Gyges lives online

Way back in time, Plato posed a haunting question through the famed myth of the Ring of Gyges in his book Republic: what would a person do if they could act without being seen or judged? As the story goes, Gyges, a poor shepherd, discovered a ring that granted him invisibility. Freed from the gaze of others, he seduced the queen, murdered the king and seized the throne. He did all this simply because he feared nothing. This forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: does morality depend on being watched, and do people act justly only because they fear punishment?

Socrates disagreed, insisting that true morality comes from within a well-ordered soul that values virtue for its own sake, the voice of conscience that restrains us even when no one is watching. He insists that wrongdoing harms the doer most of all because it corrupts the soul.

Glaucon, a character in Plato’s dialogues, argued that without external checks, humans naturally drift towards injustice; people are just, act morally, follow laws, and respect others only because they fear consequences, such as punishment, loss of reputation, or social disapproval.

In today’s world, the ring is not a myth. It exists in our pockets, disguised as smartphones through which we access social media platforms. Privacy settings, anonymous accounts and encrypted chats create a digital cloak of invisibility.

People claim to value privacy, but they often exploit it to act in ways they would not dare in public. From trolling and cyberbullying to spreading mis-information, many hide behind fake accounts, believing that they are unseen and unaccountable.

But, does the inner voice still speak in this age of anonymity? Or, have we silenced it with likes, shares and the illusion of invisibility? Are we becoming Gyges in the digital world? If morality collapses when the spotlight fades, what does that reveal about our character?

Perhaps, the real challenge is not technological but ethical. Our focus should be on cultivating an inner compass that is strong enough to guide us when no one else can see.

ZAMIR UD DIN

KARACHI