The Matrix is Loaded, but with What?

by Satanus 23 Replies latest jw friends

  • Satanus
    Satanus

    I haven't seem the new matrix movie yet. I rewatched the original just for the heck of it. It's a great movie, and i will likely see the next one.

    It's theme of questioning the status quo is great, but do you realise that it's loaded w two elements that are main pillars in the political correctness being perveyed through the media? These two elements have been woven into your reality through the public media for may yrs now. Have you spotted them?

    It's basically not freedom at all, just sliding you out of one paradigm and into another. Real freedom cannot be given, it must be taken, to slightly twist a godfather saying.

    SS

  • Satanus
    Satanus

    To get the ball rolling, here is a glossary of some of the matrix names, clipped and pasted.

    Matrix Glossary

    Birth: When he is "unplugged" from the Matrix, Neo resembles a newborn. Once his "umbilical cords" are removed, we see that he is hairless, confused, and covered in a type of amniotic fluid. He falls down a long tube and into a pool of water. After this presumed baptism, he is carried up, with his limp body making a cross silhouette. Neo had to be "born again" before he could begin his mission.

    Buddhism: The chief problem faced by humanity, according to Buddhist thought, is not sin or evil: it's ignorance of the true reality. The lack of an explicit divine being and references to "focus," "path," and "free your mind" also smack of Buddhist influence. Matrix rebels download truth and reprogram their minds to achieve salvation.

    Cypher: The name of this traitor who excels at Matrix code means, according to Webster's Dictionary: Zero...a person or thing of no importance or identity...a system of secret writing based on a key. His character has many parallels to Judas. At one point he exclaims, "Whoa, Neo. You scared the bejeezus out of me."

    Evil: Agent Smith tells Morpheus that the original Matrix world was "designed to be a perfect human world." No one accepted the program, he explains, because "human beings define their reality through misery and suffering." By drawing on parts of Genesis and comparing humans to a virus, Smith establishes evil as a natural, intrinsic state of human nature.

    God: God does make a cameo in The Matrix only as an expletive from Trinity. Yet the word "miracle" is used in clear cases to signify the need - and reality - of divine intervention. But there's no implied sense of a covenant between God and man.

    Jesus Christ: The name Jesus is often used in association with Neo, most explicitly when Choi, a drug user, thanks Neo for providing him with illicit software. "Hallelujah. You're my savior, man. My own personal Jesus Christ."

    Matrix: Literally, a computer program used to imprison mankind. According to Webster's, "matrix" means: 1) orig., the womb; uterus 2) that within which, or within and from which, something originates, takes form, or develops. At its heart, The Matrix is a story about birth and creation.

    Morpheus: Neo's mentor. Some observers identity him with John the Baptist, since both men were appointed to prepare the way for a messiah. In Greek mythology, Morpheus, the son of Hypnos, was the god of dreams.

    Music: The final song, played by Rage Against The Machine, is "Wake Up."

    Neo: The messiah. This is Thomas Anderson's virtual name. Literally meaning "new," Neo is also referred to as the "One," which is an anagram for Neo.

    Nebuchadnezzar: Morpheus's ship. This figure referenced in the Book of Daniel was the powerful king of ancient Babylon who suffered from troubling dreams. The name literally means "Nebo, protect the crown."

    Numerology: Neo's apartment number is 101, suggesting that he's "the one." Neo is shot in apartment number 303, and after 72 seconds (72 hours = 3 days), he rises again.

    Phone calls: In keeping with prophetic tradition, Neo is "called" to his task, not by a burning bush, but a FedEx employee. Their brief exchange - "Thomas Anderson?" | "Yeah, that's me." - mirrors Bible language constructions used to signify special identity.

    Postmodernism: Neo hides his illicit software within a chapter titled "On Nihilism" within a volume called "Simulacra and Simulation," by Jean Baudrillard. This seminal work of postmodernism advances the idea of a copy without an original. The Wachowski brothers assigned Keanu Reeves to read this book before filming began.

    Thomas Anderson: The Apostle Thomas was also called Didymus, which in Greek means "twin" or "double." Anderson means "son of man," one of the titles Jesus uses for himself. The twin names suggest his dual nature. As "Mr. Anderson," he is vulnerable to the powers of the evil agents. As "Neo," he has dominion over them.

    Trinity: Her kiss restores Neo from death. The doctrine of the three modes of God is central to Christian orthodoxy, yet the word "trinity" never actually appears in the Bible. Neo deepens the mystery of who Trinity is when he says to her, "I just thought, um...you were a guy."

    Logos: The altered studio logo at the opening of the film may be highly significant. The Matrix-coded WB letters could simply be the Wachowski brothers thumbing their nose at the Warner Bros. But by altering the logo - from the Greek term "logos," for word - the film's opening does two things. First, it corrupts the Gospel of John, which begins with "In the beginning was the Word...". Second, it asserts that metaphysical meaning can be gleaned by mining deep into words, or code.

    Zion: The last human city. In the Old Testament, Zion refers to the royal capital of David. Matrix agents desire the codes to Zion above all else.

  • refiners fire
    refiners fire

    Well I did think upon your original post a good while brother, but i couldnt come up with any answers.

    Im not very good at cryptic things.

  • Satanus
    Satanus

    Ok, here they are.

    Quite a few movies now position black characters in the wise leader/adviser/faithful, loyal friend. This is an about face from movies of decades ago. Matrix has only a few good guy characters in total, and at least half of them are black. All the black characters are wise leader/adviser/faithful, loyal friends. All the bad guys are white. The message that i think is pushed by this positioning is that blacks will/should/could lead us white folks to salvation.

    The other politically correct doctrine being inculcated, is that israel/jewish is the most precious and only core of real true value on this earth. This from the naming of the last bastion city of free humans as zion. Finding and destroying it is the whole purpose of agent smith's searches. He states that once he has found zion, he can leave the disgusting matrix.

    The matrix movie isn't the only media with these messages. These, and other themes are present in quite a few public offerings.

    SS

  • happyout
    happyout

    Wow, that's a lot to take in SS. I have seen the Matrix Reloaded, and I hope you post your thoughts after you do. It will give you a lot more food for thought.

    It's interesting what you say about the good guys being black, and all the bad guys being white when you consider that the role of Neo was originally offered to Will Smith (who, unfortunately for him, had already agreed to film Wild Wild West, and so wasn't available).

    I will read your other posts more thoroughly, and come back with some thoughts of my own Monday. I seldom have time to log on on the weekend.

    Happyout

  • Satanus
    Satanus

    Here is a site that claims that the wachowski bros were re-presenting the christian message in the movie : http://www.matrixfans.net/symbolism/messiah.html

    Other sites have pointed out elements of jewish mysticism, gnosticism, and buddhism as well.

  • crinklestein
    crinklestein

    Reloaded has alot more religious terms and names given to its characters.

    The Maravingian. I looked this up and, if I understood it correctly, these were either a race or a family of people that were charged with the quest to find the Holy Grail. They were also the keepers of all information regarding the Grail to protect it from others.

    In the movie The Maravingian is a collector of fine things and is also a programer. He considers himself an artist. He has been on a quest to find the Key Maker and had found him and gaurding him from anyone else looking for him. The Keymaker is the Holy Grail I think and Maravingian found him and, like in real life, is protecting it from others.

    The Holy Grail was sought after because people wanted to get closer to God. It would be like a key to God. The Keymaker makes keys. One key in particular opens one door that only The One can enter. This is like the door to heaven and the long hallway that leads up to that door could be like Jacobs Ladder. When he enters the door he meets the creater. The Architect.

    I am going to see it again today so I can get more understanding.

  • SYN
    SYN

    The Matrix was really just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, until right at the end where Neo defeats the Sentinels in "reality".

    Ahahahahaha. I knew it. A recursive simulation - the ultimate form of control.

    In fact, I have a feeling that there may be no real end to the depth of recursion at all. The simulations could be infinitely nested, with absolutely no real way to "escape".

    Who would have thought that the Wachowski Brothers knew and understood the concept of nested simulations?

    My friend and I who watched the movie were dumbfounded by this...I can only wait in anticipation for the next film.

  • Sirona
    Sirona

    Ok so here is one you didn't notice: Morpheus's ship has a plaque that says "Mark 3:11". (at least I think its that LOL) Check that scripture!

    Sirona

  • teejay
    teejay
    Matrix has only a few good guy characters in total, and at least half of them are black. All the black characters are wise leader/adviser/faithful, loyal friends. All the bad guys are white. The message that i think is pushed by this positioning is that blacks will/should/could lead us white folks to salvation.

    Here's what I think is a valid comment of one movie critic on that topic:

    The Wachowski brothers use so many African Americans, I suspect, not for their box-office appeal, because the Matrix is the star of the movie, and not because they are good actors (which they are), but because to the white teenagers who are the primary audience for this movie, African-Americans embody a cool, a cachet, an authenticy. Morpheus is the power center of the movie, and Neo's role is essentially to study under him and absorb his mojo.

    Personally, I'm always pleased to see black characters live beyond the first 15 minutes of a horror/sci-fi movie. It's a nice change from the status quo that, not only do they live beyond the opening credits but they are the heroes/heroines of the story. Here I'm completely finished with my soda and All of my popcorn and there's STILL some black people onscreen -- and heading up the show. Hot diggity!

    I don't have a problem with that. It's about time.

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