REFLECTION 5: A COMFORTING LIE OR THE HARSH TRUTH?
(photo from: https://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2020/may/18/why-is-elon-musk-telling-us-to-take-the-red-pill)
A COMFORTING LIE OR THE HARSH TRUTH?
(A reflection on the film The Matrix – 1999)
“Welcome to the desert of the real.”
- Morpheus
Blue pill or red pill?
One pill comforts you with ignorance; the other slaps you with the cruel truth.
The Matrix (1999) is filled with philosophical insights which inquires on different topics like Metaphysics, Epistemology, and more importantly, with Existentialism. Metaphysical inquiry was evident as the film posed questions about reality. The protagonists, after all, were running from a dream world (i.e. ‘the Matrix’) which distorts the very idea of reality. This resonates to our pandemic experience. With the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, we are forced to stay at home for our own and for others’ protection. The heavy constraints imposed on us before the efforts of vaccination became widespread stuck us in a ‘dream’; sadly, for many, they have become stuck in a nightmare. We have seen poor households struggling to provide for their daily needs as lockdowns made labor difficult. Other individuals were also caught in the seeming nightmare brought about by their abusive family members with whom they are stuck with during the pandemic. It is not the typical dream life nor the Matrix-esque 90’s world.
Neo’s taking of the red pill in the first act of the film and his whole arc is reminiscent to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. There were parallels to the allegory and the film: Neo, getting released from the pod is like that prisoner who departed from the cave; Neo complaining to Morpheus that his eyes hurt is just like that same prisoner whose eyes were hurt from seeing the bright world that is outside of the cave; and Neo returning to the Matrix for his ‘salvific’ mission as the One and getting attacked for his efforts is like that prisoner returning to the cave to liberate his fellows, but it got him killed.
When Neo asked, “Why do my eyes hurt?”, Morpheus answered him, “You’ve never used them before.” This is similar to our experience in reality; when we are so blinded by the different trivial stuff and faint notions about life (say, our material possessions, our hubris and arrogance) and suddenly we are exposed to the truth (that there are more to life than our wealth and aspirations, maybe), we experience getting hurt. The pain that we feel may not be physical, but they sure do penetrate our most inner being that we are left feeling ashamed and disgraced without all the inconsequential ornaments that blind us of reality.
The starting point that really drove the plot to its course was when Neo was asked to choose between the blue pill and the red pill. The blue pill, as Morpheus explains, ends the revelation of the Matrix and restarts him into believing whatever he wants to believe; the red pill, on the other hand, will further reveal to Neo the truth about the simulation. In life, we are constantly offered with these proverbial pills. The blue pill is offered by our comforts, be it our kainuman, ka-chismisan, our bed, favorite food, games, etc. All these are only for recreation or for our pastime. But, when we indulge too much with our comforts, our mind is shaped to ordain towards things that give us comfort; we tend to overdose ourselves with the blue pill. The red pill, on the other hand, is offered to us by the harshness of reality – its ugliness, wretchedness, chaos, the accompanying suffering and challenges. These things makes us uncomfortable; we feel uneasy and cranky in the face of reality. We try to avoid it at all cost; however, reality itself tells us that we cannot—we cannot but face it! The red pill is not only offered to us; it is actually forced down our throat. But, most of us would force to vomit it as it is unpleasant. And this is where our problems start.
If we all just take the blue pill, we become inert in the long run. We become willing victims to the system – not just ‘nakain ng sistema’ but ‘nagpapakain sa sistema.’ Our comforts enslave us, and we live a life that does not embrace the truth. Taking the blue pill would mean that we are just giving in to the system; does this not pose an ‘existential threat’ to our lives? On the other hand, if we take the red pill, we become uneasy; thus, we spring into action. We are forced to take part in this chaotic reality—a desolate and bleak land akin to a desert. Morpheus’ words to Neo resonates to us here: “Welcome to the desert of the real.” Accepting this reality would push us to move and do something, to get out of our comfort zone and realize our existential status. We make choices and stand on our principles.
In sum, The Matrix film is still a relevant film, especially now in a time of pandemic that we are facing a new reality. We better ask ourselves on what we are to take: the blue pill that will secure us with a comforting lie, or the red pill that will slap us with the cruel truth?