Wake up, Neo.
The Matrix has already become a reality. If you haven’t seen the sci-fi movie “The Matrix” yet, I highly recommend it (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Matrix). It continues to be a cultural phenomenon to this day. I first watched it during my third year of university, approximately 18 years ago.
According to the movie, humans were connected to a system called “The Matrix” that stimulated their brains with a simulated false reality, sustaining their lives while harnessing their body’s electrical energy. The machines relied on this energy to power their city. But wake up, Neo! Today, it’s not electricity but data!
Your brain is already intertwined with your phone in a way that makes you part of a massive artificial consciousness known as AI, which thrives on the web and your personal data. Similar to an invisible spirit, it controls your outcomes. As depicted in the movie, this AI craves “data” instead of electricity. It feeds on your preferences, dislikes, comments, and photos.
You may not realize it, but your online activity, represented by your photos and comments, already powers the machine-driven world. Forget about virtual reality; we are living in it. And it’s not entirely a malevolent force; it’s simply the world we inhabit now. We find ourselves in a world where someone may have achieved nothing substantial but feels as influential as Einstein due to the validation received from online likes. That’s how the system is designed to connect and influence you. “It makes you feel good,” and ignorance becomes bliss.
This new machine-driven world is built on four main pillars: Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft. While Apple could be argued as a contender, it is primarily locked into the iPhone, which serves as a gateway into this machine-driven world. Nevertheless, we cannot dismiss the significant impact of such a powerful company.
On the other hand, Microsoft’s stronghold lies in enterprise ownership, making it a key pillar. Did you know that based on what Microsoft knows about you, AI can potentially hire you for a task without you even submitting an application? Moreover, that very “task” could be designed by another machine algorithm. It may sound frightening, but this is a reality today. Microsoft owns platforms like GitHub, where coders code, as well as Office, LinkedIn, Skype, and Bing. So, human resources consultants may not stand a chance against the AI capabilities that these colossal empires can birth. And we haven’t even discussed Google, Facebook, or Amazon. The implications are obvious.
So, let your neighbor know: Welcome to the Matrix.
Now, what is this new machine-driven AI that controls the Matrix? You might assume that politicians hold sway over major outcomes and decisions, but that’s not entirely true. A mere glitch in this “matrix” caused political turmoil in the United States during a presidential election. That’s how powerful this “matrix” has become. Additionally, the CEO of Facebook testified that employing humans alone won’t resolve the issue of fake news on social media. Instead, they heavily rely on AI. Well, guess what? That very AI that determines what you see or read on your feed is the “AI” that is already governing the world today. Have you ever wondered who decides what shows up on your instagram feed or twitter feed every morning?
Our ultimate destiny is a direct consequence of what we consume, see, or read. Believe it or not, you can’t solely blame the CEOs; they need to generate profits. Some form of regulation might be necessary before things spiral out of control, especially if my recommendations below are unfeasible.
What we are witnessing now is a battle for the soul of the system, happening from China to Russia, the US to Korea, and throughout Europe. It’s interesting to ponder why Africa is not yet a contender. Perhaps Africa’s lack of connectivity is where “Zion” is located. I say this in jest, ofcourse. Disclaimer: I am African.
But jokes aside, as an ordinary citizen of this “matrix,” where do you stand? To truly be free, you must detach yourself from the system and strive to enlighten as many people as possible. Restore humanity to a point where happiness and truth are based on showing love face to face with physically present human beings — your spouse, children, friends, and neighbors — rather than seeking validation through phone devices or from strangers.
Is such a scenario even possible anymore? We have two options:
Option One: Red Pill. Unplug. Delete Facebook, Google, Apple, and abandon your smartphones.
Can we survive a day with just phone calls? When boredom strikes, why not read a book, say a prayer, share a meal with a neighbor, rest on your bed, watch a play, write a poem or a love note, compose an article, spread the gospel, or engage in gardening or farming — all without touching a smartphone? I’m not entirely convinced this would work for many people (you can ask proponents of #DeleteFacebook).
Option Two: Blue Pill. Dive In and Actively Participate, rather than passively consuming.
By actively using social media and content platforms, we can create and promote truthful content. Passive usage simply involves endlessly scrolling and consuming content without contributing anything. My hypothesis is simple: If the number of active users spreading truth outweighs the number of active users promoting lies, we will be in good shape. However, if the opposite is true, we may be headed towards a collapse.
Given that Option One is not viable for the new generation, let’s use social media actively to tell the truth, foster faith, promote love, and encourage enterprise.
Unfortunately, expecting everyone to do this is a fantasy. However, this AI has a weakness: it learns. As mentioned earlier, if the voice of truth and goodness is weaker than the voice of falsehoods and lies, the lies will prevail, and the robots will believe them. In other words, if content promoting truth, love, faith, and enterprise is outnumbered by hate, falsehoods, and “fakeness,” then nothing will prevent AI from concluding that humanity is doomed and taking the inevitable action.
