Comments

I really like how you mentioned that Aristotle said that art is the future, not history. I did not pick up this part of “poetics” and I think its a really good point. When we look back at old art, that may be art from the past, but that art was portraying the future. The art we have today is the future we cannot see.

I really like this piece of writing! It really laid out the connection between the movie and Plato’s cave that I had trouble connecting before. I like how you described the four levels of reality as deeper levels into Plato’s “cave”. The movie really shows how easy it is for us to believe we are in reality when we may actually be not; we are easily tricked by what’s in front of us. Reality was really distorted in Existenz and I think that it fit well with the point Plato was making.

Hi Brady!
Great post. I think you made the connection between the two scenarios very clear. Movie screens are much like the “shadows” that Plato describes. The shadows are remnants of the real image, just like a movie may not show the whole picture as you described. I think some, but not all movies have an agenda. But your point makes sense! People do use the news and movies to spread awareness of an issue, mostly from their point of view. They do this in order to get people on their side. Whether it be right or not, its human nature, and definitely goes hand in hand with Plato’s description of the cave.

Travis, I really like your writing for the allegory of the cave. I never thought about how the filmmakers are actually trying to make us mistake fiction for reality during the duration of their movie. I also think your example of ARG’s is a really good example. I am going to look into it because I am really curious about this subject.

Hi Will,
I am so sorry this happened to you, especially so young. People nowadays, especially white people, are ignorant of how the police have always treated minorities different. I grew up very privileged and sheltered from these topics, and I wrote a paper this year about how white people aren’t teaching their kids about the fact that America hasn’t always been this happy, bright place for everybody. I think it is extremely detrimental that policemen aren’t being held accountable for breaking the law they are supposed to uphold. I also have met some policemen in my life, and while some are very nice, others I can tell have a big ego. I think there needs to be a better screening for those wanting to be an officer, and more enforcement on the laws behalf to make sure their officers are upholding the true values of what it means to be one. To protect, not to hurt.
Great post!