Comparing The Republic And The Disreputable History Of Frankie Landau Banks

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“The Republic," a story by Plato, and “The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks," using a text on the panopticon by E. Lockhart, both supply the idea of paranoia. In both texts, the authors agree that people only act well when they are paranoid about something or when someone is watching them. In society, the fear of taking actions online and being seen by others controls us. The text “The Republic” by Plato is a story about a “good” shepherd in service of the king who later found a ring that could make him commit any crime unwatched. This story shows us that good people are only good when they live in fear of the law. Moreover, the text about the panopticon from “The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks” by E. Lockhart is about a prison where a guard tower stands in the middle of many cells with darkened windows to create the illusion that they are being watched. …show more content…

On online websites, being paranoid about others' gaping views prevents a person from showing their true actions and opinions to each other. For example, in “The Republic," the main character finds a ring that makes him invisible. “So with the help of this ring, he committed many crimes and took over the kingdom” (Plato 1). This story proves that a person will only act like a good human while being watched. If a person using social media had the option to do anything they wanted without being watched, having a bad digital footprint, or being judged, they would definitely do terrible things without a thought. To illustrate, in the text about the panopticon from “The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks, E. Lockhart writes, “Someone is watching you. Or, someone is probably watching you. Or you feel like someone’s watching you. So, you follow the rules, whether someone’s watching you or not” (Lockhart 1). This story proves that people always feel like they are being watched,