Well, with the new Matrix movie out (no spoilers at all, perfectly safe to continue), it’s time to revisit the red pill, blue pill debate.

I’m going to consider it safe to talk about an aspect of the original, 22-year-old The Matrix here without ruining it for anyone. Neo is given a choice early on; take a red pill and see behind the curtain or a blue pill to go back to blissful ignorance.

Psychologists have done studies, and highly intelligent people are more prone to depression and anxiety disorders. “Ignorance is bliss” isn’t just pith, it’s science. So, what then is the motivation to delve deeper, to understand, to know, to read newsletters about this sort of stuff?

Knowledge is also power. Forewarned is forearmed. Yadda yadda yadda.

But why choose that over happiness?

Why not?

If it were up to you, which pill would you choose? And once you knew the deeper truth about the world, would you regret the choice?

How about if we expand our options:

• Red Pill – join the club; know the secrets
• Blue Pill – forget everything, including that you were ever offered a pill
• Yellow Pill – be told the secret but be neither allowed nor required to join the struggle
• Purple Pill – join the club, forget the false world ever existed
• Green Pill – forget the false world, join the real world as a bystander
• Orange Pill – know the secrets; be the Chosen One everyone is counting on

With this set of options, Neo took the Orange Pill thinking it was the Red Pill. Would Thomas Anderson (Neo’s in-Matrix identity) have made that choice if he had all his options laid out before him?

What would YOU choose?

Let me hear from you on Facebook or chime in with a comment. I want to know where my reader stand!