Film Analysis on The Matrix: This is but a mere commentary

YAO, Karen SueAnn Fule
AB 3 Journalism 1 (Irregular Student in 2POL2)
September 22, 2014
Philosophy of Anthropology

In easy terms, the Platonic idea of Forms of Plato is a world beyond the senses. The Matrix is a film that has a story revolving around the thought of manipulating the sense of the societal truth we have in today’s reality, and that certain ‘manipulation’ pays a great deal with that idea of a world of Forms: though the film is a fictional way of depicting the idea, the machines are the realities we have now that cover the Matrix which is the world of Forms— thoughts that [in the film] can be manifested by the said machines through the use of codes. In reality [now], these machines can be seen as the forces that push us to think beyond what the senses can reach.

The great student of Socrates also believed that the body is but a mere shell that imprisons and supresses the soul to do more than what it is truly capable of doing or knowing. As to the scene where Neo did not need to dodge any more bullets from the Sentient Agents: to consume bullets as if it was just wind, and to overtake and control another body is physically impossible for a normal human being, but since Neo was dubbed as The One it was possible for him to free from the so-called shell. The scene, however, leaves the question “Is the One the only possible being that can separate from its shell?“—if so, then we would all be capable of being supers. Taking this thought, what consistency would prove of how a soul would be manifested without a shell? In the film, they were capable of separating the soul through simple codes. However, those souls are brought into a realm where they have nothing but mere human strength, except for those who are already unplugged—Morpheus’ team. Since they know the ‘truth’, they are capable of controlling the ‘perks’ of a soul and mould it into greater skills—which they can even easily encode. These scenes are personally bothersome parts in the film. If it were as easy as 01110111001 to give a being a skill, then the sense of humanity wouldn’t even be present: the years to learn those skills are gone— the patience, the perseverance, the hard work, the moments and most of all, the sense of pride and dignity in earning a specific object or skill. It would be all too easy, as if we were to steal a practice just like how a robber would steal easy-money. We were made with limits for a reason. If everyone were as powerful as bodiless souls, then all would be gods. And if all were gods, no one would be.

This enlightenment of the truth [in the film] is given when a being was chosen. Those who were chosen are being unplugged, one by one. The process isn’t easy because not every being is ready for the ‘truth’; and if ever they were, would they stand by Morpheus or would just turn like Cypher? The reality portrayed was terrifying, and [I hope that] that would be the worst-case scenario humanity would end with. Humanity was in the hands of those who were being unplugged. It was a matter of trusting the souls who had the capacity to know better and beyond what the Matrix had to offer.

Nonetheless, given the choice, how many lives would be willing to live with Morpheus’ team in the true reality of the film? Could a normal human being choose to accept such a horrible truth? I mentioned that in the reality we have now, we can interpret those machines as the forces that can push beyond our senses. But if it was possible and if it was as horrid as depicted, would you choose those scenes over the sweet bliss of the taste of steak? Cypher, although with his cruel actions, had a point—there is not a villain in any film worth watching that does not have a reasonable argument in the story. He chose the reality the Matrix gave; and not the reality of the Matrix, itself. He knew the truth behind every breeze of air humans feel, which he found annoying, mind-numbing, and exhausting. Frankly, I find Cypher’s argument more reasonable. Why would you want to live in a godforsaken world where you feel nothing but darkness from life-forms that overpower your specie? Humanity would only live in fear. Besides, since Morpheus stated that the Matrix was living in the 22nd century after the 21st century-war with the machines, it is unimaginable what the humanity must have done for its fate to run into a course so cruel. And if the Matrix’s interpretations are the only ways left for humanity to relive a life, then why would you not choose ignorance? It sounds foul, but to know more is to feel less. And as humans, there is nothing more terrifying than to feel nothing at all. Pain makes us humane. Personally, I would give my all to go back to my childhood and know nothing but to appreciate life as it is. Ignorance is a bliss, because one cannot simply imagine how knowledge can be a curse. People have clung to the thought of an answer to keep their fear contained, and through this they choose to ignore different more possibilities—humanity is obsessed with the thought of an answer, sometimes ignoring the sense of reason. To reject the idea of a religion was a terrifying turn in my life, and that taught me that ignorance is underrated. In simple terms, it is like one’s virginity—ignorance is something one cannot gain once more after lost or taken away, no matter how much you push or plead.

Moreover, the film had depicted that the true reality was the Matrix itself which controlled the reality that we now know as the present. What the Matrix wishes is what we experience—what we taste, feel, hear, smell, or see. It controls what it wants us to sense and how it wants us to interpret that specific sensation. If it may, it is possible for it to give us the inability of to distinguish reality from a simulation of reality in consciousness. The Matrix is an easy-power that may easily delude and deceive beings. So in context, how could one state that the reality we have now is not just a manifestation of such a ‘thought’ or ‘theory’ as the Matrix? The reality we have now is capable of knowing and imagining different forms of paradigms that net out different possibilities. Some may accept this theory as the hypothesis of multiverses. If so, is there not a paradox that a belief such as the Matrix is currently happening? Then if such a paradox exists, how would we prove that that said belief is not in this exact paradigm? Reality is as complex as the paradigms it webs out. Millions of possibilities delude the human mind into thinking even more possibilities. And so, what is the assurance of this timeline as not only one of those said possibilities? Even the Matrix itself is a paradigm, and sadly from what we know now, there is no such thing as assurance.

Since it is a paradigm, the Matrix is a future. Every thought you may think of is a possibility, even if it does not fit this paradigm. The fact that it is thought about leaves it as a possibility that may have even the slightest of chances of truly happening. I believe that for every throw and every face a die may fall on, the future changes. It is all set; however, it is not the fate, but a fate. It can be a future, but I want to trust humanity—and the future resulting in the Matrix is nothing but inhumane.

But what is fate? Societal truth suggests that fate is like destiny—an inevitable ending for every individual. Personally, I find that belief one of the answers humanity has given for the ill-fated. Fate is nothing but mere choices. We choose the game we play, the die we roll, the card we draw, and the hand we fold. Every bit is a step to a different fate—it may all be written down, but we have choices in front of us.

In the film, the character of a great oracle was introduced. I find this oracle as someone who simply knows one’s fate. Through this knowledge, derived wisdom; and with this wisdom she helps with ‘fating’ the people around her: Morpheus was fated as the one who would find the One; Trinity would fall in love with the One, and that Neo would choose Morpheus’ fate—if Morpheus dies he would live, and vice versa. The oracle’s prophecies came true. Neo did get to choose Morpheus’ fate; however they both survived. The oracle told Neo that he wasn’t the One. Since Morpheus was momentously revolved with the thought of Neo as being the One, he trusted the fate given to him. Trinity’s prophecy played a great role—giving Neo the strength to believe and relive with the said title—making Morpheus’ prophecy true. The only prophecy that the oracle failed to predict is Neo’s: she said that Neo isn’t the One, and that Neo would die if Morpheus was to survive. Thus proving that even with the power of strong predictions, fate is a choice. They all made a choice.

Furthermore, we live in a paradigm filled with choices. What if our ancestors chose to believe that a circle is drawn with four corners? What would appear as a ball now would be a cube then. Our senses depended on the traditional norm we accept as the truth. The film showed a boy who had a spoon. He made Neo believe the spoon bent out. Neo, seeing this happen, believed that is truly was. However, the child explained that one must not tramp on the spoon; and only ‘realize’ the truth—that there is no spoon. The primacy of our intellect is adhered to the thought of what we learn from the people around us. However, just like the bundle theory, if you remove the shape, color or even odor of the spoon—there is no spoon. We tend to believe what our senses grasp from our reality; remove what we see, hear, feel, smell, or taste and we have nothing but the sense of what is ‘truly’ real.

Overall, the film made me nothing but question. I even questioned why Neo had to kill so many souls. Those guards were just following orders, and their souls were killed so thoughtlessly. Human life is so precious. We have life, now; and it’s pathetic for humans to simply take that life for granted. We can experience and feel. The Sentient Agent mentioned that The Matrix was supposed to be perfect. But perfection is a matter of perception. One may find a person with billions of dollars a perfect being; or one may find a person incredibly, undeniably kind as a perfect being; others may even find a wise, bearded old man as perfect. In the film, he says that the perfect world was a realm without having to feel misery or suffering; but was infuriated with the fact that humans cling to this pain. Pain makes us humane. To feel nothing is terrifying. Every time my peers tell me that it hurts, I just tell them that they’re human. Humanity is a gift that can never be explained why given. It’s just sad to think that the Matrix may be a fate that humanity would end with. If it were to happen, every being must have lost its faith towards humanity.

(Attached is the given guideline with my personal, chaotic notes after watching the film alone.)
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