If the Matrix was real...

[Finnegan]

With the honourable exception of Best Toilet You've Ever Been In (excellent work @Milo) we're sadly lacking in weird threads on FoxesTalk these days.

 

So my attempt to remedy this is to run a poll and ask - if the Matrix was real, would you not just opt in?

 

With all of the rising fear about AI and people starting to mentally prepare themselves for the coming of our glorious robot overlords, I'm left dwelling on the Matrix and the way that world is presented in the film. In the film, the heroes put their own personal liberty so far atop their list of needs / wants that they'd rather drift around a ruined wasteland in a small metal submarine, dirty, cold, smelly and eating protein slop than let their body be used as a battery in exchange for their brain, essentially, getting to live as normal.

 

And the best part of this is that, all it takes is a little bit of awareness and you can shape that life. You can choose what you look like, you can choose what you're wearing, you can exaggerate your own strengths, you can be an idealised version of yourself.

 

So I'm just curious. If you were presented with the opportunity to live in the dying wasteland as yourself or give up your body to live in the Matrix, what would you actually choose?

 

 

[Sampson]

Absolutely.

 

Reminds me that in the space strategy computer game Stellaris, you can develop technology called Euphoria, which are these pills that turn all the people and aliens onto the planets in your empire into brain dead slobs, but brain dead slobs who are happy all the time. Their productivity goes down but their happiness becomes so high that they never rebel. You can either force your populations to take them or offer them legally for people to buy by choice.

 

Got to say I'd be incredibly tempted if it ever happened. Anything to shut up that doomongering **** of an inner-monologue in my head and just allow myself feel content in life.

[leicsmac]

Yes, and it's not a particularly difficult choice IMO.

 

The concept of placing such personal liberty over everything else to "escape" the drudgery of an office cubicle, an apartment and a Chinese takeaway on Friday nights is the one thing that appears dated about that movie these days. 

[leicsmac]

The above being said, the conversation with the Architect about the nature of the "choice" in the second movie remains as fresh as it ever was.

[Samilktray]

Yeah i'm not floating round in that submarine. I'd be walking round in a leather jacket, safe in the knowledge I don't use the clock tower as my social hub

[shen]

As silly as you're laying it out, it's essentially a question asking if people are religious or not. 
If it all went to hell (pun intended), then being plugged into the Matrix is probably a decent fate for humanity.

[Sampson]

12 minutes ago, shen said:

As silly as you're laying it out, it's essentially a question asking if people are religious or not. 
If it all went to hell (pun intended), then being plugged into the Matrix is probably a decent fate for humanity.

I wouldn't really say that. I think almost everyone would like to believe in a heaven and that we can see our loved ones again after death, but it doesnt mean almost everyone actually believes it.

[Zear0]

Given its reflected as “choose”, I struggle to understand why anyone would. Just develop a hard LSD habit topped up with DMT if that’s your bag.

 

I don’t like the idea of choosing how you’d look and behave in the slightest. Play the hand you’ve got to the best of your ability. Bit sharp, but if this your motivation then you’re a solid 10 on the insecurity scale.

 

Life is what it is as you have to deal with what you can’t control. Achievements matter because you’ve earned them. Not everyone becomes Mr. Universe, but the small wins are what makes life life. Too many people love their life online as is and nobody would say this is healthy to the soul. The league win meant more to use than some cheating gulf state winning 4 in a row as there was serious jeopardy behind it.

 

I wouldn’t swap my life for anyone’s as I’d be giving up my children, my full korok runs in BOTW and no hit run in DS1. On the gaming analogy, we’ve all cheated in games at some point and it just ruins it. It’s pointless. We all need challenges and consequences to live. Cheat code in The Matrix sounds absolutely awful and if you voted yes you’re nuts.

 

Great films though.