empathy and compassion, and not by mocking or shutting out people who are different or who hold different views, because the path to truth can be difficult whether a person is moving from darkness into light or from light back to
darkness.
From these three lessons we can understand how movements arise, how political parties and
their leaders can go astray, how men and
women can realize their potential or simply sit back in mass accepting a fate not of their own making. From these three lessons we can see the differences between a person who does not think, one who thinks or reasons but does not
do so objectively, and one who thinks critically
and objectively. From these three lessons we can see the emergence and character, temperament, and practice of mass man who does not question what is placed before him, by dogmatic and ideologically driven leaders who push beliefs and policies down upon them for the benefit of their ego or agenda or their party. We can also understand how enlightened leaders and educators who create environments of hope and empowerment allow for the self-definition and enfranchisement required for living a dignified human existence.
From these three lessons we can also apply tests to parties and candidates that allow us to judge whether, from their history and current
actions, they have acted or will act in our and the country’s best interest.
We can see how people acting in mass within
both parties actualize the prisoners in the cave, who are held captive by illusions; and we
understand those same people do not have the ability to act differently because they have not
been provided the context through which reason could lead them out of the darkness into the light.
We can see how Trump actualizes the person inside the cave, who has seen the
fire which is the cause of the illusion but chooses to stay in the cave amongst the
shadows out of fear, comfort, and personal gain; and we understand how Trump, set in the allegory of the cave, might wish to play puppet master by consciously allowing the captives to remain prisoners to the illusions he presents or by presenting new illusions delivered in ways
that will benefit him, whether through acquiring
power over them or extracting tribute from
them. Alternatively, we can see how Biden actualizes the person who has left the cave and received enlightenment before returning to the cave to empower others, using his own experiences of tragedy or overcoming mistakes
to guide people; and we understand how that
context and the understanding that arises from
it can further the enfranchisement of more and more people.
From these three lessons we can also understand how best to move forward in response, using similar assessments of Harris and the environment of the American Republic. We can place Harris within the allegory and examine her record of character, temperament, and practice not only to see if she aligns more with Trump or with Biden, but if she crafts her own agenda around division or common ground. We can ask based upon findings,
whether that is enough, whether the election of
Harris will solve all our problems, or whether the very structure of the American Republic creates barriers to greater enfranchisement.
This decision to remove himself secured Biden’s legacy by allowing history to characterize him as the second “Washington,” a person who willing chose not to abuse his position or power for the good of the country.
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