In Honor of “The Matrix” 25th Anniversary
With the rise of AI, media propaganda, and the difficulty of finding truth, ‘The Matrix’ is a film of warning and hope. If you haven’t seen it, I hope this review encourages you to, in Matrix terms, take the red pill and experience this masterpiece for yourself.
For too long, we have been blue-pilled into believing our world is the only reality. When we dream, it’s just a dream; when we wake, it all becomes real again. ‘The Matrix’ uncovers and unveils this cloak of trickery, this deception, also known as the veil of Maya.
In Eastern Philosophy, the veil of Maya refers to the world as an illusion. Humans are veiled in thinking the world around us is “real.” Our perceptions of our minds deceive us, making us vulnerable and quite distracted creatures of this planet. In ‘The Matrix,’ Neo (Keanu Reeves), our protagonist, is told to follow the “white rabbit,” which leads him down a spiraling hole into the Truth. Although the idea that everything in our reality isn’t real seems absolutely absurd and irrational, Neo quickly learns that the “reality” he’s been living in is anything but real. Neo takes the red pill and chooses to see the Truth for himself, never to go back, uncovering the veil of Maya. With the help of Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), Neo learns, or should I say, gets downloads, multiple martial arts, and the art of knowing his mind. He fights Agents (everyday people who are unaware their reality is false) to help humanity discover the Truth.
Propaganda has long been a tool to keep us shielded under the illusion of falsehood and deception. Like many Americans, Neo goes about his daily life, working a job he loathes and feels stuck under the machine's control. That is until he breaks free. He contends with outside forces, slowly releasing the need for external validation from The Oracle, and finally (spoiler alert) dismantles the programming controlling his mind and becomes The One. This film spars with the idea that we all have the ability to free ourselves from “the matrix” if we start peeling back the mask of deception that envelops our minds. It may not be as simple as taking a red pill from Morpheus’ palm, but it can be done through awareness and practice.
The Matrix is control. It is also (imo) one of the greatest films ever made. It is a sci-fi love story that wakes us from a deep slumber. A hibernation the world so dearly needs to emerge from. If you enjoy AI alien robots, slow-motion action scenes, a little romance, leather cloaks, and are a truth seeker, you’re in for a treat.
Stay tuned for Mesmer’s next publication for more information, tools, and stories about waking up from this intoxicating sleep. Free yourselves from the web of lies, my friends.
Scarlet Web