Ideologies are illusory realities one has been served and brought up by. With these ideologies we find it hard to give up illusion and embrace the trut. The ideology I find more accurate is gradually accepting the reality of the world outside the cave and that world is better.
Throughout history, segregation and slavery were two ideologies at one point. During slavery and segregation most people were fond in believing that it was okay, it was apart of everyday life and it was acceptable. The fact that black and wites were separated, had a clear stand put on who grew up to believe that it was just how the world was. As american grew up and learned about the concept rather than seeing it for what it is, Americans came to the conclusion of giving up the fact that it was okay, and started accepting the fact that it wasn't. Slavery and segregation was the ugly truth. Segregation and slavery elements still play upon a huge role in today's society. One cannot simply receive a job nor do certain things or be granted by permission because of the color of their skin. Accepting this bare truth made it easier for people to know the world as it is rather than what it was projected to be seen.
In Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave" Socrates, has a conversation with one of his students and explains the truth reality conveys. There are a group of prision slaves in a cave, the slaves can only see what is reflected upon the wall from the fire. What they see is necessarily what is known. Socrates goes on to explain what would happen if one prisioner was lurked out of the cave. Like ourselves, we only see what is brought upon the eye. If one of the prisioners are released and showed the reality besides the ideological cave, he the prisioner would suffer yet adjust to the enlightment. "When he is approaching nearer to being and his eye is turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision." (Plato, 25). The prisioner painfully gives up the cave but yet, gradually accepts the reality for what it is. He has more of a clear view and this clear view of reality is better than the shadow inflicted world one was living in. If the prisioner was asked to name an object or point out what he knew, how would he reply? In the sense, no knowledge was brought upon him rather than his own five senses. What one saw, was what he heard if that object he seen made a sound, smell/touch or taste. The outside world was better, became better once the prisioner adjusted & accepted that there was more than what he expected.
In "Oedipus the King" , Oedipus the King of Thebes had a similar situation to the prisioner. Oedipus, was once at a banquet and over-heard someone stating that the King and Queen weren't his parents. Oedipus grew up knowing otherwise and was eager to know the truth about who he was, and his parents. Oedipus goes to the Delphi Oracle, the prophet tells him he will kill his father, and sleep with his mother. Still on his quest to find out more of the truth, Oedipus began his journey that took him to Thebes. oedipus was confronted by a group of travelers and killed them self-defense at the very crossroads, Lauis (the King before Oedipus) was murdered. Gathering all this information Oedipus seeks out for more of the truth. He has realized what he has seen, didn't make him as knowledgable. Oedipus goes to the blind prophet Tieraises to ask him questions about Laius's death. The conversation turned into an argument of Oedipus insulting the knowledge of the blind. Tieraises explains to him knowledge isn't about sight and that he knows more than what his parents were fooled to be.
Oedipus finds out that not only he killed his father Laius but yet slept and conceived children with his mother. Ashamed of what he has done but couldn't see, he blinded himself of being so blind by ignorance he could've avoided. He painfully accepted the ugly truth which he learned to be the real knowledge of the worl dhe was living in.
In slavery, segregation, Allegory of the Cave and Oedipus the King, the illusory reality is painful but gradually accept the reality of the world outside the ignorant, and the world is better for all, even Oedipus to grasp upon.
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