PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Hours: Continuous. You have always been inside.
Admission: Paid at birth. Non-refundable.
What to bring: Nothing. All equipment issued at admission.
Accessibility: Neck and leg restraints are positioned for optimal wall viewing.
Photography: Prohibited.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE
The wall is the primary attraction.
Shadows move across the surface at irregular intervals. Do not attempt to identify their source.
Note on acoustics: Voices appear to originate from the shadows. This is correct.
Some visitors report a sensation of warmth from behind. This is normal.
TOUR ROUTE (For Those Departing)
Note: Proceeding on tour constitutes a waiver of liability. Plato’s Cave is not responsible for ontological distress or perceptual damage.
Stage 1: Fire viewing. The light is not gentle. Allow time for adjustment. Many visitors return to the wall at this stage. In the event of needing to return to the wall, proceed toward diminishing light until familiar.
Stage 2: Reflecting pool. Warning: Conceptual fidelity is not guaranteed. Night viewing is recommended.
Stage 3: Direct observation. Do not attempt without completing prior stages.
SAFETY WARNINGS
Do not assist other visitors with their restraints.
Reintegration protocols are not provided.
Others may not believe your report. This is expected.
This guide is a copy. Do your part – please recopy and return to distribution point before departing.
Unauthorized distribution of unverified perception is punishable by re-restraint.
Libby Banks is a therapist and writer in New Mexico. Her work explores neurodivergence, legibility, and the ethics of knowing. Her writing has appeared or is forthcoming in HAD, Wordgathering, Heavy Feather Review, Bending Genres, and elsewhere.