"It is a difference between knowing the path,
and walking the path."
"The Matrix"
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Ludwig
Janus, who has submitted to this Journal his thoughts on the
film "The Matrix".
Dr.
Janus is a well known, widely respected psychoanalyst from Heidelberg,
Germany, Consulting Editor of this Journal and Associate Editor
of the International Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology
and Medicine. He also serves his third term as the President
of the International Society of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology
and Medicine.
Dr.
Janus’ review of the film is in line with the philosophy
of the Neuroendocrinology Letters, stresses the indivisible
continuity of the human life from the prenatal stages, interacting
with the psychosomatic phenomena of the individual in the society,
and the mutual interdependencies between the individual destiny,
its initiation process and between the society with the framework
of rules, controls, boundaries including the choice of free
will.
It
is also about the inner individuation and can also be understood
as a parable for modern depersonalization and the disintegration
of the ego in the face of the overwhelming confusion of complex,
mechanized social dominance.
To
Dr. Janus, the message of the film is about the opportunities
and the happiness derived from an integrated identity in a reality
full of contradictions. Also the most difficult early traumas
can be overcome using the individual’s very own charisma
of his or her identity if given even a minimum amount of support.
We
are made aware of things unexplainable and of unlimited possibility
in this technologically "brave" new world. Edmund
Husserl wrote nearly 100 years ago about the consciousness perceiving
lived experiences in his treatises on phenomenology. The lived
experiences may be real or unreal, but as conscious mental acts,
they exist, they are given to us. As acts, as volitions, they
exist in their appearing. Perhaps there is much more one can
read into the film Dr. Janus has written about. What Neo perceives
as two separate worlds, the one real, the other illusionary
have thus equal merit.
Reading
Dr. Janus’ review and seeing the film, one has to think
of Albert Camus and his theses: art is a revolt against the
lasting world and has as a task to change the world. In order
to change the existing world, you have to abandon it.
The
modern artist is a man in revolt. Revolt does not have to be
destructive. It may be innovative and very constructive. Art
has to reach the people, but in order to do so, you have to
talk about the simple common issues, such as pleasure, the sunshine,
passion, defy death.
The
main point is that whatever you say or whatever you talk about,
it must be sincere. The aim of art is not to condemn, but to
understand.
Lili Maas
Art & Advertising Director
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