John’s Blog

Today we watched the Matrix, (i know cool right?) and for all you who have seen it, I would like you too think a little deeper about it. If you have not seen the movie, I strongly suggest seeing it, and with these thoughts in mind…

The Matrix: In the movie, the matrix is an alternate reality created for humans to live in while they are being used as batteries for the evil machines that now inhabit the earth. No one knows this, save a few freedom fighters led by a man named Morpheus. I think that the Matrix represents what people want you to believe, the kind of coporate media giants who control television and such. So the freedom fighters areee.. bloggers?

Reality: Truth. Not finding one’s identity through the world, to be vaugly spiritual.

Names

Neo: this name is rather simple… Neo is supposed to be ‘The One” and it has the same three letters, albeit in a different order. Neo is also a Latin prefix meaning “New”

Morpheus: the Roman/Greek god of Dreams, this is a fitting name for the character who gives people the option of getting out of the matrix.

Trinity: I’m not sure what the significance of her name is… Trinity is one of the “freedom fighters” who is prophesied over by the oracle to fall in love with “The One”. In the Christian teachings, the Trinity is the name ascribed to the three-in-one God of the Old and New testaments. (Its kind of confusing, but there’s God the father, who created everything, Jesus, who died for the punishments of others, and then there’s the Holy Spirit, a more personal relation to God who dwells in  his people and directs and comforts them. I have no idea what that has to do with the Matrix though…)

Zion:I think Zion is a reference to the Jewish homeland which God promised them, according to the Torah. It’s also used as a name for heaven, so in the Matrix when Morpheus and Co. are trying to get to Zion, avoiding the enemies can be a parallel to the christian walk of staying true to their path, avoiding evil and ultimately fulfilling God;s plan and gathering with the rest of their kin in heaven, like Morpehus wants to find and live with the remains of Humanity. The matrix version is a little darker, but the simularity is evident.

Nebuchadnezzer: Was a great powerful conquering babalyonian king. Also, he plays a role in the Judeo-Christain story, but not that i think relates to The Matrix… just that Morpheus is kind of conquering evil i guess.

Good movie. Watch it.

A public service announcement (PSA) or community service announcement (CSA) is a non-commercial advertisement broadcast on radio or television, ostensibly for the public interest. PSAs are intended to modify public attitudes by raising awareness about specific issues.

Project Think: Different (apparently that name may no longer be!) is creating an Anti-Violence Public Service Announcement this summer. Doing some research, the BYF (Boston Youth Fund) team spent a chunk of time watching a handful pf PSAs, rating them, and discussing what was affective in getting the point across.

My favorites were “Textual Harrasment” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2gIEqW-lL8

and “Father Involvement” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A2Ap3DyvLg

The first, because it actually hit me pretty hard. Even though it was a hyperbole, i realized that texting youre significant other too much can not just be annoying, it can be abusive and controlling. Also, the PSA reached me in a way that was funny but still made me think.

The second i just thought was brilliant, because, like the first, it involved humor to make a serious point. I liked how the PSA did it focusing on the positive (the father helping his daughter) instead of the negative (the father not being there when the fdaughter needed him)

Anyway. Check ‘em out.