they are illusions that hide or distort reality (Gendler, 2015; Salmann, 2011). The 'shadows' can range from rumours and hateful beliefs to environmental issues, the 'shadows' are any false information being given to deceive or amuse. Imagine looking at a computer screen and being told all this false information for long periods of time, then being allowed to go outside and experience reality, the information on the computer are 'shadows' and if that's is where someone gets all their information from they will never believe outsiders and become confident in the social media platforms that they are receiving this information from, much like the prisoners who stayed in the cave (Salmann, 2011). Finally, the 'shadows' are the false information that makes enlightening others with reality difficult which relates to psychology as one thinker believe in an idea and may experience difficulties when trying to educate others (Benjafield, 2015).

In Plato's Allegory of the Cave, one must break free and escape the cave for long enough to see reality, or what is perceived as reality, without the interference of 'shadows' (Gendler, 2015). Since Plato and Socrates have not experienced social media in the same way current societies experience it, one must deduce how society might 'unplug' from the current reality in order to see another existence. Individuals must experience the alternate realities in order to fully adapt and understand them. For example, deforestation in the Amazon, there may be articles and news reports on deforestation and its harmful effects, but to truly understand and believe the effect an individual must believe which is often done through experience. The aforementioned is much like the Cave, in which the other prisoners did not believe the one who experiences the outside and even the escaped prisoner if told what he would see, would not believe it if he had not experienced it for himself. In relation to social media, unplugging is exactly what one needs to do to escape the multitude of false information that is received on a daily basis. Furthermore, one must not re-enter the cave from the pressure of others.

Although both Plato's Allegory of the Cave and Socrates' Limits of Knowledge are two very old concepts, they are still relevant today not only in terms of psychology. As humans, we search to find an ideal world and when offered the chance, even with information disproving the source, we reach towards it. Thus, the excessive use of social media is explained through a search for something better, regardless of reality, even if the ideal world is experienced by being chained up in a cave, we still find individuals tied up in illusions from social media.