Matrix Essay, Research Paper

Justin Walker

English 1A

8-8:50 M-TR

10-22-00

The Matrix: Our Perception On Reality

Do we as human beings believe that we live in a society controlled only

by what we think is real? Do we honestly think that our life is placed in a

world where we control everything that happens? I simply believe the human

race is scared of the thought that we could possibly be just a fixture wrapped

inside another layer of life and manipulated to think we are the ones in power

of the choices we make. When society brings out these questions we refuse to

believe them. We are though fascinated by the comments, but yet in our mind

we discard them and think of those things as just far fetched ideas of

someone?s imagination. Are we scared of what reality could be? Or do we

really believe these things to be just tales? Reality in my mind exists as far as

our imagination can take us. I like to believe it is ones own choice to

contemplate what reality is, but then again does society play a part in this

decision? The 1999 film The Matrix demonstrates how we are concerned

with our perception on reality.

The Matrix shows us a different outlook on life and what it possibly

could be. Neo ( a character in the movie), receives a dose of the unbelievable

and is given the choice to explore what reality really is. He of course has to

adapt to this state of mind and decide what he believes. He is constantly

asked if the things he used to love really are what society says they are or if

they are just figments of his imagination. This is true though. What is a

hamburger? Society placed a name on it but is it really a hamburger? How do

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we really even know what a hamburger is? Society has always been scared

of the unknown. Once something is discovered it must go through cycles and

tests before we can accept it. Of course once we do accept it we place a tag

on it. We want to believe discoveries to be explained and understood, but

how do really understand something if say we can not see it, or taste it, or feel

it. We ask question but sometimes we do not receive answers. We live only

on what we can see physically and not on what we cannot see or yet even

understand. In the Matrix it brings out these questions that ponder on in our

minds. We do not take the initiative to understand what really might exist.

Instead we get our ideas and thoughts from what others tell us. In the Matrix

theres a scene where Neo is being reprogrammed like a computer. His

programming consists of a variety of new skills in which he never knew in the

society that he used to operate in. This brings up the question, Could we

really be just a type of protocol that consists of programs that society has

installed upon us? We of course would never believe anything like that could

ever happen because we in our physical state have never experienced

something like that. Though what about what goes on while were dreaming?

Do we have the power to control what we dream? During this state of mind

something could possibly be installing new programs in our mind and we

would never know it. These are questions I leave up to you to decide.

Another question that comes to mind is, Do we really believe that one

day genetic engineering will be able to take the place of all human duties?

This question scares society very much so. We want to believe that since we

made the machines that we can control them. You have to think though, if

there smart enough to carry all the resonsibitlites of humans, could they

possibly

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one day program themselves? The human race might easily permit itself to

drift into a passion of such dependence on the machine that it would have no

choice but to accept all of the machines decisions (Joy,2). This is indeed a

scary factor. Just like the Matrix demonstrated how Neo was programmed by

a machine. He performed all his tasks and duties by what the machines

installed in him. The Greatest challenge Neo faced in the movie was

accepting what the truth really was. All along we learned that the world he

once lived in was all along controlled by machines and it was his duty being

the chosen one to destroy those machines controlling this make believe world.

Biological species almost never survive encounters with superior species

(Joy, 2). If that is to be true how would society fight against a false reality if

they don?t control it? Are perception on what reality is, is really vague in

some cases. The Matrix brings out fears in our society. Most us though are

not given the chance like Neo to even know how to go about discovering

what reality really is.We try to hide these questions and continue to believe

only the physical aspects which we encounter in life.

Other scenes in the movie show us being born in mass quantities like

farming. Nobody remembers being born……..nobody really asks questions as

to why they are born with talents in which they didn?t conceive from their

parents. Maybe these are questions we should ask ourselves. How long will

we continue to believe what society has placed upon us? Will death give us

the answers to all these things or will we one day be given the chance to fully

understand everything? We though believe and understand we are born in the

womb of our mother. We have seen and witnessed this birth with our own

eyes, though just not our own birth. It is much easier for society to swallow

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things in which are not unknown. Still again we are fascinated with the idea

of the unknown.

Neo does not allow himself to believe he is the chosen one to administer

this new outlook of reality and uncover the truth behind the Matrix till the

very end. He is told over and over by the superior Morphius ( leader of Neos

ne founded environment). He challenges Morphius even though Morphius

tells him that he is the one. All it takes Neo freeing his mind to uncover the

truth behind the Matrix. All along he finds out he has been living in the

Matrix his whole life. Life slowly forms, then creatures aspire which creates

intelligence, along with survival which develops technology (Sagan, 9). This

is to be believed how life evolves and creates a society. Whether not it to be

true, it has formed our perception of reality based on the things that we know.

Though all these ideas aspire through movies and stories, the Matrix is a

great example of how we demonstrate concern about our perception on

reality. We ponder with these ideas though of course don?t actually believe

them. It does how ever bring up a fear that the unknown could possibly

happen. Time though will continue to slowly change our perception over and

over. back in the early 1800?s people thought trips to the moon were just tall

tales and could never happen. We need to be careful of what we fear, for our

reality could one day change for the good or the bad.