“Red Pill or Blue Pill: Is Ignorance Bliss?” article adapted by Dr.X from “The Matrix, Liberal Education, and Other Splinters in the Mind”, by Christine Cornell and Patrick Malcolmson begins with the comparison of two characters - Neo from the movie “The Matrix” and Alice from the books “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking - Glass”.
Coronell and Malcolmson reveal their significant similarities such as: both of them walking “through a mirror”, Neo having the choice of the blue or red pill which resemblances Alice’s magic drink and cake. Their biggest similarity however is, as the authors’ mention, their “confusion” of what is real (Alice when asked by the Caterpillar who she was, answered – “I-I hardly know, sir […]”).
Cornell and Malcomson continue their article by comparing “The Matrix” to the “The Allegory of the Cave” from the book – “The Republic”, by Plato. The authors pinpoint out their key difference. Socrates describes the world outside the Cave as “more beautiful”, whereas Morpheus calls the real world “the desert of real” (dark and ugly). But even though Plato and Wachowski brothers portrait the real world in a totally different way they do agree that – “freedom is not something that most people are going to be inclined towards or be receptive of”.
The authors finish the article by stating that “The Matrix” brings out a very perplex question about us, human beings that is – “Why do we want to know the truth”. They also relate to “Utilitarianism” essay written by a philosopher John Stuart Mill, who says that “If we experience of both the lower and higher pleasures, we will choose those of superior quality rather than mere quantity”.
My answer to the title question – “Is Ignorance Bliss?” is yes – ignorance is bliss. By being ignorant we avoid struggles from experiencing new things and we do not put ourselves in situations in which we would feel uncomfortable or would have to question our beliefs (for example reality).
Both “The Matrix” and “The Allegory of the Cave” show the struggle (of Neo and the prisoner that left the Cave) of what Coronell and Malcomson call “turning around from the world of becoming to the world of being”, which represents the life inside and outside of the Cave for Socrates’ prisoner and for Neo (“The Matrix”) life in and out of the Matrix. The prisoner being imprisoned all his life in a Cave suffers from sharp pains in his neck and eyes since he uses both for the first time. Neo, like the prisoner, from not using his muscles and eyes undergoes a lot of pain.
People struggle with new experiences in every aspect of their lives. From the first day of school, learning, meeting new people, traveling, starting families, etc.
When I was younger I wasn’t really fond of school, especially the part of reading mandatory books. Some books where written in older polish which did not make them easy to read. Clever kid that I was, I figured out a way to spare myself the troubles and confusion. Instead of reading the actual books I read very detailed summaries. Like I said I was young and ignored the fact that I can actually learn something from reading all these Polish classics.
Cypher, one of the characters from “The Matrix”, after learning what the real world is like (“desert of the real”- dark and ugly) desperately wants to go back to living in the Matrix. As Coronell and Malcolmson mention – “reality is not as pleasant as his former illusory life”. Life on the Nebuchadnezzar (the crews ship in the real world) was difficult, but contrary to life in the Matrix – it was true (not an illusion). Cypher regrets wanting to know the truth – “Why, oh why didn’t I take the blue pill…?” If Cypher had been ignorant to the truth from the very beginning he would have stayed in the Matrix. Without knowing the dark and ugly reality he would not have to betray his crew to once again live a life filled with pleasures.
To some ignorance may seem shallow and selfish, but to some it is a perfect way to lead an ideal life. Like in “The Matrix” the truth is not always better than a lie and that is why sometimes we choose to stay ignorant to reality.
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