AWESOME. That was my initial reaction after spending some 120 minutes watching a movie which claims to hold the key to the truth of truths: the truth that everything that humans have come to know is unreal. Everything that we see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and feel— even this very planet in which we live— do not exist at all. Instead, everything around us is generated by the “Matrix.” We are nothing but hopeless slaves to this powerful system, which will eventually turn us all into mere “batteries” to serve as its sole source of power. Destined to be doomed, the last hope of the entire human race lays in the hand of one man, him whom they refer to as “The One.” The one who will fulfill the prophecy… the one who will defeat the Matrix… and the one who will set us all free.
Aside from the undeniably interesting and thrilling plot; the charismatic main actors led by Keanu Reeves as Neo; and all the amazing and jaw dropping special effects; what caught my interest the most while watching The Matrix, was the way in which the relationship between humans and technology was portrayed. This relationship was indeed presented in different angles and perspectives throughout the movie. As such, the concept/ idea that I will use is the concept that there is a special kind of relationship between humans and technology, that goes far beyond that of simply “a person” who uses “a thing” for his/ her own purposes and desires. This concept was discussed during our first class after we watched Serial Experiments Lain (episode 1).
The Matrix, exemplifies such a concept by presenting to its audience the following evidence that there is indeed a special kind of relationship between humans and technology: first, technology can separate people from each other (Alienation); second, technology can serve as an extension of the self (Overcoming the limitations of the flesh); third, technology can promise a better place/ a better humanity; fourth, technology can serve as a means of overcoming death; and fifth, technology can serve as a means of surveillance. Most of these were discussed during our first class in relation to episode 1 of Serial Experiments Lain.
I. Technology can separate people from each other (Alienation):
An example from the movie which showed us that technology can separate people from each other, from society, and from the world in which they exist, was seen in the case of the main protagonist: Thomas Anderson aka Neo. A program writer for a reputable software company, living on his own, and paying his dues, young Thomas Anderson seems to perfectly fit in the “Real World.” His strong desire to search for an answer that has long been lingering in the depths of his being, combined with his inherent talent and passion in operating computers, however, have led him to slowly alienate himself from society. Indeed, the very first time that we saw Neo in the movie was when he was all alone inside his dark little room, sleeping in front of his computer, after countless hours of being immersed on it Locked in an endless pursuit to search for Morpheus, whom he believes holds the answer to his question, Neo utilizes the power of technology. The more he gets absorbed into it, however, the more he also alienates himself from society.
II. Technology can serve as an extension of the self (Overcoming the Limitations of the Flesh):
An example from the movie which showed us that technology can serve as an extension of the self and as a means to overcome the limitations of the human flesh, was once again seen in the case of the main protagonist: Thomas Anderson aka Neo. Through the power of his computer, Thomas Anderson, a program writer for a reputable software company in the “Real World,” is able to extend himself as Neo, a hacker in search for Morpheus in the “Virtual World.”
Through the power of computer and other forms of technologies, Neo, was not only able to acquire two identities and live two very different lives all at the same time. Through the power of computer and other forms of technologies, Neo was also able to overcome the limitations of the human flesh. First, just like a computer in which programs and memories are uploaded, he instantly learned different kinds of martial arts and fighting skills, such as Jujitsu and Kung Fu, skills which would take a normal human being years to learn and a lifetime to perfect. Second, after acquiring such skills in no less than a day, Neo then puts them to a test, by training with Morpheus in a training simulation and by eventually fighting the three agents to save Morpheus and the entire human race.
Other scenes from the movie which further showed us in detail, how technology can serve as an extension of the self and as a means of overcoming the limitations of the human flesh included: Trinity’s extraordinary skills e.g. jumping very long distances when she was being chased by the agents; Trinity connecting herself to Neo’s computer, in order to communicate with him for the very first time; Morpheus phoning Neo through a Nokia cellphone, in an attempt to guide him out of the office when the agents came in search for him; Agent Smith’s extraordinary ability to take another person’s body e.g. taking the body of the cop and the body of the old homeless man sleeping in the subway station; and lastly, Neo’s superpowers as “The One.”
III. Technology can promise a better place/ a better humanity:
One good example from the movie which showed us that technology can promise a better place/ a better humanity was seen in the scene where Morpheus asked Neo to decide which pill to take: the “Red Pill” or the “Blue Pill.” As Morpheus has explained to Neo, the “Blue Pill” will erase his memory of Morpheus, Trinity, and everything that he knows about “The Matrix” at that point of time. He will wake-up as if nothing happened and continue to live his life as a part of the “Real World” as he himself has known it to be.
The “Red Pill,” on the other hand, promises the truth, freedom, a better place, and a better humanity. It will take Neo to the world that is not generated by “The Matrix,” to the “Real World,” as Morpheus called it. In that world he will live in a ship named Nebuchadnezzar, wherein he will meet the rest of Morpheus’s crew: Apoch, Switch, Cipher, Trinity, Tank, Dozer, and Mouse. By choosing the “Red Pill,” Neo will be able fulfill the prophecy by saving the human race from being slaves to the Matrix-generated world.
Technology can promise a better place/ a better humanity and this was emphasized by Neo himself on the final part of the movie, where he said the following:
I know you’re out there, I can feel you now, I know that you’re afraid, you’re afraid of us, you’re afraid of change. I don’t know the future, I didn’t come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it is going to begin. I’m going to hang-up this phone and then I’m going to show these people what you don’t want them to see. I’m going to show them a world without you. A world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from here is a choice I leave to you.
IV. Technology can serve as a means of overcoming death:
An example from the movie which showed us that technology can serve as a means of overcoming death was seen in the scene where Neo was shot dead by Agent Smith, but came back to life as “The One.” Equipped with superpowers, unsurpassable by anyone else, the resurrected Neo effortlessly destroyed Agent Smith. This time, he didn’t have to dodge the bullets, the bullets froze and fell right in front of him. This time, he didn’t have to see people and things in a way that was generated by “The Matrix,” his eyes saw them in their real digital form.
After the short battle, he went back to the “Real World” into the arms of Trinity, and began his quest to save the human race from “The Matrix.” Although not everyone in the movie was able to overcome death in a way that Neo did, (Mouse, Apoch, Switch, Dozer, Cipher, Agent Smith, and almost even Morpheus all died for good) his resurrection showed us that technology does not only allow us to extend ourselves and to overcome the limitations of our human flesh; technology also allows us to overcome death.
V. Technology can serve as a means of surveillance:
An example from the movie which showed us that technology can serve as a means of surveillance was seen in the scene where the phone call between Trinity and Cipher was being tapped, resulting to Trinity almost getting arrested by the police and killed by the agents.
Other scenes from the movie which further showed us in detail, how technology can serve as a means of surveillance included: the scene in which a robot-like “bug” was inserted by the agents inside Neo’s body to survey him; the scenes which show Tank’s primary job back in the ship. He is in-charge of surveying the Matrix-generated world, while the rest of his team goes back in there. He effectively leads them around different places and tells them where the nearest phone is located in order to bring them back into their world all by means of surveillance.
Indeed, technology can serve as a means of surveillance and this was emphasized by Morpheus himself when he first met Neo face-to-face and said the following:
The Matrix is everywhere; it is all around us; even now in this very room. You can see it when you look out of your window, or when you’re turning your television. You can feel it when you go to work, when you go to church, when you pay your taxes. It is the world that had been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.
Conclusion and Questions to Ponder:
This film response has used the concept/ idea that there is a special kind of relationship between humans and technology, that goes far beyond that of simply “a person” who uses “a thing” for his/ her own purposes and desires. The Matrix, exemplified such a concept by presenting to its audience that first, technology can separate people from each other (Alienation); second, technology can serve as an extension of the self (Overcoming the limitations of the flesh); third, technology can promise a better place/ a better humanity; fourth, technology can serve as a means of overcoming death; and fifth, technology can serve as a means of surveillance.
The Matrix effectively showed us that the relationship between humans and technology is not as simple as we think. A human utilizing a technology for his/her own purposes and desires is only but the beginning of it all. Realizing this complexity, however, raises several questions that I would like you to think about: Does technology separate people from each other? Or does it bring people closer to each other? Does it promote conflict or cooperation? Given a choice, where would you prefer to exist: in the “Real World” or in the “Virtual World”? Is it possible to improve the “Real World,” based on what we are learning in the “Virtual World”? Does technology help us to protect our privacy? Or does it make us more vulnerable? Ultimately, who has power over the other? Humans or technology? Does the relationship between humans and technology lean more on the positive side or on the negative side?
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