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Matrix rule(s) (lemmy.blahaj.zone)

submitted 7 months ago by squirrel@lemmy.blahaj.zone to c/196@lemmy.blahaj.zone

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And for anyone who wants to check: US release of "The Matrix" was March 31st 1999

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[-] itslilith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 108 points 7 months ago

The Wachowskis are both trans and the matrix can famously be read as a trans allegory

[-] acockworkorange@mander.xyz 23 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

How’s that an allegory? Taking the red pill is waking to trans reality or something?

Edit: thanks everyone for your responses, it was eye opening. Time for a rewatch.

[-] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 61 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

[removed by mod]

[-] barsoap@lemm.ee 4 points 7 months ago

Who knows what else got cut?

Thermodynamics. The original idea was the machines using human brains as CPUs, execs said "the audience doesn't know what computation is" so they came up with that "humans generate energy" thing which is complete and utter inefficient nonsense.

[-] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

If people didn't understand the computing thing they could have just said it was designed to keep the human population under control and not rebelling against their machine overlords.

[-] barsoap@lemm.ee 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Yes but why keep humans around then, why not just kill them all off? Could be some "Robot Law" injunction, "don't harm humans", but I'd say introducing that would introduce complexity into the setting that detracts from the main themes.

"We're using humans for their computational power" doesn't need much history or exposition as it's a completely practical matter: Suspension of disbelief for minimum investment, a script writer's dream.

[-] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

Just compare it to adult children putting their elderly parents in a nursing home. Also, based on the Animatrix it seems like it has a lot more to do with keeping humans from fighting back and destroying the earth even more than it does with using them for computing power, since the machines didn't need human brains prior to building The Matrix.

[-] match@pawb.social 45 points 7 months ago

antidepressants vs HRT

[-] CaptDust@sh.itjust.works 26 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I was typing up a thesis, but this really sums it up, doesn't it lmao

[-] GluWu@lemm.ee 18 points 7 months ago

1000017303

[-] Xtallll@lemmy.blahaj.zone 27 points 7 months ago

The leading brand of estrogen in the 90s was red.

[-] xantoxis@lemmy.world 8 points 7 months ago

OH. Hah, I always thought this was one detail they got wrong for some reason, considering estradiol is bluegreen. Should have considered the context back then.

[-] FakeGreekGirl@lemmy.blahaj.zone 26 points 7 months ago

There's a lot. Like the way Agent Smith (representing the system) constantly disrespects Neo's identity and deadnames him.

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 18 points 7 months ago

Taking the red pill (estrogen at the time was a red pill) enables you to see that a lot of society is a facade and there are depths beyond it. In the real world that could be things like learning that there are people and lives that society refused to acknowledge like trans people

[-] Psaldorn@lemmy.world 8 points 7 months ago

Switch was meant to be trans (hence the name I think) and their in matrix visual identity was different to "reality". But corpos didn't like it.

[-] Abucketofpuppies@lemmy.world 7 points 7 months ago

I've always wondered the same. I've watched the trilogy multiple times looking for the trans parallels, but I don't really get it.

[-] drathvedro@lemm.ee 4 points 7 months ago

Thanks for choosing the right wording! It's certainly one of the ways to read it. And it's also a good idea to sometimes search for a new matrix theory and then doing a re-watch. It is mindblowing how many different, sometimes completely crazy yet beautiful narratives the original trilogy can fit to, all while also being enjoyable as is without any.