I have a postulate. We are living in a made-up world. Nothing is real. Nothing. Let me tell about you when reality hit me.
Over winter break one night, I was in my usual position on my bed, clad in my recently pressed Batman pajamas, hands hovering over the keyboard of my laptop wondering what movie to watch. I had recently finished submitting all of my college applications and felt the need to TREAT MY SELF! (compliments of Tom Haverford from Parks and Recreation). A comedy movie or action film with a relatively simple plot was in sight to give my mind a rest, but, after (grudgingly) consulting with my go-to movie buff, Lily Pan (’19), I ended up deciding on The Matrix: not at all the simple plot I was yearning for.
Now, this is where things get freaky. I still don’t remember how I came to that decision. I clearly wanted to watch an easy-going film, but quite the opposite ended up happening. I was taken along quite the mental roller coaster while watching The Matrix and actually had to stop the movie a few times to process what Morpheus was telling Neo. This isn’t what I wanted. But what if it was something someone else wanted…
For those of you who haven’t been chosen to watch the movie (yes, chosen, I’ll explain later), an average computer programmer and hacker by night, known as Neo, constantly questions reality without fully understanding how accurate his doubts are. He ends up being targeted by the police after being contacted by Morpheus, a legendary computer hacker who has been branded as a terrorist by the government. Morpheus reveals the real world to Neo: a wasteland where nearly all of humanity has been captured by robots that live off the humans’ body heat and electrochemical energy. The humans are kept in individual pods and are programmed to believe in an artificial reality known as the Matrix. After learning the truth, Neo joins Morpheus and his band of rebels and vows to make the truth known to all. However, to do so, he must confront the “police,” or the super-powerful computer programs written by the robots that are devoted to snuffing out Neo and the rest of the rebellion.
So, after finishing the movie, my thoughts were basically as follows: HOLY CHICKEN COOP and what if this is happening to us? Everything we know to exist comes from our mind telling us so, but who’s to say our mind can be trusted? Who’s to say that the apple we see on the table isn’t actually a barren land filled with AI that dominate the world? Our mind is telling us that it is a red apple on the table because of past experiences and teachings. But, what if these experiences were planted in our minds as false code in an effort to keep humanity at bay while we are actually being tortured for our energy.
My conclusion: it wasn’t me that wanted The Matrix that day. Some external force chided me into watching it. Perhaps a rebellious group that has figured out a way to infiltrate the programming of our mind and are looking for people to recognize the truth? But why did they choose me? Am I the Neo of our world? Will I soon be targeted by the “police”?
I’ll keep you updated, but for those who are also reevaluating the truth of our existence, please find me. I need to know I’m not alone. And if there is a new Morpheus out there, I’m ready to take the red pill if need be.
Someone needs to get this man that wrote thus in touch with me ASAP