Blind Marionette

When I first watched The Matrix, I really thought it was just a pure action movie without much depth to it. Yet, watching it this time, I had to eat the words I previously said about the movie. I watched it without truly watching it, concentrating on only the outermost (superficial) layer of it while ignoring to explore the other layers. I had failed to delve deep into the movie and explore the double meanings and symbolism it had to offer. (I think even with this experience, I can somehow manage to link it back to “Plato’s Cave.” This is kind of frightening yet fascinating, now I that I think about it. The allegory really does connect with nearly every aspect of our lives.) With knowledge from “Plato’s Allegory of the Cave,” I was able to see The Matrix in a different light.

The “Matrix” of the movie is a computer generated world where humans are completely controlled by the machines. This concept is not really that different from the world we live in today. We are wholly dependent upon technology to get us through each day. For instance, without my laptop, I would be unable to type up and post this blog.

We are controlled by technology, though often time we are not aware of it. We depend on the television for our news and entertainment. We depend on our computers and cell phones to communicate with our friends along with the rest of the world. Slowly, it becomes an addiction. Through our dependence, we are becoming enslaved to it. The more we advance, technologically-wise, the more we are tightening those shackles.

Then this begs the question: Why don’t we just stop using them? Wouldn’t that break the addiction?

In world of The Matrix, people cannot simply “unplug” themselves from the Matrix, for they are much too dependent upon the “system.” We also cannot “unplug” ourselves from this world. Literally every operation in our daily lives is based on technology. It would be the end if we “unplugged” ourselves from it. It would be painful, at least.

Though, that is in a way, an escape from that enslavement.

Neo, in order to be“the One”, had to die first. Through his death, he was able to shed his previous preconception about not being the One, transforming from Mr. Anderson to Neo. Also, for Neo to return to life, he needed to be loved (in this case, by Trinity). Emotions are what make us human beings. Through the love that Neo experiences, he is “re-humanized.”

Technology pulls us away from ourselves, voiding us of our emotions. We become detached from everything. It’s quite ironic, the more connected we are, the more distant we become— from ourselves and everyone else.