The Beginning: Welcome to the Matrix

A vast majority of the people in the United States, and the rest of the world for that matter, have either seen or heard of the Wojakowski brothers’ movie, “The Matrix”. But what the even greater majority don’t realize is that the movie is more than just a movie, it is a blueprint for looking at the world and universe in a different light. The premise was simple, the character Neo was given a choice to “unplug” from the matrix, aka the “system” and see the world as it really is, a very complicated computer program. Once unplugged, Neo comes to realize that humanity has become near extinct due to their self-destructive ways and inability to perceive the impact sophisticated technology could have if left unchecked. This post apocalyptic mind bender may seem like a standard doomsday movie at first glance, but when a second look and an open mind are applied while watching, new possibilities and deeper meanings emerge.
So what is the big deal? The biggest point made is that we are part of a system, a program, a script of sorts, and we are all within it and play our roles just like a bit of data in a computer, or number would in a computer model. The problem arises in that people don’t seem to be aware of this fact that they are part of a bigger picture, a larger stage if you will.
So even if it just a movie, take this into consideration. What is the function of all living things within the system? Think about it, I’ll give you some time to ponder this…Figured it out yet? That is correct, living things are born, they compete for mating privileges and for dominance, pass on their traits to their offspring, and then they die. If that is too simple of a way to explain it, I’ll describe the same cycle for humans only this time. They are born, they compete for mating privileges and for dominance, pass on their traits to their offspring, and then they die. That’s right, all living things are exactly the same, whether we like to admit it or not.
The system can be viewed as a large ranking and pecking order which with each passing generation is constantly shifting its order. A great example is the class system, everyone is constantly trying to improve their way of life in any way possible, or as I am referring to, increase their ranking. But thinking even bigger, this ranking system is not just limited to social classes and demographics. Consider the workplace for a second, are not employees constantly competing for the next promotion, more money, the corner office, or the next big project? Well, of course they are, that is the nature of things. The same rule of thumb holds true in most other situations as well. I’ll dive into that a bit later. This is only the beginning after all.
So how does that explain how a movie imitates life and this world? Well, if everyone has a ranking, then they could conceivably be assigned a number, and a number can be a place holder for a variable in a system or function, and then the variables can be manipulated within the system to predict and/or cause certain events to happen. If this assumption holds true, then the entire system we are part of is comprehendible, predictable, and can be controlled. In other words, statistics and common sense can explain and foresee most events within our system because we, as parts of this system, have the opportunity to be at the “computer” manually entering the input into the “program” as we see fit.