Neo Challenges the Matrix

[Gian P Gentile]

I've read the article twice and didn't find a single reference to little, striped cartoon fish.

"Nemo Challenges the Matrix" is a riff off of the movie "The Matrix" where actor Keanu Reeves plays a character named Nemo who along with a group of others have figured out that the world is controlled by machines and that reality is created in the minds of people by these machines; the sad part is that the people are actually imprisoned in horrible little bubbles with tubes coming out of their bodies; in the movie that is the true reality of things although they don’t see it because they are controlled by the disinformation produced by the matrix.

The main point to the movie as I see it is that individuals can make a difference and can challenge the way the masses think things are.

Macgregor has been an important challenger of conventional wisdom in the defense establishment for the last twenty years (his two classic works in this regard are “Breaking the Phalanx,” and “Transformation Under Fire.” He was also a brilliant tactician and fighter in the Gulf War and after that war when as a Cavalry Squadron commander he defeated the vaunted opfor at the National Training Center.

So I use the title "Nemo Challenges the Matrix" for this thread as a metaphor to get at what I see as the importance of challenging conventional wisdom and the narrative surrounding notions of "success" in Iraq and where we are headed in the future. Macgregor might be wrong, I might be wrong, but the important point of this article is that the matrix is challenged. In that sense it is worth the read and not labeled as a "rant" by another posting to this thread.

You queried, there it is.

[SteveMetz]

"Nemo Challenges the Matrix" is a riff off of the movie "The Matrix" where actor Keanu Reeves plays a character named Nemo who along with a group of others have figured out that the world is controlled by machines and that reality is created in the minds of people by these machines; the sad part is that the people are actually imprisoned in horrible little bubbles with tubes coming out of their bodies; in the movie that is the true reality of things although they don’t see it because they are controlled by the disinformation produced by the matrix.

The main point to the movie as I see it is that individuals can make a difference and can challenge the way the masses think things are.

Macgregor has been an important challenger of conventional wisdom in the defense establishment for the last twenty years (his two classic works in this regard are “Breaking the Phalanx,” and “Transformation Under Fire.” He was also a brilliant tactician and fighter in the Gulf War and after that war when as a Cavalry Squadron commander he defeated the vaunted opfor at the National Training Center.

So I use the title "Nemo Challenges the Matrix" for this thread as a metaphor to get at what I see as the importance of challenging conventional wisdom and the narrative surrounding notions of "success" in Iraq and where we are headed in the future. Macgregor might be wrong, I might be wrong, but the important point of this article is that the matrix is challenged. In that sense it is worth the read and not labeled as a "rant" by another posting to this thread.

You queried, there it is.

I know. I was just trying to get my day's silliness quota out of the way early.

Doug was a student of mine at CGSC and we've stayed in touch over the years. I haven't had a chance to read his latest though.

[selil]

The Keanu Reeves Character is called "Neo" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_(The_Matrix)

[Gian P Gentile]

The Keanu Reeves Character is called "Neo" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_(The_Matrix)

thanks; stupid me; no wonder steve was asking.

perhaps i shouldn't try to be so clever next time.

gian

[SteveMetz]

thanks; stupid me; no wonder steve was asking.

perhaps i shouldn't try to be so clever next time.

gian

Actually, I thought it was brilliantly existential to posit the idea of a little cartoon fish challenging the Architect

[Gian P Gentile]

Actually, I thought it was brilliantly existential to posit the idea of a little cartoon fish challenging the Architect

Ah; too bad i didnt think of it in that way but the other yet didn't spend the time to proofread the post. Perhaps i should go easier when grading finals.

thanks

gian

[stanleywinthrop]

Actually, I thought it was brilliantly existential to posit the idea of a little cartoon fish challenging the Architect

Yes, but this doesn't leave us to the contingent affirmation of the situation.

[selil]

thanks; stupid me; no wonder steve was asking.
perhaps i shouldn't try to be so clever next time.
gian

Somehow I don't think stupid and Gian P Gentile belong in the same sentence. Now Sci Fi Freak and Selil... those are entrenched.

[Gian P Gentile]

Somehow I don't think stupid and Gian P Gentile belong in the same sentence. Now Sci Fi Freak and Selil... those are entrenched.

thanks for the vote of confidence and thanks secret squirrel for watching my six.

gian

ps: i wonder if SWJ editors might help in correcting the title of the thread to "Neo" from "Nemo"

[SteveMetz]

tps: i wonder if SWJ editors might help in correcting the title of the thread to "Neo" from "Nemo"

SWJ is like marriage: we must learn to live with the reminders of our errors.

[Ron Humphrey]

Somehow I don't think stupid and Gian P Gentile belong in the same sentence. .

I agree and would like to make sure there is not a misunderstanding.
I read Macgregors first book in 2006 and started reading Breaking the Phalanx shortly thereafter. Unfortunately the cop I was reading was borrowed from my boss and at some point my children managed to get hold of it. Needless to say it wasn't pretty. I bought another copy for him since the one he had was autographed and have been waiting for a return lecture in order to try and get it autographed.

Anyway I digress, I haven't finished reading it but I have mostly agreed with a lot of what he says. I simply find that we in the military must be careful in how we present analysis to those within the public because as they do not have our experience base from which to contextualize what they read we leave them to accept what they read along with any spin provided by the publishers sans our own common sense knowledge of factors which play into the long term situation.

In this I feel some of the wisdom is lost in the translation or lack thereof

As I believe I have stated before ,
I simply try to present what I think I know while expecting to be taught where I am wrong.

[SteveMetz]

I think you guys are using the wrong movie to analyze American strategy making. To me, Beavis and Butthead provides greater insight.

[Tacitus]

Neo had an easier choice. Neo only had one man offering the red pill. No promises that you are going to like what you end up seeing or will feel better because of it, but then you’ll know the truth about how things are.

But we are confronted with various people (politicians, media, soldiers, writers, indigenous peoples, heck even Al Qaeda) offering their own red pill, which will show you the truth (as they see it) of the matter in this conflict.

So even if you have the will to make the choice to reject the blue pill of comfortable ignorance in favor of the red pill of uncomfortable reality, you have to choose among competing pill pushers. Needless to say, each man offering a red pill is quite confident he has the real one (the one true religion, the way to win the Iraq war, most effective economic policy, etc.)

I think a fair amount of people would gladly choose the red pill. They just can't figure out who's got it. You know what I mean?

[Tom Odom]

I think a fair amount of people would gladly choose the red pill. They just can't figure out who's got it. You know what I mean?

That's why Oprah's (or Chuck Norris') (or Barbara Streisand's) endorsement means so much...

In the late 70's it was Jonestown Koolaid was it not?