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  1. Luka Dowell

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Description: In the 1999 science fiction film "The Matrix,” the protagonist Neo is confronted with a choice. He can take the “blue pill” and go on living in blissful ignorance of the truth about the world, or he can take the “red pill” and find out exactly how corrupted and exploited his society really is. Scholars and laymen alike have offered a myriad of interpretations of this pivotal scene, and of the red and blue pills as symbols. Perhaps the most well-known usage of the “red pill” in today’s popular culture is amongst members of the “manosphere,” a loosely tied but expansive internet community of men dissatisfied with themselves and society. The manosphere encompasses a wide-ranging spectrum of experience, from “pick-up artists” who sleep with as many women as possible, to “incels” (short for “involuntary celibates”) who have lost hope of ever doing the same. What the men of the "red pill" have in common is a shared belief that men are more socially disenfranchised than women. In this paper, I present a critical evaluation of the "red pill" ideology and the digital cultural landscape it creates. Using a unique Marxist/feminist reading of The Matrix, I will argue that sexist rhetoric of the manosphere is a misinterpretation of the film's message, and that a more inclusive and fulfilling "red pill" is possible. Importantly, this paper also suggests that we understand the manosphere in a broader system of oppressions. Through an analysis of Cypher’s character through the film, I demonstrate the importance of compassion in understanding these cultures of radicalization.

License: CC-By Attribution 4.0 International

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