WE THE PEOPLE

“WE THE PEOPLE… hit & miss” communicates through Slam Poetry the Allegory of Plato’s Cave to make the point that many of us spend our lives in dark caves with our backs to the light outside, choosing instead to remain facing the cave wall and judging and understanding our world only by the shadows cast on that wall. 

Occasionally individuals may venture towards the light outside the cave but are overwhelmed and blinded by the brightness causing them to rapidly flee back to their shadow world, condemning the light as a painful experience in life best avoided. Only a few choose to remain facing the light, allowing themselves to become acclimatised to the brightness and warmth. These enquiring souls are rewarded with a world view enhanced by a clarity that redefines and intensifies their understanding of the reality of life and living. 

Sadly, the two disparate views of reality between the cave dwellers and the seekers of light have little common ground for meaningful exchanges. Consequently, modern contemporaneous societal structures are greatly hampered from growth by misunderstanding, miscommunication, disparate philosophies and outmoded methods of operation. 

Thus, our trial-and-error ways of creating and defining relevant paths to modernisation are hamstrung from the start. Our guidance of humanity is, at best, a hit and miss affair.

As creatures of habit, our personal, societal and cultural patterns are often established based on mere shadows rather than reality. And these modes of operation can persist for years, centuries and even millennia, creating a static and barren environment for new ideas, methods, theories, inventions and discovery. The obligations of individuals and societies in subjecting all actions and thoughts to regular and rigorous critical analysis and reason are dramatically compromised in this world of long entrenched modes of operation. 

Pursuing a more enlightened approach would assist us in making appropriate and ongoing refinements to the development of a more responsible and responsive global community. We still essentially operate on constructs that are centuries old and obsolete, no longer so relevant to a 21st century civilisation. We can gloriously talk up a good story about our achievements and accomplishments but far too often tend to think and act anachronistically. 

Shadows from the past stubbornly persist into not only our lives, but those who have yet to be born.

In “WE THE PEOPLE… hit & miss” I chose to employ Slam Poetry to exploit an outdated means of artistic expression to make my point. And to remind us of the history and richness of the English language. In addition, I conclude each of the 768 lines of my Slam Poetry with ‘one-off’ words that rhyme with ‘primate’. Why primate? Because that’s who and what we are and how we generally act.

“WE THE PEOPLE… hit & miss” (Slam Poetry) is inspired by five primary ideas

Firstly, as discussed above, is the Allegory of Plato’s Cave. If you desire a more comprehensive explanation, you will find an excellent summary at: anamlodhi@thoughtsandideas

Secondly, German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716). Leibniz put forth the proposition that our world is “the best of all possible worlds”. He evolved this theory to explain the reason for the problem of evil and suffering existing in a world overseen by an omnipotent and all-caring God. 

Thirdly, Voltaire (1694-1778), who coined the phrase “common sense is not that common” satirically refuted Leibniz’s theory through the actions of Pangloss in his novel Candide. Essentially, Pangloss proceeds through life with constant loss of body parts only to retort “tis but a scratch.”

Fourthly, Charles Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities wherein a world of radical opposites exists contemporaneously. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…”

Fifthly, Bernard Malamud’s quote from his 1963 novel Dubin’s Lives:

“If your train’s on the wrong track

every station you come to is the wrong station.”

Never a truer word spoken.

Charles Rocco 2024