Avoid the Many Versions of the Matrix

Excellent post. And thank you for the “dopey” summary of the Matrix, I haven't seen the whole movie and your post would have made no sense without it. You make a very valid point though. If you really wanted to be fit, you wouldn't be watching the movie… if you really wanted to clean up the oil, you would be down in the gulf helping… and if youdon't want to be caught in the Matrix, you have to see that it really is all just a game.

The Matrix is an interesting, but oversimplified, expression of the problem. The choice between what is right/real and what is wrong/fake is seldom straightforward – and it's often those who tell you that you're being misled is are often themselves the ones trying to mislead you. And even when you've done your best to see through it, there's always the question of whether you've found what's right/real or are simply creating your own false reality. And when you suggest to others that you have “the truth”, are you becoming the weaver of your own web of deceit?

There is no spoon.

I really thought you were going to go off on Farmville again. LOL.

But to be serious, I'm in the Matrix right now and to be honest that is where I will be as I'm the sole provider for my family. The full time job is what is keeping us out of the poor house and in health care. No other company I know of has our health benefits package.

I did however take steps to break from a position that I am not satisfied with and make the move to another position within the company. I am also building my escape plan by consulting and speaking and shaving like crazy (shavenewworld.com, check it out.)

De Ja Vus and seeing things all part of it mate, I believe the mind can spin anything to believe it true, if you see the work of great hypnotists like Derren Brown you will know. Me and a lovely lady from India on Facebook want to both go to Nepal and be Shaolin Monks and give up chasing the dream which will always shift the goalposts, that's Capitalism for you! They say be careful what you wish for you may just get it ! Great blog mate I like it but then again was I supposed too??????

Great perspective to look at what seems to be real.

Our brains are hardwired to see someone else's experience and incorporate it as our own- that's the beauty of mirror neurons. You can visualize success, and it helps you make that a reality; you can watch someone else do something, and then repeat it yourself; you can predict someone else's behavior by watching what their doing and your brain does the math and lets you know what will happen next. This doesn't make others actions our own, but it does start to give us the tools and the learning by observing to make things happen in our own life.

Dr. Phil said a long time ago that there is no reality, only perception. You can choose how you react and feel about almost any event or circumstance. Figuring out that for every action, there is an equal (and sometimes opposite) reaction is basic physics, but in it's simplest form it means for every action there is an effect, positive or negative. The trick here is to figure out which rules are sacrosanct (like gravity) and which ones are more guidelines, which need to be flexible in application by their very nature (HR policies, the law.)

The “Real” is anything that compels authentic emotion: tears, anger, core laughter. I've trained myself to observe the environment/factors of the situations around which such reactions occur. Those are the “flags” to my true self and are the things I use as “pitons” to move forward/upward, metaphysically speaking. The rest is just noise.

I've often seen a correlation between modern day “life” and films like The Matrix. Man hopes in a better way of life and perhaps that explains the success of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek saga.

We don't need any more worthless “idols” when a REAL “hero” was sent. All we need is to believe!

Daniel 8:12-13, 25: “BECAUSE of REBELLION….TRUTH was thrown to the grounds…the rebellion that causes DESOLATION (the absence of YAHveh's presence)…He will casue DECEIT to PROSPER.”

Jeremiah 6:16, “Thus saith the YAHveh, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”

John 8:31-33, “Then said YAHshua to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

But surely “getting bent out of shape” is rebelling against the norm, as it shows folks are willing to stand up for their beliefs?

So for them, it is having an effect, no? Do something rather than nothing. I've watched you get bent out of shape at airlines often enough – are you saying you shouldn't because you can't really change their policies?

We're just talking about the first MATRIX movie, right? :) Great metaphor, and it works for career, for family, for anything where we are interacting with people and things around us. How much of our own reality are we responsible for? That's what I pulled from your take here. Thanks for something to chew on today, since “there is no spoon”.

I think this evokes the thought of doing things your own way, which will eliminate the feeling of being trapped. When people continue to do the same thing over again yielding the same negative results…the question is why? Why continue to fail when you can step out of the box even if it is a risk….

Chris – When you mentioned watching a movie and feeling pumped up and more accomplished, I couldn't help but think of the Rocky movies. When I was a kid, I still remember leaving those movies feeling invincible.

Don't listen to him. He's still sucked into my matrix :-P (jk)

Love your message today Chris. I would point out though that if the physical act of voting for the President as as easy as picking up my cell and texting 6 digits, as opposed to driving to some elementary school, spending 15 min trying to find a parking space, waiting 90 min in line, spending another 15-30 min voting (b/c those ballots are often so confusing), then I would be pretty confident we'd see presidential election numbers rival those of American Idol. Just sayin. :)

Kinda. : )

Another reference to the Matrix…I should probably watch it sometime. The point is good though. I think we complicate things so much sometimes to the point where it becomes our version of real, which is not real at all. And people stand up for what “is right” online all the time, but in the physical world they can't be bothered to dedicate any time to real change.

Not to get all Biblical again, but you are exactly right. Nothing is as it seems, and you need to look for the pattern outside of the perception to see the “real” realty.

2 Tim 4:3 states that there are false teachers out there wanting to tickle everyone's ear in accord with their own desires….tickling the ears in itself isn't the bad thing – it's a form of marketing! What makes it tricky and deceiving is the intent….in accord with their own desires.

Solution:

Matt 7:20 gives us a great principle to follow…. By their fruits, you can tell what is good & bad, what is false perception and the “real” realty.

And just like a tree that produces fruit, it might take a little time for tree to grow from it's seedling to see what kind of fruit it produces.

With your references to “found this neat” article…people can misread that statement, but if they took the time to see what your fruits are all about (all your other works), the misunderstanding would have never really happened.

What kind of fruit are you producing – is the question that successful people continually ask themselves…

Another timely post from my perspective Chris! I am stuck in some kind of Matrix, and I'm racking my brain to find the right pill to get me out (couldn't resist the movie reference-lol.) I went back through my brainstorming notebook this week, and found that 9 months ago I was thinking the exact same things I'm thinking now- only difference is that I haven't done anything with them, and I was thinking these were new ideas. The definition of insanity is ringing quite true for me right now.

I'm looking for the game changer, and your words at least validate that it is something I have to do- and soon!

By the way, my previous post was a tongue-in-cheek example of getting bent out of shape for no reason! :)

It's the most minor thing about the entire story and yet that happens every day. People miss the big picture ALL the time and focus on the smallest, stupidest details. I see it in my work and businesses every day. Frankly, there are just so many people that look for details to quibble over, which is why committees are SO popular in large corporations. It's not just marketers that have this problem!

The law of attraction obliterates the Matrix. Like = like. Decide what you want, commit yourself to it, then go after it. The matrix doesn't stand a chance against the power of thought.

To your point, perhaps its time that we all “take the red pill” by asking “Why?” and even dare I say “Why not?”

Thanks Chris!

Respectfully,
Paul Castain

Brogan…I like the site, but you need a song. I just caught myself signing “Maaaan on the go” and it would fit for your site, you know what I mean? Sorry my typing song is out of pitch, but you get my point.