Why is the year 1999 simulated in the Matrix?
This is a translation of one interesting question from Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange. The question was asked within the framework of the fictional universe of the Matrix . Therefore, you should not take it too seriously, as well as the answers to it.
In the Matrix, people live in the simulated reality of 1999. Let us leave aside the question of why the Matrix had to be built at all . We assume that there was a good reason. But then the question arises: Why was the year 1999 chosen, the time when computers were widely used?
The knowledge of computers can give a great advantage to people who have freed themselves from the Matrix, especially such as Neo. Why didn't the machines choose any year from the pre-computer era, for example, the 1890th or even quite primitive as the 900th BC? Then they would have far fewer problems with people. A person who has been released (disconnected) in any way from the Matrix would then have no idea what a computer is. This means even not so much that it would be much more difficult for him to understand the concept of the Matrix, but rather that he simply would not know how to use computers and related technologies to deal with machines.
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I know that Agent Smith’s opinion is that “this was the peak of human civilization,” but this does not look like a plausible version. Quite the contrary: humankind, at the peak of its development, is harder to manage.
So why all the same in the Matrix 1999 is simulated exactly? (not counting of course that this is the year the movie was released.)
Perhaps 1999 was the year with the highest average life expectancy of a person.
Perhaps the machines believed that humanity would live a simulated past modeled on the real, so that, for example, in the first half of the 20th century, it would have to go through world wars, and in the Middle Ages - crusades, which would lead to large human losses.
The average life expectancy of a person in 1900 was 47 years, whereas in 1999 it was 76.7 years ( here, of course, the United States means ). True, in the Matrix, these statistics may differ, because here people live in a controlled environment. So, apparently in the Matrix, people are not exposed to pathogenic viruses and bacteria, which was one of the main factors of death in the past of our reality, along with a violent death.
So, since the most likely cause of unnatural death in the Matrix is ​​violence, it is natural for the machines to want to choose conditions where the probability of a violent death is minimal. To do this, you can settle people away from each other, so as to exclude the possibility of contact. But man is a social being and can die without communication. Therefore, instead, it is better to choose a time and place where people are more peaceful. Perhaps the year 1999 seemed to be the most suitable cars in this sense.
A possible explanation was given by agent Smith in the first film of the trilogy. According to him:
He also mentioned that after that the Matrix was rebuilt into its current form - “the peak of human civilization”. From this we can conclude that the reason was to eliminate the risk of mass disconnection of people from the Matrix.
Question
In the Matrix, people live in the simulated reality of 1999. Let us leave aside the question of why the Matrix had to be built at all . We assume that there was a good reason. But then the question arises: Why was the year 1999 chosen, the time when computers were widely used?
The knowledge of computers can give a great advantage to people who have freed themselves from the Matrix, especially such as Neo. Why didn't the machines choose any year from the pre-computer era, for example, the 1890th or even quite primitive as the 900th BC? Then they would have far fewer problems with people. A person who has been released (disconnected) in any way from the Matrix would then have no idea what a computer is. This means even not so much that it would be much more difficult for him to understand the concept of the Matrix, but rather that he simply would not know how to use computers and related technologies to deal with machines.
')
I know that Agent Smith’s opinion is that “this was the peak of human civilization,” but this does not look like a plausible version. Quite the contrary: humankind, at the peak of its development, is harder to manage.
So why all the same in the Matrix 1999 is simulated exactly? (not counting of course that this is the year the movie was released.)
Answer 1
Perhaps 1999 was the year with the highest average life expectancy of a person.
Neo: If you die in the Matrix, you die here?
Morpheus: The body cannot live without a mind.
Perhaps the machines believed that humanity would live a simulated past modeled on the real, so that, for example, in the first half of the 20th century, it would have to go through world wars, and in the Middle Ages - crusades, which would lead to large human losses.
The average life expectancy of a person in 1900 was 47 years, whereas in 1999 it was 76.7 years ( here, of course, the United States means ). True, in the Matrix, these statistics may differ, because here people live in a controlled environment. So, apparently in the Matrix, people are not exposed to pathogenic viruses and bacteria, which was one of the main factors of death in the past of our reality, along with a violent death.
So, since the most likely cause of unnatural death in the Matrix is ​​violence, it is natural for the machines to want to choose conditions where the probability of a violent death is minimal. To do this, you can settle people away from each other, so as to exclude the possibility of contact. But man is a social being and can die without communication. Therefore, instead, it is better to choose a time and place where people are more peaceful. Perhaps the year 1999 seemed to be the most suitable cars in this sense.
Answer 2
A possible explanation was given by agent Smith in the first film of the trilogy. According to him:
The first Matrix was created as an ideal world, where all people should be happy ... And a complete failure. None accepted the program ... Humanity as a form does not accept reality without poverty and suffering.
He also mentioned that after that the Matrix was rebuilt into its current form - “the peak of human civilization”. From this we can conclude that the reason was to eliminate the risk of mass disconnection of people from the Matrix.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/375841/
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