According to many beliefs, or at least a lot of authors, the best alternative to our current existence is one without flesh. Think about it, in the Christian religion, and many other similar beliefs systems there is the idea that we could eventually be free from our bodies and live in eternal joy (i.e heaven). I don't want to step on any toes here, but it also makes a lot of sense to me that now that we have the distant possibility, with our current progress in technology, we are intrigued by the idea uploading our consciousness or neural makeup to some sort of digital "matrix.", in the same way people yearn for heaven. It makes sense that human's would be into that idea of being free of physical shells - freedom from discrimination, non-mental illnesses, aging, death, etc.
For Case, when he is taken out of a virtual world where he is limitless, he falls into a path of self destruction and depression. Even at the end when he is given access to hack, he still gets his body back in shape for drug abuse (another type of escape from the physical world). Overall, Case is big in escapism. However his dream is eventually realized by the Necromancer (bringer of neural activity?), and he is allowed to live with Linda forever, as they are both uploaded to the Matrix.
Side note: This idea of being disconnected from our bodies and living in the matrix as data--could you be free from mental illnesses, as well? I mean, you don't have a physical brain, just a scan of one. That data can be modified or altered. And given the possibility of modifying those electrical impulses, couldn't anyone's personality be altered in any way? That's a sobering thought.
ReplyDeleteCase as an escapist--absolutely. I like that a lot.
I'm not sure it's really Case's dream that gets realized, right? It's a copy, a construct that lives on with Linda. Case himself is still case. (That said, point taken--ultimate escapism! I like it that they can travel around the matrix freely without being stuck on a beach now, though.)