The Public Participation Cave

In Plato’s Cave metaphor, he asks the reader to imagine a person shackled at the back of a cave. They are staring at a wall, in which shadows are cast to represent a reality. Throughout their life, they believe that a shadow of an object, is the object. One day they find themselves unbound and walking to the opening of the cave. Their eyes are burned from the sun, and their skin prickles with the heat. Soon, they adjust to the environment and begin to see a new perspective of the world. They now have a choice—they can return to a place of certainty; or they can venture into the unknown, with no assurance of success.

Sometimes planning public engagement focused on collaborative and inclusive participation, may feel like you are Plato’s person venturing out of the cave. It feels uncomfortable and unsettling, especially if you are stepping into that space alone. Even skilled practitioners may experience this feeling, though they have been given glimpses to other caves. For in this approach, we give up some elements of control. We open the door to empower others. We can not guarantee the outcome.  

So, where do we start when we are at the threshold of a public engagement cave that feels uncertain? One way is to recognize our own inner cave by evaluating our perspectives and intentions when it comes to engagement. Do we find ourselves leveraging familiar approaches when there could be opportunities to stretch our comfort level? What assumptions are we bringing with us about the issues we are engaging on, the individuals involved, or the path laid before us?

Additionally, as someone leading public engagement, you may find yourself shining a new light into the tried-and-true engagement caves of others. How can you bring awareness of other approaches to explore? Focusing on the project outcomes, how engagement will support the process, or where the organization is at in the decision-making process, may be a place to start. Are you at an investigative stage where the organization can initiative collaborative participation? Are you building options that would benefits from a wide range of approaches and input, before they are analyzed and presented as recommendations? 

Lastly, while you may feel like you are standing alone at the cave entrance, not knowing how to bring people, organizations, or your team along, remember that there are others crossing these thresholds every day. Mentorship, coaching, or peer cohorts can help to ask these important questions and provide guidance.

And then, as all great explorations start, take a small step across the cave entrance, followed by another.