You've asked a very good question.
'Which one do you think is more important and why, our perception of the world, or how reality really is?'
I don't think either is more important. I think what's important is our effective use of the subjective filter that you mentioned.
Done so by realizing that we subconsciously run all our experiences through it. Being able to realize how much we are, and in what ways we are doing so, in each new situation; that's the skill to hone over a lifetime.
Can our subjectivity ever be overcome completely, given that we're motivated by animalistic impulses at our core and employing our subjective leanings even when having the best of intentions to do otherwise?
I don't think it can be overcome. What we can acquire is awareness, in all things. Presence of mind and awareness are powerful tools.
Subjective experience is not meaningless. I believe it's what gives some of us deeper and certain unique insight in certain ways, and it's what bonds some of us together in special ways as well. There is cold hard physical reality, and there is a whole other universe of inner reality unique to each of us. It's really a beautiful and useful part of our humanity if regarded from the right perspective, kept in check with what the universal outside reality presents itself to be.
You get extra points for referencing Plato's Aallegory of the Cave because it gives me an excuse to share this:
And with all that said I'll just leave this here: http://www.integralscience.org/sacredscience/SS_quantum.html
(I've enjoyed your writing. I'll have to check out more of your blog.)
No, I don't think so. But in the future who knows. Getting rid of our subjectivity would probably require a level of integration with the universe or with our reality, that is as of now, far from what can we imagine today.
Quantum physics is an incredibly deep subject, and learning about it is fascinating. For example, I believe there is a link between quatum physics and the simulation theory . And I plan to make 1 or several posts about this in the future. The link I believe exist consists on this:
In videogames in order to load the game properly with good enough hardware, the parts of the game loaded are determined by the player's perspective. Therefore, the player affects how the world loads. In other words, what the player sees, affects this little virtual reality, simply by seeing it. This is, of course, to alleviate the workload so the game can run on cheaper hardware.
The same happens in quantum physics, we affect reality simply by seeing it. We affect particles simply by seeing them.
Just like in video games.
It is very fascinating. And so is the angle you've mentioned. I love to see someone writing about and discussing these things. Thanks for the references and the long reply too. :)