# How is reality like "The Matrix"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 23, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828 "2003-06-23T17:57:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/1 "2003-06-23T17:57:36Z")
I’ve been thinking about this a bit, and would like to see what others think. WRS ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/2 "2003-06-23T18:21:37Z")
Both are better with the TV turned “Off”. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/3 "2003-06-23T18:23:28Z")
It’s perceived as the true world by the majority of people experiencing it. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/4 "2003-06-23T19:05:55Z")
Hackers are the sexiest people. They always wear black trenchcoats and wear cool shades. ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/5 "2003-06-23T19:22:58Z")
Because walruses play an insignificant role in either. Both contain long stretches of boredom interspersed by silliness. And, even in The Matrix, Keanu Reeves can’t act. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/6 "2003-06-23T20:10:35Z")
Because just like in The Matrix, we can break the law of conservation of energy. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/7 "2003-06-23T20:53:25Z")
They both suck. ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/8 "2003-06-23T21:45:30Z")
They share the letters A, I, T, and R. Neither makes much sense if you think about it too much. Both have been in my kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/9 "2003-06-24T02:36:04Z")
Everybody in the real world has about the same number of guns as Neo. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/10 "2003-06-24T03:58:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Loopus \* > \*\*They share the letters A, I, T, and R. > \*\* Best answer so far. 😃 MY take? People on the L.A. expressway try to kill each other in both places. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/11 "2003-06-24T04:01:39Z")
It should be _does_, not _is_. - How _does_ reality like “The Matrix”. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/12 "2003-06-24T04:20:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Boyo Jim \* > \*\*Everybody in the real world has about the same number of guns as Neo. \*\* I dunno, **Lizard** , this one gets my vote for best answer. ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Dracul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/50afbb/32.png) [@Vlad\_Dracul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Dracul)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/13 "2003-06-24T06:04:26Z")
Some people will actually swallow mysterious pills offered to them by a very creepy total stranger. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/14 "2003-06-24T06:25:17Z")
I believe Rene Descartes had something fascinating and valid to say on the subject. If I may quote: “Jiu-jitsu? I’m going to learn… jiu-jitsu? … Duuude.” ---
**Author:** ![dal\_timgar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@dal\_timgar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dal_timgar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-reality-like-the-matrix/183828/15 "2003-06-24T06:59:06Z")
We live in a world of information hiding. In 4 years at a major computer company I never saw the terms “von Neumann machine” and “benchmark.” Accounting is 700 year old 5th grade arithmatic. Shouldn’t it be mandatory in highschool since we have computers to do all the idiotic busywork? see: THE SCREWING OF THE AVERAGE MAN by David Hapgood RULE BY SECRECY by Jim Marrs MASTERING THE ART OF WAR by Thomas Cleary Good luck escaping the matrix but beware the other prisoners. Dal Timgar