By Adebayo Abegunrin
One of the greatest ancient Greek philosophers, Plato, in his Allegory of the Cave, accurately depicts the mindset of an average Nigerian investing in Ponzi schemes. It gives an explanation of why such schemes continue to attract investors among Nigerians. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave is a thought-provoking philosophical narrative of how people perceive shadows of reality as reality itself.
In the Allegory of the Cave, Plato explained that prisoners chained in a cave in such a way that they could only see the wall in their front, saw objects that were projected on the wall and believed that the shadows were reality. He explained further that one of the prisoners escaped, saw real reality outside, and returned to the cave to enlighten the others that the shadows were mere illusions. The chained prisoners refused to accept the true reality, and continued with their ignorance.
Plato’s Allegory of the cave is a metaphor for ignorance of investing in Ponzi schemes such as the crashed Cbex – shadows of deception of getting rich quickly. In the depths of the cave, prisoners were chained, facing a wall where shadows danced. These shadows, created by puppeteers behind them, were the only reality they knew. In the same manner, investors in the Cbex scheme were chained with their own investments, facing only their systems (laptops, smart phones), where unrealistic Returns on Investment (ROI) danced. The unrealistic returns created by the manipulations of those behind the scheme were the only reality known by the investors.
The prisoners in the cave ignorantly believed the shadows were reality, the same way many Nigerians were trapped in the cave of ignorance due to their quest to get-rich-quickly. The illusion of easy wealth and quick riches had in the past provided fertile soil for Ponzi schemes like Pennywise and MMM to flourish in Nigeria. These schemes preyed on the desire of many Nigerians to lift themselves out of poverty, promising unrealistic returns. This desire obscured the investors’ judgment about the authenticity and sustainability of these schemes, leading to loss of investments.
In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, the escaped prisoner returned to the cave to enlighten the others, but they resisted. Similarly, Nigerians who understand the risks of Ponzi schemes often face resistance when trying to warn others not to fall victim to these fraudulent investment platforms. Such warnings usually fall on deaf ears, due to the desperation of people for financial breakthrough.
The experiences of Pennywise and MMM would have deterred Nigerians from risking their hard-earned resources to invest in any Ponzi schemes again, but like the shadows in the cave, Cbex was masterfully crafted to deceive. The puppeteers behind this scheme used persuasive tactics to lure victims into their trap. The chained prisoners refused to listen to enlightenment by the escaped one, who had seen the true reality outside the cave (those who have learnt lessons from previous Ponzi schemes). Alas, they were once again exploited, and are now crying out to the high heavens for help to retrieve their loss investments.
It appears that Nigerians will continue to fall victim to Ponzi schemes, as long as there are promises of high returns on investments. Therefore, measures should be taken to free Nigerians from the cave of ignorance. They must be equipped with financial literacy and critical thinking skills to navigate the complex world of investments and opportunities. Efforts should be made to address the lingering problem of poverty in the country, as desperation to escape from the shackles of poverty can drive people to seek quick fixes, making them more vulnerable to Ponzi schemes. It is essential to address the root causes of poverty and provide support for those in need.
Also, less premium should be paid to materialism. We should stop measuring everything in terms of naira and kobo. Values such as honesty, integrity, self-reliance and so on should be promoted above material things. Nigerians should develop and utilise their capacity for critical thinking. They must be able to differentiate between reality and shadows of reality; they should be cautious and discerning, questioning claims that seem too good to be true.
Nigerians must also avoid the dangers of herd mentality or bandwagon effects. Most often, when one person invests in a Ponzi scheme and receives high returns, others follow without verifying the sustainability of such a scheme. This herd mentality can lead to a collective blindness, where people ignore warning signs and invest without due diligence. Lastly, the regulatory bodies have important roles to play in protecting Nigerians from Ponzi schemes. By enforcing strict regulations and monitoring investment opportunities, they can help prevent these schemes from taking hold.
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave serves as a powerful reminder of the dangers of ignorance and resistance to enlightenment, which have continued to make Nigerians susceptible to fraudulent investment schemes. By understanding the shadows of deception and the importance of financial literacy, Nigerians can create a safer and more prosperous environment. It is time to break free from the cave of ignorance and build a brighter future.
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