As I mentioned in class, The
Matrix is one of my all-time
favorite movies and has been since I was kid. As I have grown up and matured, I
have found myself looking at the film through a much more academic and
philosophic lens.
The portrayal of the juxtaposing realities, the ‘real’ reality and
the reality within the Matrix is a commentary on the evolution of our social
and cultural constructs in conjunction with technological advancements.
Touching on topics far ahead of its time, The
Matrix broaches the ideas of
diluted realities through the development of technology.
As explained in the film, the Matrix was initially created as an
experimental virtual utopia for the future. This utopia was achieved through a
realistic portrayal of reality as it existed in the past, eventually surpassing
the physical world, converting all "programs" into the
Matrix. In this world, ignorance is quite literally bliss for the programs
in the Matrix, and when there is a ‘glitch’, the Agents make sure to “fix” it.
Many other films also deal with this concepts of a portrayal of
some sort of futuristic utopia. Equilibrium (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0238380/),
is a fantastic sci-phy action film that takes place in a dystopian future
in which all humans are forced to take drugs to “cure” them of emotions. The Giver ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435651/?ref_=nv_sr_1) is also a great film (and
book) that deals with a similar dystopian future.
The construct of Disney theme parks very much embodies the
ideologies of a utopian society, specifically in its construct and marketed
mentalities. As we discussed in class, Disney sells an unrealistic idea of
happiness to a nearly sickening degree; everything about Disney is ‘perfect’
but nothing exhibits authenticity of reality. The deliberately cultivate
ideological mentality and perceptions and use them to promote their idea of
‘perfection.’ The society Disney actively promotes and markets is essentially
the evolution of the 1950’s quintessential nuclear family neighborhood
lifestyle, a reality we now know is outdated and unrealistic.
Johnny I loved your post! I am also I big Matrix fan. I watched the movie for the first time before I could intellectually grasp the ideas exposed by the film. So recently I re-watched it and I was again amazed by the depth of the concepts explored in the movie.
ReplyDeleteI am always amazed by how pop culture constantly explores ideas of utopias and dystopias. I'm kind of a nerd so I watch Naruto, and a constant theme in the anime is the “creation of a better place” or the “building of a better world.” Different characters have different ideas of what would constitute that world. The main antagonist, Madara, believes that the perfect world would be one in which everyone is constantly dreaming and not actually awake. He is able to create that world for a limited amount of time, and just like in the Matrix, every person is stripped away from reality (but, inside the dream, they live their own fake lives). For the main character, Naruto, the dream world must be rejected because it is a fake. He wants to achieve a perfect world in reality.
Every time I watch the Matrix (or Naruto) I can’t help but think, “what if the fake world is better?” I understand it is not real, but at the same time part of me feels like that ignorance may not be so bad. I struggle with this concept a lot. When I watch the Matrix I feel uneasy. Perhaps if I was in Neo’s shoes I wouldn’t have picked the red pill. It takes a lot of effort in accepting the reality. After all, feelings (both emotional and physical) are perceived through brain activity. If the brain is being stimulated and you feel the reality, how can it be fake?
That movie trips me out, but I love it!