But if our matrix is instead a co-creation of all of our consciousnesses, it may be more malleable than we've been led to believe ... If we want our consciousness to generate a better reality for us, the mythologies that pattern the stories we use to make sense of the world are as good of a place to start as any.
standing ovation WOW! I think this is one of my favorite commentaries from you!
I also agree it would've been great if Switch presented in different genders in different realities. Yet the whole trans framing by the co-directors has me thinking (once again) of how easy it is for humans to be shaped by fear -- even the ones inviting us to step out of fear and the illusions we've been living in. In the trans community, there's a story of self + collective victimization/oppression. There's this demand for validation that shapes the movement more than anything else. Yet every powerful social movement is based on something deeper: a consciousness shift that transcends personal traumas and individual stories, connecting us to something greater than ourselves. A willingness to stand firmly in our truth without a need for validation or controlling other people's beliefs. An ethic of love that benefits all and brings us all together regardless of our differences.
A pro-trans society would be better off without the woke mob prescribing everyone to think like them (or see the Matrix only through one lens). I think the woke mob is made up of the most insecure people. And If you struggled with self-worth as a child, the woke mob will shower you plenty (almost religiously as you say) if you play their tune. I've seen many progressives succumb to this false sense of empowerment that comes from having their beliefs and actions cheered on by a collective that demands conformity to the group’s narrative, even when that narrative might contradict deeper truths or more nuanced perspectives. And sadly, they begin wrapping their whole identity around what the woke mob wants and demands. I'm not saying this happened to the Matrix directors, but it has me thinking.
The new social justice era has turned progressive movements into superficial, watered down, hypersensitive spaces where identity and race are the only aspects of humanity that matter. Clearly, the consciousness shift that the Matrix movie calls for runs much deeper than gender identity. In the movie, humans -- regardless of their skin color and gender -- were all victims of a technological system of oppression woven into every corner of their lives.
Thanks for introducing me to French sociologist Jean Baudrillard's thinking and Danny Goler's experiments. It has me thinking we should a Matrix-themed newsletter??? ;)
A matrix themed newsletter could be good! There seems to be a new mythology emerging to explain the high strangeness inherent to reality and the matrix story fits right in there. In a sense, it merges ancient traditions (the world is an illusion) with modern philosophy and tech to retell the story of the power of consciousness for our modern world. The trans community may think it's all about them, but then again every neophyte begins their path to enlightenment thinking its all about them.