It made me reflect about my life and what truth I'm looking for. I seek truth in so many ways. First, family is important. Without it, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I felt that Neo's new family was there for him. Because the future was not real. Neo never really had a family. What family he knew, was make-believe. Second, friends are few and far between. Who I've surrounded myself with is a reflection of who I am. Neo's friends were on a path to save the world. They never doubted who he was. Even though there were times that he didn't believe it, Morpheus was there to back him up. Good friends are always there for you when you need it. Lastly, speaking my truth is important to me. I think Neo knew that he was destined for something great. But, he didn't know how or what he would become. I see not only myself as someone who seeks to be better in life. But, I see the potential in others around me. I think Neo was someone who stayed true to who he was. In doing so, he was able to do great things.
Seeking knowledge was a theme in Plato's "Cave" and also in The Matrix. Neo had no idea who he was. He had the desire to find out what the Matrix was. But, he didn't know the risk or danger in finding out that knowledge. I think in many ways, we continue to seek out knowledge that we are curious about or have some urge to learn. In my life, I've been an observer of people and events. I have never thought about the danger or risk involved. But, I have used caution when faced with big decisions in my life. School was one of those decisions. Questions like "Would I succeed?" or "Why am I doing this?" I think all students have gone through some sort of questioning in their mind. For some, it's an easy decision. No risk involved. For others, there is a lot of risk. When I watched the Matrix, it brought up things in my life that I've pushed through and succeeded. I've always wanted to seek out more knowledge to challenge my mind. I think Neo was a perfect hero to remind us that when we seek more knowledge, we help not only ourselves but others even if there is a risk.
Overall, I enjoyed watching The Matrix. It's been awhile since I've seen the movie. This time, I watched with new eyes. In a lot of ways, I can say with more "mature" eyes. I liked that it reminded me not to give up when I'm faced with a challenge. Neo didn't give up! He took a risk to discover his truth. More importantly, he continued to seek out more knowledge which made him stronger!
Similarly, I found the theme of The Allegory of Cave and the Matrix both revolve around the process of learning too. Both story talks about how “prisoners”, or in the case of the Matrix, ordinary people, were suddenly exposed to the truth that what they see aren’t the reality. In the way of finding truth, everyone faced obstacles and pain. At first, they all deny enlightenment, but as time goes by, truth finds its way to assure its validity.
ReplyDeleteBut different from your opinion, I think that we all took risk in our life too, whether it’s big or small. In your case, for example, you might not notice the risk you’re taking when you choose to go to school: if you’re not doing well, you might disappoint your parents, waste thousands of dollars for tuitions, and waste your valuable time on trying. In most of the time, we would weigh the benefit and harm so we can choose what to do wisely, but sometimes, as in your case of having higher education, we would choose to go for the riskier road because we want to achieve something great. Although the higher you fly, the deeper you drop, we still want to take the chance to reach for the best.