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[The Matrix] - Open Spoilers for All Movies!

AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
edited January 2022 in Debate and/or Discourse
It was 1999. I was a young nerd in his Junior year of high school, when a friend of mine asked if I wanted to see The Matrix with him. I said "hell yes" or something to that effect. We got horrible seats in a packed theater - the top row, right side, right under an enormous speaker stack that was way too loud. My friend later admitted that the screwed up volume really hurt his enjoyment of the film. Personally? I didn't care, because I could feel everything happening on screen. It was bliss.

The Wachowskis unleased The Matrix onto an unsuspecting populace that year. Through a combination of a very intelligent marketing campaign, usage of the early internet, and spectacular special effects, they proceeded to pretty much change the world in a way few have ever accomplished. The Matrix went on to be a blockbuster hit, spawning revolutions in storytelling, visual presentation, action, and all sorts of other categories.

Then the rest of the franchise came along, and the results were... Mixed. Many take issue with how Revolutions ended (which even the Wachowskis lampshade in The Path of Neo), and the years of hype just fell flat. Enter the Matrix was rushed to release on time and was extremely janky as a result, and The Matrix Online never really caught on the way many were hoping.

However, in the time since the early 2000s, much has been written about these properties. About the themes and subtexts. About the special effects and influence on Western cinema. On our very thoughts about what is real. And now, 16 years later, The Matrix is being Resurrected.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ix7TUGVYIo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgYs_NDyaLs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNpvWBuTfrc

Rules of the Thread:
  1. OPEN SPOILERS FOR RELEASED MEDIA. This includes the items listed in the poll, and the teaser trailer for Resurrections. Please be respectful and use labeled spoilers for speculation, leaks, and the future trailers until this OP gets updated (so that people avoiding the teasers can still participate).
  2. Please be respectful of everyone's opinions. No one knows the journey other people have gone on, and The Matrix was highly influential to many - including the Wachowskis.
  3. Please try to contribute more than just "The sequels were bad." We've all heard those takes. Explain why you feel the way you do! Try to find good things in parts you didn't like, or bad things in parts you did. IMO, this whole franchise is about coming together, and this thread should reflect that.
  4. Similarly, please do not give oxygen to the more perverse elements that have spawned out of this franchise. Yes, we know there are denizens of the internet and world who have co-opted imagery from this film to push their fascist agendas or to be exclusionary/predatory. That's not worth talking about.


What is your favorite Matrix?

He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
Athenor on

[The Matrix] - Open Spoilers for All Movies! 167 votes

The Matrix
59%
AegeridarkmayoSyphonBlueMulysaSemproniusElJeffeJazzFANTOMASZeroCowAbsoluteZeroTaximesff7007MegaMan001Beyond NormalTimFijiUndead ScottsmanHappylilElfsarukunDarkPrimusMorninglordSnake Gandhi 99 votes
The Animatrix
19%
LegacySniperGuyMunkus Beaverautono-wally, erotibot300KaputajoshgotroTetraRayFuzzy Cumulonimbus CloudAphostilejungleroomxTehSpectreAntinumericdurandal4532Gnome-InterruptusSoggybiscuithlprmnkyLocal H JayApogeeTiglissSmaug6 33 votes
The Matrix Reloaded
4%
Big DookiereVerseShadowfireTastyfishAtomikaTicaldfjamPreciousBodilyFluids 7 votes
Enter the Matrix
2%
Element BrianElaromanwiththemachinegunDisruptedCapitalist 4 votes
The Matrix Revolutions
1%
ZonugalCristovalEtiowsa 3 votes
The Matrix Online
1%
Moridin889ObiFettMrVyngaard 3 votes
The Matrix: Path of Neo
2%
DiannaoChongHevachNitsuaCrippl3discrider 5 votes
Conker's Bad Fur Day
7%
AimFeralXaquinNogsRingoNobodyemnmnmeArchamateurhourZilla360BlackDragon480HerrCronkime 13 votes
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    The Zombie PenguinThe Zombie Penguin Eternal Hungry Corpse Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    I have no idea if this is going to be good or not, bit goddamn does Lana know how to throw down the visuals.

    Ideas hate it when you anthropomorphize them
    Steam: https://steamcommunity.com/id/TheZombiePenguin
    Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/thezombiepenguin/
    Switch: 0293 6817 9891
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    AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    I wanted to work some critiques into the OP, but I'm posting this over work lunch and my mind isn't working right to make a decent structure for that. So have one of my favorites:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyTkC554CP4

    He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
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    RMS OceanicRMS Oceanic Registered User regular
    I sincerely wonder how the state of things in a social perspective would be had the Wachowski's original plans for the character of Switch played out.

    Probably not very different, but you never know.

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    ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    I re-watched a bit of the sequels a year or so ago, and it was interesting how my memories lied to me about the special effects. I remembered them being amazing at the time, but on a modern rewatch for the '100 Smiths' fight particularly, it was so incredibly obvious when the characters were swapped out for bad CGI. It's definitely a series that could use a go with modern tech, if the story can still hit the same 20 years later.

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    AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    edited September 2021
    Scooter wrote: »
    I re-watched a bit of the sequels a year or so ago, and it was interesting how my memories lied to me about the special effects. I remembered them being amazing at the time, but on a modern rewatch for the '100 Smiths' fight particularly, it was so incredibly obvious when the characters were swapped out for bad CGI. It's definitely a series that could use a go with modern tech, if the story can still hit the same 20 years later.

    In Reloaded, right? Yeah... after all the practical work in the first, that was super disappointing, when it could've been an amazing moment without Rubber Keanu.


    Edit: Much like Babylon 5, I have to imagine that modern fan products could make better CGI than that today.

    ... wait, these are both WB properties. Shit.

    Athenor on
    He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
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    KoopahTroopahKoopahTroopah The koopas, the troopas. Philadelphia, PARegistered User regular
    The Matrix
    I've been hyping in the trailers thread since Tuesday. The trailer released this morning is an incredible feat of marketing. A lot has come out since Reloaded that was really hit or miss. Enter the Matrix, Revolutions, The Matrix Online... have all been meh. Path of Neo and Animatrix were both really good IMO. Even though Matrix Online was the first MMO I truly dedicated my time to, I couldn't help but feel the repetitiveness of the missions and dullness of the story after Sony bought it from Monolith.

    This trailer wipes all that way and I really can't wait for new Matrix material. It's one of my favorite universes and I hope this film if anything does well and allows for more stories in this world.

    As for the Resurrections itself, I love the take as it's represented in the trailer. Thankfully another pro of the trailer is we still don't know the plot of the movie, just a few shades and introductions while hitting familiar beats. I am definitely in, and I'm so glad it has a Christmas release and not a 2022 release.

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    reVersereVerse Attack and Dethrone God Registered User regular
    The Matrix Reloaded
    Scooter wrote: »
    I re-watched a bit of the sequels a year or so ago, and it was interesting how my memories lied to me about the special effects. I remembered them being amazing at the time, but on a modern rewatch for the '100 Smiths' fight particularly, it was so incredibly obvious when the characters were swapped out for bad CGI. It's definitely a series that could use a go with modern tech, if the story can still hit the same 20 years later.

    The main issue I remember, from watching that scene quite a few times, is that the lighting is very off and inconsistent between CGI and real actors. The CGI Smithes themselves aren't bad, but the lighting just bounces off them like they're made of plastic.

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    SyphonBlueSyphonBlue The studying beaver That beaver sure loves studying!Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    Man, even in 2003 the 100 Smiths looked terrible.

    LxX6eco.jpg
    PSN/Steam/NNID: SyphonBlue | BNet: SyphonBlue#1126
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    Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    edited September 2021
    The Animatrix
    I want to point out that in Matrix Online they killed off Morpheus and that's why he's not back for the new one guys they respect the lore

    Local H Jay on
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    MonwynMonwyn Apathy's a tragedy, and boredom is a crime. A little bit of everything, all of the time.Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    kscgspti0eff.jpg

    (Pretty hype, not going to lie)

    uH3IcEi.png
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    AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    Ignoring that... poster...

    Interesting it is listed as "only in cinemas" when HBO Max was on the latest teaser.

    He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
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    urahonkyurahonky Resident FF7R hater Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    It's a shame I won't be able to see this until January since they're still releasing it in theaters.

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    eMoandereMoander Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    Trailer is great (love the music especially!), but I am trying to keep my expectations down. Those sequels really burned a lot of goodwill from me and I don't want to be hurt again. I'm definitely waiting for some reviews before seeing it just so I know what I'm getting in to.

    Xbox: Travesty 0214 Switch: 3304-2356-9421 Honkai Star Rail: 600322115 Battlenet: Travesty #1822
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    SniperGuySniperGuy SniperGuyGaming Registered User regular
    The Animatrix
    I remember enjoying Enter the Matrix even though it was suuuper janky. Loved Animatrix. Let down by 2 and 3 but still really psyched for this. Watched Matrix 1 again within the past few years and imo it holds up.

    Also the Matrix Lobby Scene and Mambo #5 sync up entirely too well


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwCA_aMvL54

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    Snake GandhiSnake Gandhi Des Moines, IARegistered User regular
    The Matrix
    Well, I'm hyped.

    I always appreciate the Sister's willingness to take big swings even if they don't always hit. And the trailer hits all the right notes.

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    Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    edited September 2021
    The Animatrix
    No lie the Animatrix is more enjoyable to me than the movies, if only because they cover a lot more ground and concepts.

    If you haven't seen it, atleast watch these

    https://youtu.be/sU8RunvBRZ8

    https://youtu.be/00TD4bXMoYw

    Can't find this one on YouTube but it's directed by the director of Cowboy Bebop
    https://youtu.be/80KJBBX-KyQ
    ^just an amv made with the visuals

    Local H Jay on
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    MonwynMonwyn Apathy's a tragedy, and boredom is a crime. A little bit of everything, all of the time.Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    Reloaded, I think, really holds up and introduces some interesting concepts - human mind are effectively just terminals connected to the Matrix, so you can run arbitrary code on them, and literally nothing can be trusted. Mythological creatures as misbehaving programs is a really cute take.

    And then Revolutions just kind of ignored all that entirely.

    uH3IcEi.png
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    AthenorAthenor Battle Hardened Optimist The Skies of HiigaraRegistered User regular
    It always did bum me that you only saw Werewolves in Enter the Matrix.

    He/Him | "A boat is always safest in the harbor, but that’s not why we build boats." | "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." - Suletta Mercury, G-Witch
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    Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    The Animatrix
    No lie the Matrix games, while janky, were a lot of fun. Matrix was an example of doing the multimedia side of things right. I like a lot of the supplementary material over the actual sequels

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    MonwynMonwyn Apathy's a tragedy, and boredom is a crime. A little bit of everything, all of the time.Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    It won't happen for rights and budgetary reasons, but I'd honestly love for Enter the Matrix to get a remake.

    uH3IcEi.png
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    QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    The Animatrix starts with all of humanity living in luxury after automating virtually all labor.

    I did not realize at the time that was an incredibly optimistic take on the results of automation.

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    XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    Conker's Bad Fur Day
    I remember enjoying the first matrix, but never saw any of the other ones

    I kind of assumed that Neo eventually won and I guess let everyone wake up in the grody gray world? Did that happen?

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    SniperGuySniperGuy SniperGuyGaming Registered User regular
    The Animatrix
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I remember enjoying the first matrix, but never saw any of the other ones

    I kind of assumed that Neo eventually won and I guess let everyone wake up in the grody gray world? Did that happen?

    Not really, they
    reboot the matrix but there's "peace" between humans and machines and I think Neo and Trinity both died.

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    Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    the matrix is one of pieces of media that infiltrated the zeitgeist to such an extent that it's sort of impossible to explain to people just how fucking cool and new everyone thought it was; in the 20-odd years hence I don't even know what you'd compare it to. Maybe Black Panther, but even that's informed by the prior ten years of MCU in a way that was never necessary for the matrix.

    Unfortunately they couldn't even catch the lightning again like three years later, so I kinda doubt they will a generation on.
    Monwyn wrote: »
    Reloaded, I think, really holds up and introduces some interesting concepts - human mind are effectively just terminals connected to the Matrix, so you can run arbitrary code on them, and literally nothing can be trusted. Mythological creatures as misbehaving programs is a really cute take.

    And then Revolutions just kind of ignored all that entirely.

    yeah people hate on Reloaded cause it had some awkward scenes and non-sequitor dialogue but it introduced a lot of fun concepts and I definitely left the theater interested in where it was all going

    then of course revolutions abandoned basically all of that in favor of boring savior mythology; I've always wondered if there was another version that had to be cut down for some reason

    NREqxl5.jpg
    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
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    XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    Conker's Bad Fur Day
    SniperGuy wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I remember enjoying the first matrix, but never saw any of the other ones

    I kind of assumed that Neo eventually won and I guess let everyone wake up in the grody gray world? Did that happen?

    Not really, they
    reboot the matrix but there's "peace" between humans and machines and I think Neo and Trinity both died.

    oh

    I guess that doesn't sound too bad

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    TynnanTynnan seldom correct, never unsure Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    100 Smiths notwithstanding, Reloaded had some incredible action sequences.

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    OghulkOghulk Tinychat Janitor TinychatRegistered User regular
    The Matrix
    So is there something I can watch to cover basically the entire plot/canon post The Matrix?

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    Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    Xaquin wrote: »
    SniperGuy wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I remember enjoying the first matrix, but never saw any of the other ones

    I kind of assumed that Neo eventually won and I guess let everyone wake up in the grody gray world? Did that happen?

    Not really, they
    reboot the matrix but there's "peace" between humans and machines and I think Neo and Trinity both died.

    oh

    I guess that doesn't sound too bad

    it's left a bit ambiguous but
    it seems like the machines agree that anyone who wants to can leave the matrix and live in peace in the dystopian hellscape the world has become; it is at least heavily implied that lots will probably choose to stay plugged in though

    and yeah neo and trinity die

    NREqxl5.jpg
    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
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    CptHamiltonCptHamilton Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    the matrix is one of pieces of media that infiltrated the zeitgeist to such an extent that it's sort of impossible to explain to people just how fucking cool and new everyone thought it was; in the 20-odd years hence I don't even know what you'd compare it to. Maybe Black Panther, but even that's informed by the prior ten years of MCU in a way that was never necessary for the matrix.

    Unfortunately they couldn't even catch the lightning again like three years later, so I kinda doubt they will a generation on.

    The Matrix release was perfectly executed. It wasn't a deep or meaningful movie. Everything about it was rule of cool, but it was cool. The sets, the props, the costumes, the sound design and music; it was all just awesome according to the sensibilities of the target demographic at the time. The script wasn't inspired or saying anything other people hadn't said before but it said it all in a fun, extremely quotable way. And when the movie came out they managed to do it with enough hype coupled with enough secrecy that people walked into the theater with absolutely no idea what they were in for.

    Even if the sequels had been just as good as the first film they couldn't have recaptured the magic of "No one can tell you what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself." or that first shot of Trinity doing a flying kick in bullet time.

    I don't see any way for this one to recapture that, either, but it does at least look fun and like they're focusing on the cool stuff from the first movie over the weird and janky stuff from the later ones.

    PSN,Steam,Live | CptHamiltonian
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    Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    CG from movies in that era always look worse on the second viewing. I remember being shocked to hear that every Clone Trooper in Star Wars Episode 2 was entirely CG, but on later rewatches it's pretty obvious.

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    SyphonBlueSyphonBlue The studying beaver That beaver sure loves studying!Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    Tynnan wrote: »
    100 Smiths notwithstanding, Reloaded had some incredible action sequences.

    The highway chase is still one of the best action set pieces in movie history

    LxX6eco.jpg
    PSN/Steam/NNID: SyphonBlue | BNet: SyphonBlue#1126
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    Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
    Getting strong Force Awakens vibes from the trailer, since it appears they basically just remade the first one and said "hey you like the first one right?". I'm fine with that, since the sequels were complete garbage. Remains to be seen how much of the movie is actually that and how much they want to lean into all the BS from the sequels and whatever else. I'm hoping for some fun fan service, and if at all possible a big blazing middle finger to the human garbage that coopted the red pill thing in the intervening years.

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    Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    The special effects in the first matrix hold up remarkably well, I saw it a few months ago

    It’s overall still an extremely cool movie

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    joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    The Animatrix
    We know from the architect scene that Neo always comes back after a reboot. It's an always anomaly in the code right?

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    LanzLanz ...Za?Registered User regular
    edited September 2021
    Ah_Pook wrote: »
    Getting strong Force Awakens vibes from the trailer, since it appears they basically just remade the first one and said "hey you like the first one right?". I'm fine with that, since the sequels were complete garbage. Remains to be seen how much of the movie is actually that and how much they want to lean into all the BS from the sequels and whatever else. I'm hoping for some fun fan service, and if at all possible a big blazing middle finger to the human garbage that coopted the red pill thing in the intervening years.

    Relevant Director Commentary:



    Lilly Wachowski is Co-Director of the Matrix Trilogy and does not suffer fools
    Fuck both of you

    Lanz on
    waNkm4k.jpg?1
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    Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    joshgotro wrote: »
    We know from the architect scene that Neo always comes back after a reboot. It's an always anomaly in the code right?

    He’s their workaround, basically

    NREqxl5.jpg
    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
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    joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    The Animatrix
    joshgotro wrote: »
    We know from the architect scene that Neo always comes back after a reboot. It's an always anomaly in the code right?

    He’s their workaround, basically

    Yeah. It makes sense we get him back. I think twice in the trailer when Neo is shown in a mirror, he's much older than in the matrix.
    I hate speculating but maybe this version just took a lot longer for him to blue pill.

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    navgoosenavgoose Registered User regular
    The Matrix
    joshgotro wrote: »
    We know from the architect scene that Neo always comes back after a reboot. It's an always anomaly in the code right?

    My broad understanding is the machines cannot build a perfect matrix for every possible human brain. So the One and Zion stuff was planned for instead of planned against.

    Neo decided to try for plan C, in which Smith's rampage being his opportunity to bargain.

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    FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    Conker's Bad Fur Day
    I have mixed feelings about using psychiatry and psychopharmacology as representations of authoritarian gaslighting.
    And I do mean "mixed." There is a lot of authoritarian gaslighting in psychiatry.
    But I can definitely see this going the same route as "red pill" in pop culture, where "blue pill" gets co-opted by pseudoscientific anti-pharma woo-shillers and conspiracy theorists.

    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
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    AphostileAphostile San Francisco, CARegistered User regular
    The Animatrix
    This is just The Matrix : Quantum Computing, isn't it?

    Nothing. Matters.
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