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  • Subject: DEEP QUESTION: In the First Matrix...
Subject: DEEP QUESTION: In the First Matrix...
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In the first matrix, as Neo is getting lectured by his boss, the camera seems to emphasize the whole window washing thing. They emphasize the sound of the squeegees, and Neo keeps looking at them.

Up to this day, I can't think of a valid reason why the Wachowski brothers did that. My hunch is that somehow it is symbolic to the story or otherwise.

So- my deep question- if there is a deep significance behind the window wipers- what is it?

  • 07.07.2004 9:53 PM PDT
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You really wanna know? Remeber how in the second matrix there were other matrixs? Every new matrix is like taking a plate and scrubbing it clean...

[Edited on 7/7/2004 9:56:18 PM]

  • 07.07.2004 9:56 PM PDT
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Posted by: Cool_Cow
You really wanna know? Remeber how in the second matrix there were other matrixs? Every new matrix is like taking a plate and scrubbing it clean...


Wow- thats pretty good. The cleaning. Then he gets called by Morpheus, who cleans him of the machines.

Any other guesses? That was a good one.

  • 07.07.2004 10:13 PM PDT
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Posted by: Excommunicado

Any other guesses? That was a good one.


They were trying to clean their corporate image up by lecturing him and making sure he was going to do his job and be there on time, etc. etc.

  • 07.07.2004 10:17 PM PDT

♠The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's friend's enemy♠

[color=red]I thought it was just because the windows were dirty?[/color]

[Edited on 7/7/2004 10:20:46 PM]

  • 07.07.2004 10:19 PM PDT
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Posted by: Knightmare01
[color=red]I thought it was just because the windows were dirty?[/color]


It doesnt make any sense that they would just put that in there for no reason.

  • 07.07.2004 10:26 PM PDT

♠The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's friend's enemy♠

Posted by: Excommunicado
Posted by: Knightmare01
[color=red]I thought it was just because the windows were dirty?[/color]


It doesnt make any sense that they would just put that in there for no reason.



[color=red]Calm down, I was joking. Like haha joking, you know? Everyone was coming up with all these theories on why the camera showed a window being washed, then I said maybe it's because the window was dirty, that's a good reason.[/color]

  • 07.07.2004 10:30 PM PDT
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i think it was to emphasise how "real" the whole false world seemed to everybody. wouldnt u think the window washing scene made the whole thing seem more realistic in a way?

  • 07.07.2004 10:32 PM PDT

♠The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's friend's enemy♠

Posted by: toughguy13
i think it was to emphasise how "real" the whole false world seemed to everybody. wouldnt u think the window washing scene made the whole thing seem more realistic in a way?



[color=red]eh, wha..?[/color]

  • 07.07.2004 10:35 PM PDT
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lol. i thought somebody would say that. my point is this, it makes it seem more like real life. if anybody knows what the hell i mean.

  • 07.07.2004 10:36 PM PDT
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I got you at the beginning. Good idea.

  • 07.07.2004 10:39 PM PDT

My thumbsticks will be your Doom.... sorry 'bout that.
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Well to answer your deep question you probly have to ask the Wachowski Bros or at least go to a Matrix fan website and ask them.

But I will attempt to enlighten the deluded.
The Wachowski implemented many eastern philosophical principles in their movies. Window washing is a commonly used metaphor for "cleaning" one's perception of the world if you will. Buddhism is the study and practice of attaining enlightenment (or heaven on earth) thru many means but most importantly by losing the attachment to one's ego. So, the story goes that our consciousness is simply our "true-self" looking thru a pane of glass into the outside world. This pane of glass, depending on how close you are to enlightenment, is "fogged-up", therefore if it is opaque all you can see is your own reflection (the epitome of ego) but if it is clear then there is essentially no window present and you are one with the surroundings.

Hope that satisfies your inquiry, i used to study Zen quite seriously and whenever someone mentions window cleaning i can't help but think of koans and proverbs.

  • 07.07.2004 10:44 PM PDT

♠The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's friend's enemy♠

Posted by: Doom Sticks
Well to answer your deep question you probly have to ask the Wachowski Bros or at least go to a Matrix fan website and ask them.

But I will attempt to enlighten the deluded.
The Wachowski implemented many eastern philosophical principles in their movies. Window washing is a commonly used metaphor for "cleaning" one's perception of the world if you will. Buddhism is the study and practice of attaining enlightenment (or heaven on earth) thru many means but most importantly by losing the attachment to one's ego. So, the story goes that our consciousness is simply our "true-self" looking thru a pane of glass into the outside world. This pane of glass, depending on how close you are to enlightenment, is "fogged-up", therefore if it is opaque all you can see is your own reflection (the epitome of ego) but if it is clear then there is essentially no window present and you are one with the surroundings.

Hope that satisfies your inquiry, i used to study Zen quite seriously and whenever someone mentions window cleaning i can't help but think of koans and proverbs.



[color=red]Or.....it could mean the window was dirty![/color]

  • 07.07.2004 10:46 PM PDT
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Posted by: Doom Sticks
Well to answer your deep question you probly have to ask the Wachowski Bros or at least go to a Matrix fan website and ask them.

But I will attempt to enlighten the deluded.
The Wachowski implemented many eastern philosophical principles in their movies. Window washing is a commonly used metaphor for "cleaning" one's perception of the world if you will. Buddhism is the study and practice of attaining enlightenment (or heaven on earth) thru many means but most importantly by losing the attachment to one's ego. So, the story goes that our consciousness is simply our "true-self" looking thru a pane of glass into the outside world. This pane of glass, depending on how close you are to enlightenment, is "fogged-up", therefore if it is opaque all you can see is your own reflection (the epitome of ego) but if it is clear then there is essentially no window present and you are one with the surroundings.

Hope that satisfies your inquiry, i used to study Zen quite seriously and whenever someone mentions window cleaning i can't help but think of koans and proverbs.


Dude... Kudos... kudos...

How old are you? Just curious. You sound like a smart guy.

  • 07.07.2004 10:47 PM PDT

bah

[ironic statement]Hah, I'm the only person on Earth to ever rid himself of his ego! Beat that![/statement]

P.S. From a non-symbolic standpoint (which is ignorant to say when dealing with the brothers) Neo needed a distraction during that scene. Oh, and he was supposed to use the widow things to climb up to the roof remember?

[Edited on 7/7/2004 10:54:17 PM]

  • 07.07.2004 10:49 PM PDT
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Yes Neo hears it and gets distracted by it, remember he could sense the matrix and how it was odd. It didn't sound/feel right to him.

  • 07.07.2004 10:52 PM PDT
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I thought about the same thing Rip...but with the Bros. it's hard to say.

While we're on this topic, maybe you guys could help me out. In the first Matrix also, right after he gets caught, it shows him in the room getting ready for interogation. Maybe this has been discussed before, here or elsewhere, but it looks to me as if it's the Architects monitors that the screen zooms in from. Can anyone else verify this?

  • 07.07.2004 11:02 PM PDT

My thumbsticks will be your Doom.... sorry 'bout that.
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Excom, you've been around awhile (haven't you read some of my posts in the past on New Mombasa? at least your name looks familiar). I'll be 26 in the fall and thanks for the compliment (it's one i seem to get every once in a while here on B.net!).

I'm a fan of Halo but more over a fan of knowlegde. I would never call myself smart cause that's just pretentious and uhh... stupid, but I am a student of engineering and astronomy and planning to minor in sociology. I'm also planning on getting a masters in orbital-mechanics... well that's the plan anyway. I took a few years in between highschool and furthering my education to travel (europe is suhweet!) and to discover what it was I truly wanted/needed to do. I know this is a little more than my age but i just wanted to offer the opportunity to anyone to ask me questions about anything and everything under and around the sun. I don't pretend to know all the answers but i will portend of my effort to try my best to answer correctly (just PM me). Never stop learning and never stop questioning.

p.s. anyone see the new 3d warthog jump screen... "it's up, it's got the distance...and it's good!"

[Edited on 7/7/2004 11:15:17 PM]

  • 07.07.2004 11:04 PM PDT

My thumbsticks will be your Doom.... sorry 'bout that.
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you know jharbst, i always thought that they were just playing with the whole "matrix perspective" thing when they did that tv screen zoom thing. but now that you mention it -it sorta makes sense (the monitor does have tons of screens around him in his oh-so-clean room).

And in regard to my "window cleaning" post, i thought about the zen-metaphor the very first time i saw it in the theatre... it was obvoius to me that the Bros. were getting at something deeper and then after I saw it the second time in the theatre the whole neo as jesus parallel struck me rather bluntly too.

  • 07.07.2004 11:13 PM PDT
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Yeah, the first time I watched it, I figured it was just security cams watching the room. But it shows like 9 screens, and they all show the same thing, which isn't very practical. I wish the Bros. were allowed to do interviews.

  • 07.07.2004 11:34 PM PDT