Because I choose to !

Agent Smith: Why, Mr. Anderson? Why? Why do you do it? Why? Why get up? Why keep fighting? Do you believe you're fighting for something? Something more than your survival? Can you tell me what it is? Do you even know? Is it freedom or truth? Perhaps peace? Could it be for love? Illusions, Mr. Anderson. Temporary constructs of a feeble human intellect trying desperately to justify an existence without meaning or purpose. And all as artificial as the Matrix itself, although, only a human mind could invent something as insipid as love. You must be able to see it Mr. Anderson. You must know it by now. You can't win. There's no point in fighting. Why, Mr. Anderson? Why? Why do you persist?

Neo: Because I choose to.

The Matrix and its power to relate to and thus help in solving philosophical and spiritual issues never stops surprizing me. Those who have read 'The Foutainhead' by Ayn Rand, will remember Howark Roark's statement - "the worst second-hander of all--the man who goes after power". I did not understand the reason behind this tenet by Rand when I read it and had been thinking over it for a long time. Finally while in discussion with Aurko the other day comparing different theories from Karma-Yoga to the Matrix and Ayn Rand we hit upon the plausible solution.

The Set Up: The world is a matrix. We are all programs. Choice is an illusion created by the system. But if we realize that the world is a matrix we can defy its laws, thus assuming control of our own lives rather than system deciding it for us. Choice is no more an illusion but the ONLY truth.
Assumption: We are inside the matrix and first priority is to come out of the matrix. We do not debate on this as of now.

What is the way to liberate from the Matrix: To assume control of oneself (not others). We have to come out of the matrix to know our real nature and gain real control. Control over oneself is achieved by self realization. This relates to breaking of mental barriers like when Neo came to know that the speed of his movements is decided by what he believes and not what he actually can do. We have to test the barriers and only then can we overcome them. But a caveat would be that any achievement in the system should not become the ultimate goal; the ultimate goal is self realization.

Why not control others: In other words - why not go behind power. The Matrix analogy fits in exactly here providing us the answer. By trying to gain control of others (seeking power) we are simply replacing the control exerted by the system on others with the control exerted by us. When you replace the system you actually become just another (part of the) system and so will not be able to come out of the Matrix. The way out of the Matrix is outside the system - not inside it.
I do not know whether the concept 'looks' clear in the small para above 'coz a lot of thinking went into my own mind before I drafted it. To me The Matrix does make a lot of sense!!

Coming to another issue - happiness. In Mumbai I see people happy, even though they are at the edge at all times. Happiness has no conditions – more so as someone has said – you are what you believe yourself to be. If you believe you are different, you find joy in being different. If you think you are like others - you find joy in being the common man around. But the challenge is to identify which of these choices are real? I mean if you chose to believe the exact opposite of what you've now chosen, could you still live happily? Or did the society(system) almost 'force' you into choosing what you have chosen. Is the choice an illusion created by the system or is it 'the only truth' in your life?

For starters, a more pertinent question is -
Why should it matter if the choice is real or illusionary?
Or -
Why do you waste your time thinking about such complicated nonsense which at the end of the day leaves you more confused?

I have only one answer to these questions.

Because I choose to! :D