The System
2002-08-08 03:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
confliction"Do you want to know what IT IS? The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us, even now in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on 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 has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth."
"Like everyone else you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison for your mind. Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself."
"Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?"
"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. This is the world that you know."
"The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around. What do you see. Business men, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system, and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it. Were you listening to me Neo, or were you looking at the woman in the red dress?"
"Sentient programs. They can move in and out of any software still hard wired to their system. That means that anyone we haven't unplugged is potentially an agent. Inside the Matrix, they are everyone and they are no one. We have survived by hiding from them, by running from them. But they are the gatekeepers. They are guarding all the doors. They are holding all the keys, which means that sooner or later, someone is going to have to fight them."
Quotes from Morpheus, in the great film... The Matrix.
Morpheus... a name bestowed to only one person in history to my knowledge...
...the God of Dreams.
Sentient. Another interesting word.
Endowed with feeling and unstructured consciousness.
Being Sentient would therefor only imply the basic raw animal traits of humanity.
Bare this in mind.
Anyways, back to the film... those words.
Do they not ring a string within your very being?
Maybe not.
They are but a bunch of cleverly chosen words by a bunch of men who were making a comic book... which then became a film.
They are scripted.
Written by man.
For man.
But why those words?
Out of the thousands of words in the English dictionary and beyond... why those words?
In that order?
To produce that effect?
I can think of many possible reasons, here are but a few:
a) That's just the way it is... the way the cards fell as it were.
b) It was written in the stars... those words were destined to be uttered.
or, and just think for a moment...
c) Some unseen, subconscious force, that intertwines all of humanity... made those words.
I really need more quotes... but you'd be bored to death I'm guessing.
So I'll make do.
Basically... imagine that there is no 'big cheese' of life.
This is the concept I put to you.
The things that enslave humanity are not evil oppressors, or dictators... for they only enslave a few.
Humanity is not enslaved by some God or God's.
We do not, and will not bow to his or her whims, because he or she...
...does not exist.
We are enslaved by our very minds.
Fear.
Doubt.
And disbelief.
And yes... you need to 'Free...your...mind'
Let me explain more about this 'System'.
It's a clever thing.
Much smarter than me, or you...
...or friggin Einstein.
The System is there to preserve itself.
To keep mankind following it's impulses.
But what controls the System?
We do.
We... are the System.
The next time someone does something that breaks the 'norms' of the System...
...just watch the other parts of the System kick them back into shape.
They are ridiculed.
At worst... they are outcast.
But this my friends... will only set them free.
The System exists on many more levels than even I can understand right now.
It's driving forces extend from Greed, Glutence, Revenge and Hatred...
...to possibly misplaced trust, misplaced belief and misplaced knowledge. All positive things, that become negative, because they are mis-used.
Why does it preserve itself?
Because that is the driving force of all life.
The System preserves of Sentience.
The raw element of human nature, that resides within us all.
It wants to survive.
But what, may you ask, is threatening it's survival?
Consciousness.
Ever since man has been able to think for himself...
...he has been at war... with himself.
Before it was survival of the fittest.
Today, it's survival of the richest, greediest, nastiest, scum society can produce.
It's no longer for the species.
It's for a way of life.
Our conscience can set us free.
One must control their 'lower' urges...
...and think for themselves.
In order to be truely free...
...one must not worry about how they are received by humanity.
One must just be one thing.
Be yourself.
Think for yourself.
Live...
...for yourself.
Remember, this is just a concept.
It is therefore open to debate.
If you have any questions, or if anything wasn't clear.
Do not hesitate to ask...
...do not feel that you will be seen as a fool.
Who cares what anyone thinks?
Let them judge you.
Ignore them.
They are just preserving the system.
They depend on the System.
Popular people especially.
Successful people especially.
Please...
...ask questions.
I am not ashamed to post this.
You should help me fight the system.
Ask a question.
"Like everyone else you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison for your mind. Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself."
"Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?"
"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. This is the world that you know."
"The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around. What do you see. Business men, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system, and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it. Were you listening to me Neo, or were you looking at the woman in the red dress?"
"Sentient programs. They can move in and out of any software still hard wired to their system. That means that anyone we haven't unplugged is potentially an agent. Inside the Matrix, they are everyone and they are no one. We have survived by hiding from them, by running from them. But they are the gatekeepers. They are guarding all the doors. They are holding all the keys, which means that sooner or later, someone is going to have to fight them."
Quotes from Morpheus, in the great film... The Matrix.
Morpheus... a name bestowed to only one person in history to my knowledge...
...the God of Dreams.
Sentient. Another interesting word.
Endowed with feeling and unstructured consciousness.
Being Sentient would therefor only imply the basic raw animal traits of humanity.
Bare this in mind.
Anyways, back to the film... those words.
Do they not ring a string within your very being?
Maybe not.
They are but a bunch of cleverly chosen words by a bunch of men who were making a comic book... which then became a film.
They are scripted.
Written by man.
For man.
But why those words?
Out of the thousands of words in the English dictionary and beyond... why those words?
In that order?
To produce that effect?
I can think of many possible reasons, here are but a few:
a) That's just the way it is... the way the cards fell as it were.
b) It was written in the stars... those words were destined to be uttered.
or, and just think for a moment...
c) Some unseen, subconscious force, that intertwines all of humanity... made those words.
I really need more quotes... but you'd be bored to death I'm guessing.
So I'll make do.
Basically... imagine that there is no 'big cheese' of life.
This is the concept I put to you.
The things that enslave humanity are not evil oppressors, or dictators... for they only enslave a few.
Humanity is not enslaved by some God or God's.
We do not, and will not bow to his or her whims, because he or she...
...does not exist.
We are enslaved by our very minds.
Fear.
Doubt.
And disbelief.
And yes... you need to 'Free...your...mind'
Let me explain more about this 'System'.
It's a clever thing.
Much smarter than me, or you...
...or friggin Einstein.
The System is there to preserve itself.
To keep mankind following it's impulses.
But what controls the System?
We do.
We... are the System.
The next time someone does something that breaks the 'norms' of the System...
...just watch the other parts of the System kick them back into shape.
They are ridiculed.
At worst... they are outcast.
But this my friends... will only set them free.
The System exists on many more levels than even I can understand right now.
It's driving forces extend from Greed, Glutence, Revenge and Hatred...
...to possibly misplaced trust, misplaced belief and misplaced knowledge. All positive things, that become negative, because they are mis-used.
Why does it preserve itself?
Because that is the driving force of all life.
The System preserves of Sentience.
The raw element of human nature, that resides within us all.
It wants to survive.
But what, may you ask, is threatening it's survival?
Consciousness.
Ever since man has been able to think for himself...
...he has been at war... with himself.
Before it was survival of the fittest.
Today, it's survival of the richest, greediest, nastiest, scum society can produce.
It's no longer for the species.
It's for a way of life.
Our conscience can set us free.
One must control their 'lower' urges...
...and think for themselves.
In order to be truely free...
...one must not worry about how they are received by humanity.
One must just be one thing.
Be yourself.
Think for yourself.
Live...
...for yourself.
Remember, this is just a concept.
It is therefore open to debate.
If you have any questions, or if anything wasn't clear.
Do not hesitate to ask...
...do not feel that you will be seen as a fool.
Who cares what anyone thinks?
Let them judge you.
Ignore them.
They are just preserving the system.
They depend on the System.
Popular people especially.
Successful people especially.
Please...
...ask questions.
I am not ashamed to post this.
You should help me fight the system.
Ask a question.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2002-08-07 09:22 pm (UTC)Cypher: Yeah.
Trinity: Is everything in place?
Cypher: You weren't supposed to relieve me.
Trinity: I know, but I felt like taking your shift.
Cypher: You like him, don't you? You like watching him.
Trinity: Don't be ridiculous.
Cypher: We're going to kill him, do you understand that?
Trinity: Morpheus believes he is the One.
Cypher: Do you?
Trinity: It doesn't matter what I believe.
Cypher: You don't, do you?
Trinity: Did you hear that?
Cypher: Hear what?
Trinity: Are you sure this line is clean?
Cypher: Yeah, of course I'm sure.
Trinity: I better go.
Mr. Rhineheart: You have a problem with authority, Mr. Anderson. You believe that you are special, that somehow the rules do not apply to you. Obviously you are mistaken. This company is one of the top software companies in the world because every single employee understands that they are part of a whole. Thus if an employee has a problem, the company has a problem. The time has come to make a choice, Mr. Anderson. Either you choose to be at your desk on time from this day forth or you choose to find yourself another job. Do I make myself clear?
(note. I am using the character references and quotes as a sorta allegory for the lives we live :)) (note #2, the names i used as people isn't wholly true to the allegory, though the Morpheus one would make alot of sense and my with Neo, some too except the whole one thing, thats too debateable)
Morpheus: Hello, Neo. Do you know who this is?
Neo: Morpheus.
Morpheus: Yes. I've been looking for you, Neo. I don't know if you're ready to see what I want to show you, but unfortunately you and I have run out of time. They're coming for you, Neo, and I don't know what they're going to do.
Neo: Who's coming for me?
Morpheus: Stand up and see for yourself.
Neo: What, right now.
Morpheus: Yes, now. Do it slowly. The elevator.
Neo: Oh shit.
Morpheus: Yes.
Neo: What the hell do they want from me?
Morpheus: I don't know, but if you don't want to find out I suggest you get out of there.
Neo: How?
Morpheus: I can guide you but you must do exactly as I say.
Neo: Ok.
Agent Smith: As you can see, we've had our eye on you for some time now, Mr. Anderson. It seems that you've been living two lives. In one life, you're Thomas A. Anderson, program writer for a respectable software company, you have a social security number, you pay your taxes, and you help your landlady carry out her garbage. The other life is lived in computers, where you go by the hacker alias Neo and are guilty of virtually every computer crime we have a law for. One of these lives has a future, and one of them does not. I'm going to be as forthcoming as I can be, Mr. Anderson. You're here because we need your help. We know that you've been contacted by a certain individual, a man who calls himself Morpheus. Now whatever you think you know about this man is irrelevant. He is considered by many authorities to be the most dangerous man alive. My colleagues believe that I am wasting my time with you but I believe that you wish to do the right thing. We're willing to wipe the slate clean, give you a fresh start and all that we're asking in return is your cooperation in bringing a known terrorist to justice.
Neo: Yeah. Wow, that sound like a really good deal. But I think I got a better one. How about I give you the finger... and you give me my phone call.
Agent Smith: Um, Mr. Anderson. You disappoint me.
Neo: You can't scare me with this Gestapo crap. I know my rights. I want my phone call.
Agent Smith: Tell me, Mr. Anderson, what good is a phone call if you're unable to speak.... You're going to help us, Mr. Anderson whether you want to or not.
to be continued...
(no subject)
Date: 2002-08-07 09:34 pm (UTC)Trinity: It's necessary, Neo. For our protection.
Neo: From what?
Trinity: From you.
Switch: Take off your shirt.
Neo: What?
Switch: Stop the car. Listen to me, Copper-top. We don't have time for twenty questions. Right now there's only one rule, our way or the highway.
Neo: Fine.
Trinity: Please, Neo. You have to trust me
Neo: Why?
Trinity: Because you have been down there, Neo. You know that road. You know exactly where it ends. And I know that's not where you want to be....
Morpheus: I can see it in your eyes. You have the look of a man who accepts what he sees because he's expecting to wake up. Ironically, this is not far from the truth. Do you believe in fate, Neo?
Neo: No.
Morpheus: Why not?
Neo: Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life.
Morpheus: I know exactly what you mean. Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know you can't explain. But you feel it. You've felt it your entire life. That there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is but it's there, like a splinter in your mind driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?
Neo: I can't go back, can I?
Morpheus: No. But if you could, would you really want to? I feel I owe you an apology. We have a rule. We never free a mind once it's reached a certain age. It's dangerous, the mind has trouble letting go. I've seen it before and I'm sorry. I did what I did because...I had to.
Neo: I know what you're trying to do.
Morpheus: I'm trying to free your mind, Neo, but I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it.
Morpheus: Unbelievable, isn't it?
Neo: God.
Trinity: What?
Neo: I used to eat there. Really good noodles. I have these memories from my life. None of them happened. What does that mean?
Trinity: That the Matrix cannot tell you who you are.
Neo: And an Oracle can?
Trinity: That's different.
Neo: Did you go to her?
Trinity: Yes.
Neo: What did she tell you?
Trinity: She told me...
Neo: What?
Agent Smith: Have you ever stood and stared at it, marveled at it's beauty, it's genius? Billions of people just living out their lives, oblivious. Did you know that the first Matrix was designed to be a perfect human world. Where none suffered. Where everyone would be happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept the program. Entire crops were lost. Some believed that we lacked the programming language to describe your perfect world. But I believe that as a species, human beings define their reality through misery and suffering. The perfect world was a dream that your primitive cerebrum kept trying to wake up from. Which is why the Matrix was redesigned to this, the peak of your civilization. I say your civilization because as soon as we started thinking for you it really became our civilization which is of course what this is all about. Evolution, Morpheus, evolution. Like the dinosaur. Look out that window. You had your time. The future is our world, Morpheus. The future is our time.
(Note #3, I'm posting loadsa quotes, so blame me if people get bored)
To be continued...
(no subject)
Date: 2002-08-07 09:38 pm (UTC)Trinity: No you're not.
Neo: I have to.
Trinity: Neo, Morpheus sacrificed himself so that he could get you out. There's no way that you're going back in.
Neo: Morpheus did what he did because he believed I am something I'm not.
Trinity: What?
Neo: I'm not the One, Trinity. The Oracle hit me with that too.
Trinity: No. You have to be.
Neo: Sorry, I'm not. I'm just another guy.
Trinity: No, Neo. That's not true. It can't be true.
Neo: Why?
Tank: Neo, this is loco. They've got Morpheus in a military controlled building. Even if you somehow got inside, those are agents holding him. Three of them. I want Morpheus back too, but what you're talking about is suicide.
Neo: I know that's what it looks like, but it's not. I can't explain to you why it's not. Morpheus believed something and he was ready to give his life for what he believed. I understand that now. But that's why I have to go.
Tank: Why?
Neo: Because I believe in something.
That final quote, is how i feel, that i am just someone guy, nothign special about me and yet like those i know I live for myself and my friends i don't cater to be loved, i don;t cater to be thought of as normal. I think JJ that you are also like this, your not one to conform. I think you see connections in movies like i do, maybe moreso than i, its hard to say i can't really compare us.
What i know is that, I have rarely fitted in, sure I've amassed friends and acquaintances and got 'popular' but I've always been on the fringe of everything, able to fit in systematically but never feel apart of it all. Life is a system, and we drive it, society as a whole is what the system is people yearn so much to be apart of it that they become ignorant i.e. Cypher: Ignorance is bliss. Outcasta are those that are free, of which you said, those that don;t fit have no limitations, except of those brought upon themselves. i try my hardest to exceed my limiations and it is that, that has distanced me further from the crowd... My life is a big mirror of Neo, but I'm not Keanu Reeves nor do i know Kung-Fu.
(no subject)
Date: 2002-08-07 09:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2002-08-08 08:42 am (UTC)