To all intents and purposes Neo is a geek, but the state in which we find him is typical of an individual who has started to question his life model.

His apartment is undecorated with little furniture and certainly no luxuries, just computers. Most would look at this situation and immediately judge Neo as a drop-out or a waster who is either on drugs or has some form of mental dysfunction. Why else would he choose to live like this?

To Neo, these things are of no importance. He has realised that following the capitalist dream is nothing more than a distraction. He knows something is wrong with this ideal and has rejected it.

He has turned his back on the accepted social norms and instead focuses all his time and money pursuing the truth.

The arrival of Choi, Dujour and friends, drop-out like characters, is further indicative of his rejection of the social norm. These are the sort of people that, for various reasons, have also rejected the shrink wrapped ideal of life. No longer accepting the “standard model” of life that has been spoon fed to them since birth, they prefer a drug fuelled, partying, short term alternative.

They don’t believe in reality either, but their direction and search for truth has lead them into a trap. However, like all these things there is an element of truth within their chosen lifestyle. This is what they offer Neo, who takes the offer. The inference is that of the use of mind altering substances.

It’s called mescaline and it’s the only way to fly.

 

Choi – The Matrix

Though it would be generally unacceptable and politically incorrect to suggest, that this was the purpose of Neo’s joining them for a bit of “R & R”, it is highly indicative that this is what it meant. Mind altering drugs have, for hundreds of years, been used as a stepping stone to open the mind and start the internal questioning process.

The mention of the “white rabbit”, refers, of course to Lewis Caroll’s “Alice in Wonderland”. A book that is famous for suggesting that things are not always what they appear to be. There is also a certain amount of speculation that the works were influenced by the use of opium, which was prevalent at the time.