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Although both films The Matrix and eXistenZ pose similar questions, they took different routes in asking them. There were many similarities between these films, for instance; both films made the viewer question what is real and how can reality be determined, both films were set in an unknown time, with a male lead character that was ignorant to the “truth” in the beginning until it was forced upon him and both films required a person to be “plugged in” to false reality. However that’s where the similarities end, while The Matrix involved humanities fight for survival eXistenZ was based on a very sophisticated video game.
The film existenz was a take on how connected society is to technology and how detrimental that can be in determining the difference between reality and fantasy. As opposed to the technology used in the matrix which was more machine-like, the film existenz used a more organic form of technology with its placenta-like game pods. With its ports plugging directly in the human central nervous system is easy to understand how confusing differentiating game life from real life would be. As seen in most social networking sites, people have an alternate personality while connected to sites such as facebook, myspace or twitter. While connected to existenz players have an overpowering in-game personality that they slowly learn to control. In the game there was a pre-programmed path or destiny for each character, other characters wouldn’t even respond unless you asked them the right question, therefore unlike real life there was a pre-set goal or ultimate conclusion. However as deep and thought provoking existenz was, it was still only a “game”.
In the film the matrix, the directors wanted to show that unlike in existenz we didn’t choose a fantasy world, instead it is unknowingly forced on us. This makes the viewer think more in depth about the reality of their own existence.
Although existenz was thought provoking and made me ask questions such as “if technology can become so organic is it still considered technology?” I still believe the matrix was more culturally relevant for the fact that unlike a video game where you have a choice of whether you wanted to participate the matrix was unavoidable. The matrix questions reality in a more meaningful way because everyone was a part of it not just those who purchased a port.

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so today i decided to change my final completly im using a different meduim altogether i have to let louie know now

words

my goal is to figure out what medium i will use for my final

so i will diplay photos and some video over possibly the beatles song piggies or springsteens american skin

seventeen

i think im gonna make a music video..... so now im searching for a song

ehhhh....

Although it is a possibility that we do live in the matrix, that doesn’t rule out the face that we may also may not live it, because after all it’s only a possibility. I do not believe we are living in the matrix because for one, it hasn’t been proven to me and because some of the ideas seem a little farfetched.
I believe reality only extends as far as the limitations of my mind allows it to. With that being said many theories would have to be proven to me before I can believe it. I say many because there are still exceptions such as God and time. I believe the theory of a time exist only because I’ve been that it does. Since we can travel back and forth through time but only for an hour and only during daylight savings, who is to say it has to stop there? Since no one can be told what the matrix is and it hasn’t been shown to me I will have to remain a non-believer until I get that phone call. Being that anything is possible however not everything is probable some of the ideas from the movie see farfetched. Machines that have evolved to the point where they are not controlled by humans, or pills that alter your reality or change your destiny extend the reaches of my mind, therefore I can’t believe it. I’m sure at one point cell phones or flashlights seemed farfetched or out of reach for one’s mind, until they were proven to be real. Well that’s the moment I’m waiting for, when the farfetched is ordinary and theory is reality.
If all I know about reality is what has been shown and proven, is it considered belief, ignorance or skepticism? I think its belief but maybe because that’s all I know. So until I know that the matrix exist and has been shown and proven to me like it was to Neo and anyone else who was freed I will remain an ignorant skeptic.