‘The Matrix’ Co-Creator Lilly Wachowski Addresses (Again) ‘Red Pill’ Misappropriation

The intersection of popular culture and political culture is nothing new. But in a world driven by social media and memes, entertainment can be co-opted by groups that interpret material according to a specific point of view — even when the creators of said material speak up and say that’s not the meaning they intended. Think about The Punisher The slogan is taken up by real-life police officers, or some of its fans Boys They realize too late that the show is making fun of them and does not support their beliefs.

One of the original rip-offs of the Internet age is, of course, the science fiction masterpiece Matrix– It was released in 1999 and was widely praised not only for its visually stunning fight scenes but also for its exploration of simulation theory. At a crucial moment, Keanu Reeves’ hero, Neo, must decide whether to face the harsh reality within the Matrix – and join the rebellion against it – or continue to live a lie as one of the cogs in its machine.

Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) offers Neo a choice. “Unfortunately, no one can know what the Matrix is; you have to see it for yourself,” Morpheus explains as he opens a small box. He holds out his hands, one holding a red pill, the other a blue pill.

“You take the blue pill, and the story ends. You wake up in bed and believe what you want to believe. You take the red pill, and you stay in Wonderland, and I’ll show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

Neo chooses red of course and Matrix It goes from there, when he wakes up and is freed from the room that imprisoned him all his life. In recent years, the idea of ​​“taking the red pill” and embracing “the truth” has embraced conservatism. In doing so, they choose to overlook the progressive views of the people who dreamed up “Red Pill, Blue Pill” in the first place: co-writers and co-directors Lilly and Lana Wachowski.

In the latest example of the Wachowskis backlashing against “red pill” explanations popularized by MAGA followers, Lilly Wachowski spoke out about the phenomenon on So true with Caleb Herron Podcast. As Deadline reported, the director has become accustomed to it, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t bother her.

“You have to give up your job,” she said. “People will interpret it however they interpret it.” “I look at all the crazy, twisted theories around me Matrix Movies and the crazy ideologies that those movies helped create, and I say: What are you doing? no! This is wrong! But I have to let it go to some extent… You’ll never be able to get everyone to believe what you initially intended.

Additionally, the Wachowskis – who have explained this in the past Matrix It’s a passing allegory – she also notes that “Right-wing ideology takes over absolutely everything. They appropriate the views of the left, they change them for their own propaganda, for the sake of obfuscating what the real message is… That’s what fascism does. It takes these things, these ideas that are generally recognized as questions or investigations or self-evident truths about humanity and life, and they turn them around.” [into] Something else to take away the weight of what those things represent.

You can watch the full episode from So true with Caleb Herron featuring Lily Wachowski on YouTube.

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