The Matrix Revolutions – Truth Part 2

I’ve recently become a fan of The Matrix trilogy. For some reason, I had never watched them until now. Not sure why. Well, yes I am. For awhile, my wife and I had a “no rated R” movie policy, and then I realized that blind application of an ideology like a blanket on my life, while it may protect me from some things, robs me of others. The original movie came out during that rated R ban, and it is proof that I was being robbed. Robbed blind. These movies are rich, rich, rich in philosophy, religion, philosopy of religion, life lessons, you name it. I have already posted on the particular clip I am going to use here over on my other blog, freestyleroadtrip, and you can get to quickly here. That post was about how sometimes you have to go against the grain, sometimes you have to be a contrarian (a fav word of mine) to discover truth, especially new truth. I promised a part 2 discussing what the nature of that truth sometimes is. This is that part 2, and I have put in on the triathlon side of my blog because this is where what I have to say will be the most relevant on the face of it. Not that the rest of life won’t be pertinent, but as I am in the final stages of prep for the Kansas 70.3, triathlon is on my mind. Plus, I need to live up to the title and purpose of this blog and mesh in some tri and philosophy together.

So again, the script and the clip:

Agent Smith: Why, Mr. Anderson? Why do you do it? Why get up? Why keep fighting? Do you believe you’re fighting for something? For more that your survival? Can you tell me what it is? Do you even know? Is it freedom? Or truth? Perhaps peace? Yes? No? Could it be for love? Illusions, Mr. Anderson. Vagaries of perception. The temporary constructs of a feeble human intellect trying desperately to justify an existence that is without meaning or purpose. And all of them as artificial as the Matrix itself, although only a human mind could invent something as insipid as love. You must be able to see it, Mr. Anderson. You must know it by now. You can’t win. It’s pointless to keep fighting. Why, Mr. Anderson? Why? Why do you persist?
Neo: Because I choose to.

Again, as I stated in part 1, this entire scene is just surreal. I recall watching it for the first time, just captivated. The rain. The moves. The darkness. Everything stacked against Neo and the overwhelming odds against him. It was just amazing, and I look forward to watching it again (and again and again and again and again…and I rarely watch movies even one again).

The nature of the truth of which I speak is just what you get on the surface as you watch the clip. Perseverance. Because we/you/I choose to. Sometimes, you just don’t quit. You just don’t die. You just don’t crawl into a ball and whimper. You just don’t give up. Why? Because you know, in your gut, that you have to keep going. That if you quit you will regret it forever. That if you quit you might as well will die so you ought to just as well go on fighting. And sometimes when you are in the middle of a triathlon and things aren’t going well, that is where you find yourself. Am I gonna finish what I started or am I gonna give up and quit. And sometimes life is like that too. You’ve just got to keep going because you choose to.

This also reminds me and ties in well with the message of one of my favorite songs, One Day Remains, by Alter Bridge. It talks about how sometimes fighting through the struggle is when you find yourself most alive and where others see the best in you. I think that is one reason why I do triathlon.

“One Day Remains”

As your will is bent and broken
and every vision has been cast into the wind
as your courage crashes down before your eyes
don’t lay down and die

‘Cause I see in you
More than you’ll ever know
And I ask you, “Why
You question the strength inside?”
And you need to know
How it feels to be alive

When every wound has been re-opened
And in this world of give and take, you must have faith
And the distance to your dreams stretch beyond reach
Don’t lay down and die
No

Cause I see in you
More than you’ll ever know
And I ask you, “Would
You question the strength inside?”
And you need to know
How it feels to be alive…

How it feels
How it feels to be alive…
How it feels
How it feels to be alive…
How it feels
How it feels to be alive…

Cause I see in you
More than you’ll ever know
And I ask you, “Would
You question the strength inside?”
And you need to know
How it feels to be alive…
How it feels to be alive…

Of course, there is a ton of other stuff in that clip from The Matrix Revolutions. Maybe I need to have a parts 3 and 4 and 5. We’ll see. Obviously, the truth for which Neo is fighting in the end is love. I find it odd that many have felt that this was a less than inspirational ending to the trilogy. What thing is there that is more true than love? Love is God. Love is that for which the fight is never in vain. I sense the need for part 3….