Essay 1
Eng 101
Dr Luke vasileiou
The choice of following illusion or accepting reality.
After analyzing my texts such as Plato, Oedipus and the Matrix, which I found the most accurate, has helped me understand the results of enlightenment versus enlightenment. My personal experiences as well as historical illusions had helped me shape my perceptions or reality and the effects it has on the other people. The adjustment to learning the truth is not an easy one. It hasn’t been easy for me, or the majority of people in the texts or throughout history. It has always been more convenient to follow lies than to search for the truth and accept it. Knowledge of its better than the illusionary world, even though it is a harsh reality. There are some people who seek it and some who don’t. There are people who wish to destroy the message or messengers of it. When the truth is revealed it presents different results for different people.
The Matrix was the most accurate account of giving up illusion and embracing truth compared to the other texts. They all shared a common theme, but it was more clearly displayed in the matrix. In reality, when you discover the truth you realize the cruel and terrible world w alive in Neo made the choice to take the red pill instead of the blue pill for enlightenment. When he learned the truth he embraced it and lived out his destiny as the one. Cipher didn’t share the same fate. He made a deal so he could go back to living a lie instead of the truth. The lie was more convenient than the reality of their world. He even said ignorance is bliss while waiting a steak that he knew wasn’t real. His betrayal and perception represented the majority of people’s thoughts.
Plato’s interpretations of giving up illusion showed the opposite world get the same struggles as the Matrix. Socrates told Gluconcon examples of how enlightenment affected prisoners. The Prisoners were in the cave and couldn’t see or understand the real world. When they left the dark cave, they experience hardships accepting a better world and adjusting to it. The truth as well as sunlight blinded them to the point that some of them wanted to go back into the cave. That was similar to cipher in the matrix. The difference was the fact that leaving the cave was a utopia and leaving the matrix was a dystopia. A dystopia as seen in #7 shows how blind people can’t see the truth.
Oedipus the King was a happy man until he learned his foul history and it drove him mad. He thought he earned his position and was a great leader. After finding out about his past he questioned more. Just like Neo questioned the past he questioned the same about his family. He searched for knowledge but couldn’t except it. In 750, 620 it showed how with the truth he still didn’t want to change his mind. His wife and mother Jocasta didn’t want him to question anything and except the lie. 1280, she said it was for him yet she killed herself rather than being exposed. Oedipus blinded himself physically to escape seeing his shame or other people’s reactions. He could still hear voices clearly and replayed it in his mind. This story showed the extremes people will go to when they don’t except the truth.
Just like Oedipus, history has shown religion can control people to the point where they close their minds. Religion practiced by most people teaches them not to learn from others and their way of life is true and accurate. This clouds people’s judgment and makes them slaves to it. There have been wars, more deaths because of it. These illusions keep people controlled and from seeking true enlightenment which coincides with nature and science. Oedipus believed in gods. His belief in them dictated a lot of his actions for the worst. The crusades were a war lead by people’s perceptions of their religions. Religion has shown us the vicious effects of people believing in illusions throughout history.
In my personal experience, I learned that there is no chance for world peace. When I lived up there that illusion, I was passive to the point of being bullied and over optimistic. That slowed my development and kept me blind to certain realities. I sought out knowledge like Neo and Oedipus. It revealed the truth. I handle it in a way of not corrupting myself, but it was a grim outlook. I also taught my friend about it like Socrates did to Gloucon about enlightenment. Belief in illusion has taught me to look at all my personal perceptions.
The texts, history, and my personal experience all showed the need for enlightenment and effects of it. All of the concepts where the same. I learned to question everything and except truth. Neo, the prisoners, Oedipus and his family all went through struggles when the truth was presented. The Matrix was the most accurate way of displaying the truth over the illusion. All of the texts showed the same concepts. The different concepts in the texts, history, and life can help shape ones perspective of embracing truth and giving up illusion. I chose to accept reality rather than to follow the beautiful illusion.
