I’ve seen a lot of community-building efforts in my day. I’ve seen families and clubs and organizations, and philosophies and churches and governments. I’ve seen online forums and blogs and mailing lists strive in their own unique ways to bring us together with shared experiences and unifying themes.
I’ve never seen anything like “The Matrix” for getting people to talk to each other.
In simple terms, the Wachowski brothers made three cool B movies — “The Matrix,” “The Matrix: Reloaded,” and “The Matrix: Revolutions” — where machines have taken over the world and the few plucky humans left are desperately struggling to triumph with heart and soul and wicked special effects.
But when we delve into the layers beneath, we find that a significant percentage of humanity (and the entire Internet) has quickly merged into new identities that transcend previous, lesser loyalties, like family or race. Even people who have never before fit comfortably into a social niche now have a choice of two bustling, thriving communities to call their own: Liked It or Didn’t Like It.
This is because you can use the rich, complex themes of the Matrix movies to discuss anything. The nature of reality, pre-destination vs. free will, capitalism vs. terrorism, martyrdom themes in religion, the world-as-myth, the feasibility of sneaking up on an opponent while wearing vinyl, anything. Since seeing “Revolutions,” my teenage son and I have truly bonded. I’ve told him about the rich history of literature, religion and philosophy that “The Matrix” draws upon for ideas, and he’s taught me the cross-hunting game where you watch the movies and count how many crucifix shapes you can spot (Answer: a lot).
Our office has spent hours going over the hidden meanings and plot points and already I feel closer to my coworkers than ever before, especially since we were on the clock the whole time.
I look forward to finally seeing something replace astrological signs as quick personality tests in bar pickups. “Hey, babe, I thought the Trinity scene was way too schmaltzy. Want to dance?”
Or perhaps “Single White Female. Enjoys Italian food, cats, and analyzing socio-religious themes regarding the fragile nature of perceptible reality and handguns. Non-smoker.”
Unfortunately, like other deeply personal subjects (politics, religion, computer operating systems, etc), “The Matrix” debates also produce extremists who tolerate no other opinions but their own and congregate in armed enclaves to fire thousand-word e-mails at each other.
I visited an online forum yesterday and innocently mentioned that I thought Neo (played by Keanu Reeves) should have been more proactive in the sequels instead of looking like he was waiting for George Carlin to show up with a phone booth (which would have been really cool, by the way).
Almost immediately I was overcome with responses from the “Loved It And Have Watched It Nonstop Since Last Wednesday” loyalists telling me why I was so completely, utterly wrong and stupid and smelly and a terrorist and a typical American filmgoer and fat.
This volley was followed by an equally rabid defense of my opinions, including a few I didn’t actually have, from the “Thought It Was A Thousand Times Worse Than Hitler” insurgents. I felt like I had just strolled in between Israeli and Palestinian forces and playfully fired off a cap gun.
The vast majority of us in the middle — the “It Was OK, I Guess” moderates — have discovered that diplomacy simply doesn’t work in this war. You’re either with them or a traitorous critic.
But even among these eternally struggling enemies “The Matrix” experience provides something eternal and universal, a simple, shining truth that all of us, young and old, can believe in:
They were still better than the Star Wars prequels.