“A glitch in the Matrix”

By Gv. Malka Kariyawasam

Have you ever felt that your life is so monotonous that you are living in a pre-programmed environment like they show in 1999 movie “The Matrix”? The movie shows a future world where humans are kept captive by artificially intelligent machines, by plugging cables to their brains to control the mind. The humans who are unaware of this, are living (or think that they are living) in a normal environment when in reality they are living in a computer program which is very similar to the real world created by artificially intelligent machines. This altered realistic world created by artificially intelligent machines is called, “The Matrix”. However, a handful of humans who escaped before getting captured by artificially intelligent machines hacked, “The Matrix” program and unplugged people from the matrix. According to the movie, a glitch in the matrix is simply a program alteration performed by the artificially intelligent machines. And this glitch in the matrix is one of the main pieces of evidence that humans are living in a pre-programmed environment. People who understood this escaped and fought back for their freedom. 

Even though I’m sure (maybe not) that we are not living in a world created by artificially intelligent machines, I believe we live in our own matrices. Keep in mind a matrix is a dangerous thing. It can keep you forever in your comfort zone without allowing you to discover your true potential. But a matrix has its own glitches. The real-world matrix glitches are chances given to you, to escape your comfort zone and discover your true potential. When a matrix shows a glitch make sure you capture it before it’s gone. If you continuously ignore the glitches (chances) you will be trapped forever in your comfort zone.

During my first year at University of Ruhuna, my matrix showed me a glitch to do public speaking, a potential I didn’t know I had in me. Before joining the Gavel Ruhuna, I participated in an inter-faculty public speaking competition known as “The Orator” where I won the first place and became the first undergraduate to win the title for Faculty of Science. This win led me to discover a skill which I didn’t know I had in me, which ultimately led to joining Gavel Ruhuna and standing as the first-gavelier of Gavel Ruhuna to win an inter-university public speaking competition known as Viva Voce’22 organized by Gavel Club of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) & the Interact Club of St. Peter’s College, Colombo.

Now I ask the penultimate question. What if I didn’t participate in “The Orator”? Would I have gotten another glitch? Maybe or maybe not. But remember even though you answered a glitch, that doesn’t mean you successfully completed the calling. Yes, matrices are funny like that. Why are we the only ones get to have the fun? Matrices also likes to play. Keep in mind a glitch can lead to another glitch which ultimately leads to your glory.

Finally, as Paulo Coelho mentions in The Alchemist “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting” Dear dreamers take your “glitch.”

P.S. – The following one’s and zero’s are meant only for you…! 01010111 01100101 01101100 01100011 01101111 01101101 01100101 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01101101 01100001 01110100 01110010 01101001 01111000 00100000 01110100 01100001 01110010 01010011 00101110 00101110 00100001 00100000