THE ORDINARY WORLD — where you are now, but don’t belong. If you are not a steeple [herd animal] then you will feel like there is something more to life than walking along a well worn path with your nose up the ass in front of you, and feeling another nose behind. If you’re young, you probably haven’t been the teacher’s pet. If you’re my age you wonder that you’re alive and not in jail.
Neo, a hacker with thick black hair and a sallow appearance, is asleep at his monitor.
Most people in their cow like existence are asleep with regard to their lives. Right now…are you asleep? If not, say your purpose.
Neo’s screen goes blank and a series of text messages appear:
“Wake up, Neo.”
“The Matrix has you.” but not completely.
Waking up is our challenge. And the Matrix of media-values and banal standards does have us. Following the White Rabbit is what Alice did to enter the world of the Mad Hatter.
Then, the text says “Knock, knock, Neo…” just as he reads it, a knock comes at the door of his apartment, 101. It’s a group of ravers and Neo gives them a contraband disc.
The lead raver asks him to join them and Neo demurs until he sees the tattoo of a small white rabbit on the shoulder of a seductive girl in the group.
Neo stands alone and aloof as the group he’s with continue partying. Trinity approaches him and introduces herself. Neo recognizes her name; she was a famous hacker and had cracked the IRS database.
The banal noise and frantic noise of the party are a metaphor for the meaningless lives of those at the party.
I love this painting. so let me interpret my way. His clothes are neat, so perhaps he is the equivalent of a 19th century hacker. His hair is messed up, he has been climbing a way, and now he see his adventurer before him.
