Plato's Cave and Individualism

Paper Summary:

The paper analyzes the dangers inherent in blind obedience and group think as illustrated in Plato's allegory of the cave. The paper discusses the relevance of the allegory to contemporary organizational law by drawing upon the author's experiences as a member of law enforcement. The paper then looks at the mechanisms that we use to avoid or subvert ideas that appear different from our own and challenge the status quo. The paper concludes that we must embrace different ideas and nurture a respect for different cultures and world views.

From the Paper:

"Plato's allegory of the cave captures the essence of organizational culture. Obviously, the ideology of sameness and normative thinking has transcended from Plato's time to today. Thus, the allegory is relevant to contemporary organizational life. Organizations are known for fostering a culture of group think. The dangers inherent in group think is the object lesson that Plato tries to convey. When we refuse to engage in critical thinking, we are goaded into a false sense of security, and create our own prison. The allegory of the cave is particularly relevant to corporate culture, and the blind obedience that is encouraged and often rewarded. There is an insidious force in organizational culture, which subsumes individualism for the corporate good. Like prisoners chained in a cave, employees have been trained to see through the lenses of the corporate image."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Belsey, Catherine, Critical Practice, (Routledge), (London, New York, (1980).
• Berlin, Isaiah, The Sense of Reality: Studies in Ideas and their History, ed. Henry Hardy, (Farrar, Straus and Giroux), (New York, 1996).

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