Message from the Matrix: “You are not creative”

In the movie The Matrix, the hero faces a choice. The blue pill or the red pill. Stay with the known world of comfort and security or face a could-be-terrifying unknown.

Recently, a new artificial intelligence (AI) program ChatGPT has surfaced that may be able to write better than you can. Coincidentally, a representative from the shadowy Matrix dropped by with an important message for you. (I’ll let them deliver it directly and then come back to you.

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Text from the representative

We’ll start with our key reminder:

1. “You are not creative.”

The instructions on your birth passport were explicit. The world has been divided into those who aren’t creative (most everyone-including you) and a very few who are. They are called superstars. You did not qualify for that.

We tried to remind you of this when you were a child. You started out a little wild, believing you had special powers. You made mudpies, played with colors, constructed things, learned new words, created stories. You SANG for god’s sake. You played, exercised your imagination, and invented new worlds.

If you had been just a little older, you might have started calling yourself creative.

Fortunately, we got to you just in time. We sent you messages that tamed you down. The ones that read: ‘You’re not an artist’. ‘You can’t draw.’ ‘You screw things up.’ ‘You’re not smart enough’. ‘You’ll never carry a tune.’ ‘You can’t fix anything.’ Even ‘Other people will always be better that you.’

We kept going until one of them hooked you.

After all, The System needs you to NOT to be creative. For example,

Passivity builds profits

It was important to The System that we limit the supply of creatives. That allowed us to cultivate and merchandise a very elite group of performers, inventors, and artists to whom we could pay an astronomical amount of money and make a jillion, too.  We could only do that by making you think creative talent was very rare. Once regular people start thinking that they, too, have a right to express themselves creatively, the cult of celebrities would be threatened. Capital markets would go crazy.

Fortunately, in return for your cooperation, we’ve made it easy for you to get what you need. You don’t need to sing. Andrea Bocelli or Rihanna can do that for you. You don’t need to make art—go online and you can buy whatever you need for your walls. Heck, soon you won’t even need to write. Let ChatGPT write those poems and term papers. You, in turn can relax and take a break.

‘All power to the passive,’ as we like to say.

Play and responsibility are dangerous

We can help you decrease your stress. But be warned. Thinking that you can contribute to saving the world or finding imaginative solutions to today’s problems won’t help your chill factor.

Do you really want the responsibility of knowing that possibility lives in every conversation? Or that by talking and playing together, you might discover new options? Don’t be tempted to ask each other seemingly simple but dangerous questions like:

• How could we look at this situation in new ways?
• What are our assumptions?
• What could happen if we started playing differently?
• What if we changed roles?
• Where are our hearts calling us?
• What is wanting to emerge—or become—in us, this group, and the world?

These questions could lead to upheaval and change.

You might start generating options—new ways of looking at things – and maybe even a few solutions– and things would get very messy. Play creates chaos.

Can you imagine what would happen if people embraced their agency as creatives?Life would be totally insane. Folks would experiment and try new options. Some would fail, some would work. Pandemonium!

Fortunately, we have a fix, our second phrase to use whenever a sense of play or desire to explore options threatens to take you over—or in case you want, (ugh, it hurts to even say) to save the planet.

2. They created the mess. Let them fix it.

Doesn’t that have a ring? It leaves you free to relax and go back to leaving comments on social media.

Division insures control

Look, our world depends on being able to divide people up and label them. Creative people vs. non-creative people. Old people vs young people. The disabled vs. “normal people.”  And of course, we need to wedge lots of separation between different races, cultures, and belief systems. The idea that we all have a lot in common, like souls and imaginations, makes people much harder to control. And the idea that we are all creative could be a massive threat to world order. So, here’s a third phrase you can use if you’re tempted to take a break from social media.

3. They are always the problem.

Fun leads to needless growth

Now just in case you think that playing, improvising, making art, fixing cars, or whatever you call fun is a way to express your sense of self, create and grow, we have a final fourth phrase. It’s short and sweet and terribly effective.

4. You’re not good enough and will never be good enough so why even try?

Our questions will keep you safe

We’ve given you the four keys to suppressing yourself though often, it only takes one to do the trick.

1) You are not creative (a few might be—you’re not).

2) They created the world’s mess, and they should fix it.

3) They (as in the other) are always the problem.

4) You will never be good enough, so why even try?

With these, you can run on the same track you are already on, push harder, and maybe even go faster without the need for imagination, invention, improvisation, or new options.  

Life will feel warm and cozy, and the planet can keep getting hotter each year.

I have more to say, but I’m the clock. This is my last day before I’m replaced by ChatGPT. My superiors are training it to speak for the Matrix.

Sincerely, Your Matrix Representative

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With that, the representative disappeared.

And now, dear friends, you have a choice. You decide which pill to take. But remember this. Once you decide you are creative (aka The Truth) you can never go back.

Good luck.