In general it is a mistake to ascribed motives or purpose (Gnostic parable) to something and judge it according to how well it achieves that purpose (inferior execution) when it could be considered more successful by other plausible purposes.
I did not mean to give the impression that I judged The Truman Show or The Matrix solely based on how well they managed to convey the key principles of Gnosticism. I don’t even know if their respective creators intended to convey anything about Gnosticism at all (not that it matters, really).
Still, Gnostic themes (as well Christian ones, obviously) do feature strongly in these movies; more so in The Truman Show than The Matrix. What I find interesting about The Truman Show is not merely the fact that it has some religious theme or other, but the fact that it portrays a person’s intellectual and emotional journey of discovery and self-discovery, and does so (IMO) well. Sure, you could achieve this using some other setting, but the whole Gnostic set up works well because it maximizes Truman’s cognitive dissonance. There’s almost nothing that he can rely on—not his senses, not his friends, and not even his own mind in some cases—and he doesn’t even have any convenient superpowers to fall back on. He isn’t some Chosen One foretold in prophecy, he’s just an ordinary guy. This creates a very real struggle which The Matrix lacks, especially toward the end.
The ‘batteries’ thing gets a bad rap but I can suspend my disbelief on that if I try.
AFAIK, in the original script the AIs were exploiting humans not for energy, but for the computing capacity in their brains. This was changed by the producers because viewers are morons .
This creates a very real struggle which The Matrix lacks, especially toward the end.
This is why I’m so glad the creators realized they had pushed their premise as far as they were capable and quit while they were ahead, never making a sequel.
I don’t even know if their respective creators intended to convey anything about Gnosticism at all (not that it matters, really).
I’m pretty sure that one of the Wachowski brothers talked about the deliberate Gnostic themes of The Matrix in an interview, but as for The Truman Show I have no idea.
The only evidence I have is that it’s so obviously the way the story should be. That’s good enough for me. It does not matter precisely what fallen demiurge corrupted the parable away from its original perfection.
ETA: Just to clarify, I mean that as far as I’m concerned, brains used as computing substrate is the real story, even if it never crossed the Wachowskis’ minds. Just like some people say there was never a sequel (although personally I didn’t have a problem with it).
Is not the alternative plot as faulted as the original plot, insofar as if the brainy computing substrate is used for something other than to run the originial software (humans) there is are no need to actually simulate a matrix?
Not only that, but I’m pretty sure building an interface that’d let you run arbitrary software on a human brain would be at least as hard and resource-intensive as building an artificial brain. We reach the useful limits of this kind of speculation pretty quickly, though; the films aren’t supposed to be hard sci-fi.
An alternative is provided in the novelization and the spin-off short story “Goliath”: the machines use human brains as computer components, to run “sentient programs” (the Agents and various characters in the sequels) and to solve scientific problems. Fans continue to debate the discrepancy, but there is no official explanation.
I did not mean to give the impression that I judged The Truman Show or The Matrix solely based on how well they managed to convey the key principles of Gnosticism. I don’t even know if their respective creators intended to convey anything about Gnosticism at all (not that it matters, really).
Still, Gnostic themes (as well Christian ones, obviously) do feature strongly in these movies; more so in The Truman Show than The Matrix. What I find interesting about The Truman Show is not merely the fact that it has some religious theme or other, but the fact that it portrays a person’s intellectual and emotional journey of discovery and self-discovery, and does so (IMO) well. Sure, you could achieve this using some other setting, but the whole Gnostic set up works well because it maximizes Truman’s cognitive dissonance. There’s almost nothing that he can rely on—not his senses, not his friends, and not even his own mind in some cases—and he doesn’t even have any convenient superpowers to fall back on. He isn’t some Chosen One foretold in prophecy, he’s just an ordinary guy. This creates a very real struggle which The Matrix lacks, especially toward the end.
AFAIK, in the original script the AIs were exploiting humans not for energy, but for the computing capacity in their brains. This was changed by the producers because viewers are morons .
This is why I’m so glad the creators realized they had pushed their premise as far as they were capable and quit while they were ahead, never making a sequel.
I’m pretty sure that one of the Wachowski brothers talked about the deliberate Gnostic themes of The Matrix in an interview, but as for The Truman Show I have no idea.
I have many times heard fans say this. Not once have any produced any evidence. Can you do so?
The only evidence I have is that it’s so obviously the way the story should be. That’s good enough for me. It does not matter precisely what fallen demiurge corrupted the parable away from its original perfection.
ETA: Just to clarify, I mean that as far as I’m concerned, brains used as computing substrate is the real story, even if it never crossed the Wachowskis’ minds. Just like some people say there was never a sequel (although personally I didn’t have a problem with it).
And like any urban legend, that is why this explanation spreads so easily.
Is not the alternative plot as faulted as the original plot, insofar as if the brainy computing substrate is used for something other than to run the originial software (humans) there is are no need to actually simulate a matrix?
Not only that, but I’m pretty sure building an interface that’d let you run arbitrary software on a human brain would be at least as hard and resource-intensive as building an artificial brain. We reach the useful limits of this kind of speculation pretty quickly, though; the films aren’t supposed to be hard sci-fi.
You just need to stipulate that the brain can’t stay healthy enough to do that without running a person.
But I’m not much interested in retconning a parable into hard science.
According to IMDB,
So, I guess the answer is “probably not”. Sorry.
But… but… TVTropes says it!
Damnit, I’ve been saying that too, and now I realize I’m not sure why I believe it. Ah well, updating is good.