In the ā€œallegory of the caveā€ there are several different viewpoints on this incident. I would posit that inmates are only looking at the wall from one angle because they lack the desire or even the feeling to look in another direction. The prisoners have a fixed attitude and are always negative. The chains could be thought of as errors or the people who made them. The cave may have turned them blind, preventing them from seeing anything outside of their safe area. This story can be viewed from as many perspectives as you desire. Every perspective that has helped you understand and relate to the allogery of the cave has something new to teach you.