~Sora
Facing the Truth Through the Ages
Ignorance Verse Truth
Is the ignorance bliss or does the truth set you
free?
Countless films and written works have debated over the
concept of whether ignorance is bliss or does the truth set one free. Each
ideal has valid evidences to base itself upon which is why it is such a
difficult question to understand, much less draw a conclusion from. Ignorance
translates to a lack or avoidance of pursing knowledge. While truth according
to some is how the individual perceives it. However, if Socrates were asked his
thoughts on the truth, he certainly would disagree with this statement because
he believed in a core belief that if an individual knew what was right they
would do right. In Socrates’s eyes,
knowledge was power, good, and light while ignorance was to be powerless, evil,
and dark. Olive Wendell Holmes Jr., once said “A mind that is stretched by a
new experience can never go back to tits old dimensions”. When an individual
strides forward into the light, they cannot return to the darkness because
their eyes have been opened to the light. The written works of The Matrix by the Wachowski brothers,
Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”, Sophocles’s Oedipus
Rex, and BBC Merlin each depict a
journey of discovering the truth, some more tragic than others and how although
the truth is burdening, it is freer than bliss in ignorance could ever be. The
truth set one free because it is only through acknowledging the unknown can one
journey to discover themselves, aid others in the journey, and improve society
as a whole.
The truth cannot
be pursed until one opens their eyes and steps into the light to accept the
truth of their self. When in The Matrix,
Neo greets Morpheus for the first time, Morpheus provides Neo with a choice of
whether to forget ever meeting Morpheus and return to his normal life by taking
the blue pill while taking the red pill would reveal a “truth” and proceeds to
tell Neo that “All I offer is the truth, nothing more” (The Matrix). The
concept of decision is a major lesson within the film and a key idea in
discovering one’s self. Morpheus could not force Neo into accepting the pill,
it was Neo’s choice whether he would take that step from the darkness into the
light. Following this trial of thought, in the beginning of “Allegory of the
Caves” a prisoner of the cave is dragged out kicking and screaming, trying to “escape
and turn back to the things” back to the illusions within the cave “convinced
that they really were clearer than these other objects now being shown to
him?”(Plato. 65-67). The caves are a representation of the illusions an
individual is blinded by. Since The
Matrix is basically a modern rendition of Plato’s allegory, what Neo went
through having to be dragged and pushed to discover who he is as the One, is
similar to what those in society must do in order to discover who they are. No
one can forced them to understand something they already know. Since those
blinded by the darkness may acknowledge the light but will not accept it as
truth, according to Plato. There is a moment in Act 1 for Oedipus Rex where Tiresias states that it is Oedipus who is the
reason for the plague on the city of Thebes which Oedipus denies venomously
“You child of endless night! You cannot hurt me or any other man who sees the
sun” (Oedipus.1.358). Ironically, since the one who was truly blind in this
situation was Oedipus himself because he could not see that Tiresias spoke the
truth. Besides not understanding that it was his hand that murdered Laius,
Oedipus was also blind to the truth of his true birth parents. If he had known
the truth then perhaps he never would have left Corinth and fulfilled the
prophecy which sealed his fate to banishment and physical blind eyes. The first
step in understanding one’s self is to step out from the night and into the
sun, accepting the light as truth. Although there is also the task of aiding
others to find the truth, so that decisions may be lay bare, and manipulations
shattered.
There is another task after accepting and understanding one’s self that must be done and that is aiding others to discover the truth. Not everyone desires to “know” the truth about reality because the truth can be painfully world shattering and stressful to acknowledge. When in the “Allegory of the Cave” the prisoner returns to the caves in an attempt to set free his former fellow captives however he is greeted with hostility and “if they could lay hands on the man who was trying to set them free and lead them up, they would kill him” (Plato. 122-127). Those in the cave has lost their sight or never open their eyes to see the light because of the puppet handlers in the cave who represent those in power that control the prisoners within the cave. Although even the puppet handlers are prisoners themselves being unable to escape the cave. However, if someone were to guide these prisoners out of the cave, they would be able to see the light and find strength in the shattered places. Such as in The Matrix when Neo reckless decided to go save Morpheus because he believed that he could and in the process accepted that he was the One as well as saved Morpheus’s life. Sophocles ends Oedipus Rex with these last words that an individual should not think himself greater than others or gifted by the gods until “Life, at his death, a memory without pain” (Oedipus.Exodos.1470-1473). This Greek play writer warns the people of Athens how an individual should not be hubristic to think themselves gifted by the gods because eventually there will be something that will break them. That only before death can one look back and see if they truly lived life to the fullest by acknowledging their limits and becoming stronger in the broken moments. Not everyone desires to “know” the truth because the hardships it can bring; however, it is through those moments of despair that one can find the inner strength they did not have and shine.
There is another task after accepting and understanding one’s self that must be done and that is aiding others to discover the truth. Not everyone desires to “know” the truth about reality because the truth can be painfully world shattering and stressful to acknowledge. When in the “Allegory of the Cave” the prisoner returns to the caves in an attempt to set free his former fellow captives however he is greeted with hostility and “if they could lay hands on the man who was trying to set them free and lead them up, they would kill him” (Plato. 122-127). Those in the cave has lost their sight or never open their eyes to see the light because of the puppet handlers in the cave who represent those in power that control the prisoners within the cave. Although even the puppet handlers are prisoners themselves being unable to escape the cave. However, if someone were to guide these prisoners out of the cave, they would be able to see the light and find strength in the shattered places. Such as in The Matrix when Neo reckless decided to go save Morpheus because he believed that he could and in the process accepted that he was the One as well as saved Morpheus’s life. Sophocles ends Oedipus Rex with these last words that an individual should not think himself greater than others or gifted by the gods until “Life, at his death, a memory without pain” (Oedipus.Exodos.1470-1473). This Greek play writer warns the people of Athens how an individual should not be hubristic to think themselves gifted by the gods because eventually there will be something that will break them. That only before death can one look back and see if they truly lived life to the fullest by acknowledging their limits and becoming stronger in the broken moments. Not everyone desires to “know” the truth because the hardships it can bring; however, it is through those moments of despair that one can find the inner strength they did not have and shine.
Although,
the truth can set one free, it is also true that ignorance is bliss in certain
circumstances because the truth can be stressful and painfully world shattering.
If Oedipus never knew about the prophecy perhaps he would have never discovered
the truth about his true birth parents and consequently never murdered his
father or marry his mother then sire three children with her. However, even
with the prophecy looming overhead Oedipus, he still had the freedom of choice.
He could have just ignored the words of Apollo and never left Corinth, having confidence
in himself that he would never murder his father or marry his mother, and
therefore, never taking Laius’s life. In addition, when Oedipus recounts the
moment he kills Laius and his company, he could have walked away or allowed the
king to pass, but Oedipus instead took Laius’s life and sealed his own fate. In
BBC Merlin The Witch’s Quickening,
Morgana when arguing with Uther about his decision to give the death sentence
to a magical user declared to him, “Because you're an arrogant fool. You were
deaf and blind to the very needs of the people you profess to serve and
protect! The people will tolerate it no longer!" (Merlin BBC). Uther
Pendragon is known a tyrant because of his ruthlessness and hatred against all
things magic, resulting from his wife’s death at the hand of using magic to
birth a son. Consequently because of his hatred of magic, he is blinded by the
truth that magic is not good or evil, but it is the hearts of men that contains
evil within. If Uther were to realize his error in abolishing all magic and the
countless people he has burned on the stake, he likely would fall into despair
out of guilt from his actions. However, living in ignorance to the truth would
not be any better because of the countless lives lost and the truth that Uther
feels responsible for his wife’s death. Therefore, while ignorance can be
bliss, it is only fleeing from the truth that eventually will end in either
death as it did for Uther Pendragon or greater tragedy, banishment and physical
blindness for Oedipus.
The truth set one free since it is only through pursing the truth can one find purpose, understanding of one’s self, and aid others from being blinded from the light. The written works of The Matrix by the Wachowski brothers, Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”, Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex, and BBC Merlin each reflected a journey of discovering the truth, some more tragic than others. It is as Ernest Hemingway stated, “The world breaks us all, and some are stronger in the broken places.” The question is significant in the world today because society deals with this concept daily, either through technology or emotional relationships or responsible thrown upon the younger generation as they grow older. What is left to wonder is whether an individual once blinded by the truth can find the courage to unveil the mask and step into the light. Since though the truth is burdening, it is freer than bliss in ignorance.
The truth set one free since it is only through pursing the truth can one find purpose, understanding of one’s self, and aid others from being blinded from the light. The written works of The Matrix by the Wachowski brothers, Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”, Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex, and BBC Merlin each reflected a journey of discovering the truth, some more tragic than others. It is as Ernest Hemingway stated, “The world breaks us all, and some are stronger in the broken places.” The question is significant in the world today because society deals with this concept daily, either through technology or emotional relationships or responsible thrown upon the younger generation as they grow older. What is left to wonder is whether an individual once blinded by the truth can find the courage to unveil the mask and step into the light. Since though the truth is burdening, it is freer than bliss in ignorance.
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