Propaganda

In Plato's Allegory of the Cave, the prisoners believed the shadows on the wall were real, and knew nothing of the causes of those shadows.  Just as the prisoners in Plato's Cave were manipulated by the puppeteers, we too can also be manipulated by politics, media, and corporations.  These sources of propaganda can use our ignorance to fuel their message and make us believe whatever they want.  Politicians may use our fear and anger in the wake of a terrorist attack as a way of pursuing other international interests, citing Iraq and the WMD scare as an example.  Media may paint a grim picture of the world, making those watching the news believe that the world, as a whole, is a miserable and doomed place.  Corporations can create the image of what they want us to believe is the perfect body, giving many a distorted and shallow view of true beauty.  When you think about it, it is like we are prisoners in Plato's Cave, the only difference being that we are not chained down and forced to believe in the shadows.  We are able to leave the cave and come and go as we please.  However, these shadows have become our reality and a major part of our lives.  Given the opportunity to actually seek the truth, we instead dismiss these truths in exchange for what we see as a comfortable reality.