Many fans of The Matrix claim to have experienced a “Glitch in the Matrix” – so, what is this real-life phenomenon, exactly? And can science explain it?
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The Real-Life Glitch in the Matrix Phenomenon, Explained
The Glitch in the Matrix phenomenon is an uncanny experience that seemingly can’t be explained rationally. As its name suggests, it’s inspired by a scene in 1999 sci-fi blockbuster The Matrix. Here, protagonist Neo experiences a moment of déjà vu – two identical black cats walking past the same doorway – while he’s inside The Matrix‘s titular virtual reality environment. In response, Neo’s love interest Trinity explains that déjà vu “is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when [the Machines in charge of the Matrix] change something.” Neo, Trinity, and their pals then discover that the building they’re in no longer has any exits, turning it into a death trap.
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Proponents of the Glitch in the Matrix phenomenon claim they’ve experienced similar inexplicable happenings – albeit without the “death trap” bit. A quick scan of the r/Glitch_in_the_Matrix subreddit yields accounts of vanishing phone booths, appearing chimneys, teleporting dogs, and more. Some (but by no means all) of those who believe they’ve experienced a Glitch in the Matrix use the term literally. They genuinely believe that humanity is currently and unwittingly living in a simulated reality, like in The Matrix. This ties in with an actual philosophical theory, the simulation hypothesis, advocated by philosopher Nick Bostrom and embraced by the likes of Elon Musk.
Can Science Explain the Glitch in the Matrix Phenomenon?
Yes, science can explain away most Glitch in the Matrix phenomena, although more ardent believers argue it comes up short. Most of the vanishing/appearing object or animal incidents are almost certainly the result of well-documented quirks of human perception and memory. In short: our brains have a habit of making stuff up (or running with inaccurate information) without us realizing it. Sometimes entire groups of people can create the same false memory, known as the Mandela effect. An individual’s age and state of mind when they experience a Glitch in the Matrix – including whether they were straight-up drunk or high – can also negatively impact their memory.
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Indeed, the above subreddit rejects any posts where these factors play a part in proceedings. It also bans any Glitch in the Matrix anecdotes with even a whiff of the Baader–Meinhof phenomenon. Otherwise known as frequency illusion, the Baader–Meinhof phenomenon explains scenarios where the same word or topic crops up an improbable number of times once you’ve become aware of it. Oh, and the jury is still very much out on the simulation hypothesis. Scientists and philosophers alike continue to debate the theory, and there are some convincing arguments against it. Still, no one has outright disproven it yet, so who knows? Maybe we are all plugged into the Matrix!
The Matrix is currently streaming on Max.
