“What is real? How do you define ‘real’? If you’re talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then ‘real’ is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.”
Those words were heard by millions of moviegoers across the world when they sat down to watch The Matrix, a surprise hit written and directed by the Wachowski Sisters (then Brothers). The Matrix has since become a cult classic, with people rememering iconic characters like Neo and Agent Smith, gun-fu, and incredible special effects (which hold up far better than they have any right to).
However, all that is just window dressing, a garnish on top of the meat of movie, and that meat is The Matrix’s concerns. The Matrix, like many cyberpunk stories before it, builds it’s narrative on a foundation of themes concerning the influence of technology over the future of humanity.
In 1984 William Gibson, seeing the birth of the internet, wrote Neuromancer, a novel filled with paranoia about technology surplanting real human expierence. The Matrix owes so much of it’s story to Neuromancer, but, unlike Gibson, the Wachowski’s aren’t paranoid, they’re cautionary.
The Wachowskis saw the “global village” as described by Marshall Mcluhan as something to encourage, but monitor. The Matrix believes that the internet can, and should, one day be intergrated with human experience, but only as long as everyone has equal stakes and control is not relinquished to a select few (human or otherwise). It’s the belief of the Wachowskis that the ultimate form of a decentralised network is every human being a direct node in that network, and therefore having equal stakes in it. If every person is equal, then it is in the interest of everyone to move toward a collective utopia.
As technology continues to evolve, and government continue to try and control it, I think The Matrix is becoming more resonant than ever. The Wachowskis believe that we shouldn’t fear the internet, but rather those who try to monopolise it as a means to control others.
I think they might be right.
Synthetic Boy 
You’ve raised an interesting point about technology being monopolized, and then used as a means of control. Many people act as if certain technologies are inherently bad or inherently good, which feels a bit reductive. Technology CAN be good or bad, but that’s dependent on how it’s used. And considering how integral the internet has become in our lives it could very easily be monopolized and used by a minority as a means of control over the masses, just like how it’s used in The Matrix.
On a side note, I’m pretty impressed by how long that gif is? I hardly ever see gifs that long.
(I also appreciate you calling the Wachowski’s sisters since I’ve seen plenty people continue to call them “brothers” which feels a bit disrespectful).
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I really liked how much you used ‘The Matrix’ to get across your point in this post. It really helps to understand your point of view and where you’re coming from. Isn’t it interesting how the creators of ‘Neuromancer’ and ‘The Matrix’ come from completely different viewpoints surrounding the same topic?
Your gif is also A+, loved the effort you put into it and it goes so well with your post. Good job!
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