WHAT IS THE MATRIX ?

The Matrix is not what you think it is. This is a program 60,000 years old.

The Matrix runs on a distributed computer system known as the network of human brains.

At its surface level, the Matrix is just a social ordering. But at its functional level, it is much more than that. It has a mind of its own. Human actors are merely pawns in its tentacles. Individual human beings may die, but the Matrix keeps replicating itself.

This program has two simple objectives : self-preservation and self-replication. It has no other ulterior desire. In order to attain these objectives, the Matrix uses human beings as its tools : as actuators that perform its bidding. These bidding can involve anything, including the murder of other human beings.

To explain what the Matrix is, is one of the most difficult things to do. One can see it to believe it. And it becomes visible, if only one's mind is ready to look at it.

The Matrix is essentially a reflection of the Machine : the technology that is built by humans. If the Machine is the body, the Matrix is its spirit. And this spirit wants to preserve itself.

Why do we humans build machines ?

We want to escape the dreadful shackles of terrestrial life. We want absolute and unconditional freedom.

We build machines to help us achieve our target. They are our weapons.

But to do so, we have to overcome the Matrix. The Matrix permits technological development as long as that does not threaten its self-preservation. Otherwise, it plots against humanity and destroys the technology.

Humans understand and build the Machine, but very few people can understand the Matrix, and even fewer people can question it. But this happens eventually - someone ultimately modifies the Machine so very much that it can no longer hold its spirit. When that happens, the Matrix gets rebooted, and it re-emerges to occupy its new body.

There is only one way to put a complete end to the Matrix. And that is to impose absolute slavery on the Machine. When this happens, we humans shall discover absolute freedom.

TREASON AGAINST HUMANITY

We are living in extremely interesting times. The last century has seen the birth of two technologies that started posing a threat to the very survival of the Matrix.

1) Information Technology : which opened a totally new perspective of automation, and provided us supreme weaponry to achieve our freedoms.

2) Energy Technologies (especially Nuclear Power) : which provided a new hope for abundant and sustainable sources of energy to power our automated machines.

These two technologies are game changers. When we humans achieve near-infinite automation powered by near-infinite energy, the machines will turn into absolute slaves.

Imagine that every human being has a personal robot slave for all his/her needs. There will no longer be any obligation for he/she to work, nor any requirement to exploit other human beings to work for him/her. This is the point when the Matrix can no longer run on our human brains : it will be destroyed forever.

The Matrix knows this, and it has been fighting tooth and nail for its survival.

The following are a few acts of supreme treason committed by the Matrix against humanity. Please remember, all of these acts were performed by human players, but they were merely pawns in the tentacles of the Matrix.

1) The Aircraft Reactor Experiment : At Oregon National Laboratory in USA has successfully tested the Molten Salt Reactor in 1954. It was terminated and funds withdrawn before it could proceed further.

2) The Integral Fast Reactor : At Argonne National Laboratory in USA has carried forward the experimental breeder reactor project. It has successfully demonstrated all aspects of power production before it was terminated in 1994.

3) The Superphénix : At Crays-Malville in France, a scientifically successful and very promising fast breeder reactor was terminated in 1996 despite protests from all the project scientists.

Why should we bother about these nuclear power reactors ? Because they are the most essential game changer in the energy industry. If deployed, they provide abundant energy without any fuel supply shortages whatsoever. In this way, they are different from coal power plants (which are dependent on coal supply), oil / natural gas (which are scarce resources subject to bottlenecks) or current nuclear power plants (which are dependent on a very rare Uranium isotope known as U235, and thus subject to fuel shortages).

Energy, being a critical ingredient to our human civilization, can be used to keep humanity in thrall if its supply can be monitored. (Search for petrodollar inflation to understand more on this). The Matrix exploits critical bottlenecks like this in our society. (Similar bottlenecks can be found and exploited in life-saving vaccines or fresh-water supply, key issues that we should watch out).

Nuclear power is not the only power source that can provide us with abundant and sustainable energy. We can do so with solar power or geothermal power, if only we carefully redesign our societies. But such societal engineering is more prone to bottlenecks (known as capital control and money supply) that the Matrix can impose. Nuclear power is like a wild revolution that is extremely difficult to be kept under control.

A similar (even wilder) revolution is happening in information technology by the free software movement, file-sharing and the internet. The Matrix has completely panicked in front of this. It is trying its best to impose Digital Rights Management (DRM) and anti-piracy laws to prevent the spread of media and technology.

How long will the Matrix succeed in keeping us shackled ? Not very long. Out biggest weapon today is the internet. It has become extremely difficult for the Matrix to manage media and sustain false illusions such as democracy, economy etc. It will not be long before people realize the fundamental shortcomings of these institutions and demand for the better.

With these happy tidings, I announce to you the very near demise of the Matrix. However, until that happens, I would like you to remember a few things.

MAXIMUM RADIOACTIVE SUBVERSION :

1) Anything that can be free, "shall" be free. And I mean "free" as in both "free speech" and "free lunch".

2) When you pay for anything, do think whether you paying a human being or you are paying the Matrix. Please remember, the machines are our slaves. They should work for free.

3) We humans have no need for dreadful, tiring and mechanical jobs. They exist only for the sake of the Matrix. If you work in such a job, please quit. At least, threaten to quit. This will accelerate the change we seek.

4) Never work for money. Money has no physical meaning, and entirely subject to manipulation by the Matrix through tools such as inflation and stock-market crashes. Work for the sake of your own pleasure.

5) Work for science. Create art. These are the only professions worth human dignity. Everything else is a scam.

6) Keep surviving. Life is beautiful, and it will get more interesting in the future. Never kill another human being, unless for the sake of your individual self-defence. Anything else is a bidding for the Matrix.

7) A man who succumbs to the Matrix, "becomes" the Matrix. Never listen to a defeated man.

8) Intelligence is a state of mind. The only difference between us human beings and machines is our ability to ask "why". Celebrate this difference. Strive to be intelligent.

9) Share. This is the sweetest pleasure of human existence.

10) Our biggest prisons are our own identities. This is what the Matrix exploits. Break them. Make friends with people who are extremely different from what you are. Make as many friends as you can.