The Desert of the Real: Christianity, Buddhism & Baudrillard in The Matrix Films and Popular Culture

James F. McGrath

The Desert of the Real: Christianity, Buddhism & Baudrillard in The Matrix Films and Popular Culture

James F. McGrath

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Abstract

The movie The Matrix and its sequels draw explicitly on imagery from a number of sources, including in particular Buddhism, Christianity, and the writings of Jean Baudrillard. A perspective is offered on the perennial philosophical question ‘What is real?’, using language and symbols drawn from three seemingly incompatible world views. In doing so, these movies provide us with an insight into the way popular culture makes eclectic use of various streams of thought to fashion a new reality that is not unrelated to, and yet is nonetheless distinct from, its religious and philosophical undercurrents and underpinnings.

Original language	American English
Title of host publication	Visions of the Human in Science Fiction and Cyberpunk
State	Published - Jan 1 2010

Keywords

Baudrillard
Buddhism
Christianity
Descartes
Matrix
philosophy
popular culture
reality
religion
science fiction

Disciplines

Philosophy
Religion
Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Access to Document

fulltext.pdfFinal published version, 220 KBLicense: Unspecified

Cite this

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abstract = "The movie The Matrix and its sequels draw explicitly on imagery from a number of sources, including in particular Buddhism, Christianity, and the writings of Jean Baudrillard. A perspective is offered on the perennial philosophical question {\textquoteleft}What is real?{\textquoteright}, using language and symbols drawn from three seemingly incompatible world views. In doing so, these movies provide us with an insight into the way popular culture makes eclectic use of various streams of thought to fashion a new reality that is not unrelated to, and yet is nonetheless distinct from, its religious and philosophical undercurrents and underpinnings.",

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note = "James F. McGrath. {"}The Desert of the Real: Christianity, Buddhism \& Baudrillard in The Matrix Films and Popular Culture{"} Visions of the Human in Science Fiction and Cyberpunk. Ed. Marcus Leaning \& Birgit Pretzsch. Oxford, UK: Inter-Disciplinary Press, 2010. 161-172. Available from: digitalcommons.butler.edu/facsch\_papers/556/",

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