Relationship between Work and Plato's cave?

Question

I recently read Plato's "Republic", and more specificaly, the simily of the cave. I reflected on what he was trying to say...and I came up with this analogy for life using my experiance at McDonalds:

During the day at McDonalds, the only thing that is important is making burgers quickly, not running out of meat patties or fried products, and keeping the kitchen clean. At the end of the day when I go home, I couldn't care less about being more efficient at work.

Is this life wasted on things that we think is important to us now, only to realise that reality lies outside of life itself? If we are those tied to the posts, looking only at this world and the pleasures of wealth, are we not all guilty of being ignorant prisoners of ourselves?

Answer 1

Work is just winding a handle until it's time to go, that's it. Then trying to wind the handle quicker and more efficiently while the load increases and at the end of the day you drop the load and stop winding the handle and go home. Day done and the next day is the same, an ever turning cog in a mechiene. The analogy of Plato's Cave seems more like the foundation of the reality game Second Life. So reality lies in freedom and freedom is being outside of the slavory of work and the best example is John Bunion who created his own bars, or at least for the prisoners of ourselves bit.

Answer 2

Plato would say that when you went home and "back to reality" you were still a prisoner only aware of the shadows of reality, the whole point is that the prisoners don't know they are prisoners and Plato is seeking a way of inspiring a sort of awakening, unless of course going home was a sort of awakening, and considering you worked at mcds i'd say you were probably right

Answer 3

The boss throws shadows on the wall. That's how the boss controls the employers. The shadows are the good things in life that money could buy. Money of course earned by working hard. At the end when we turn around and see it was the boss that drove us all those years by putting the carrot stick in front of the horse to motivate us to work. Yet in the end all of our wants turn out to be merely shadows on the wall.

Answer 4

Well said. If there were not so many to travel through your town and to serve them as they go on their way, touring the world outside your space, life in that cave near home, would feel most like a tomb, where the air of life has rot traveled through to bring life to me and you. Yes, this is my post for the day and tomorrow may take it away, for nothing made by man alone can withstand the presence of the throne.

Answer 5

You are getting close to the truth. But, the connection is not between 'work ethics' and reality. Plato is describing the restricted/imprinted/learned ego's perception and reaction to it's imagined (projected) reality as opposed to "the Real" (google it) People exist in a tomb of their own making without realizing this.

When you 'wholly' know yourself, you will no longer misperceive the shadows as reality and having returned to 'being' the authentic Self, reality will synchronize in a cause & effect relationship with your true nature.

Answer 6

We are all prisoners! Your work has nothing to do with that. We all do what we have to do to survive! The best prisoner you can be is to Jesus. You cannot see it, can really feel it. Be the best you can be. Set goals in your life, it will transform itself. You can enter the cave but you will have to come out!

Answer 7

Well what do you want to do with your life then?

Some people dont want to be freed because they feel too comfortable to change.

But now that you mentioned you work for McDonalds... lol i see where youre coming from.

Find yourself. Find your freedom.

Answer 8

I will never look at a burger the same way again.

Answer 9

THe objective is perfect in --within & without