Cypher’s Choice
In the original Matrix movie, there’s a character named Cypher who decides that life is more comfortable for him within the confines of the false-reality programming that is the Matrix. He betrays his comrades, in return for being plugged back into the Matrix – back into his comfortable (though illusory) life of ease and affluence.
Of porterhouse steaks, fine wine and nice clothes… .
I got to thinking about Cypher’s choice as a result of a discussion I had recently with someone about a real-life Cypher. You may know of him.
His name is Alan Greenspan.
A long time ago, Greenspan was a champion of free market economics – an associate of the famous writer Ayn Rand and the author o fGold and Economic Freedom. He opposed central banking – and fiat currency. He vigorously defended sound money – and the vital (to economic liberty) necessity of moral hazard. The concept that people must be free to prosper – or fail – according to the merits of their ideas and their work, without fear or favor from the government. His was a mighty voice for economic – and thus, individual – liberty.
But then Alan sold out. He plugged back into the Matrix. He became the apotheosis of that which he had once reviled: chairman of the Federal Reserve! The head of the private banking cartel that manipulates boom-bust for its own financial gain. The entity that devalues the currency at whim, causing and creating the economic instability that makes financial security all-but-impossible for the average person.
The leading light of sound money became its most deadly enemy. The proverbial ringmaster of casino capitalism.
And was richly rewarded.
Alan Greenspan became wealthy, famous and powerful. For many years, as Fed chairman, he literally controlled the U.S. banking system – which is another way of saying he controlled the U.S. economy. Which is to say, his whim affected millions of people. Will interest rates go up – or down? How much inflation can we expect next year? Is it a good time to buy – or sell? The augurs parsed his every word, his every inflection… what will the Great Man do?
Augustus Caesar never wielded such arbitrary power over the masses.
It must have been intoxicating. It opened many doors – doors that would have remained forever closed to a defender of sound money – and so, an enemy of the Fed.
Of course, Greenspan must live with himself. And with what he did.
Which brings us to the question – a question not unlike the one Morpheus posed to Neo – and before Neo, to Cypher:
What would any of us have done if presented with the same choice – what amounts to Cypher’s choice? Either: Spend a lifetime, perhaps, tilting at windmills – never convincing enough people to unplug from the Matrix … casting pearls before swine . . . probably living a harder life yourself as a result. Eyes open – but pockets empty.
Or: Give up on the masses. Decide they are – mostly – incorrigible. Conclude that, while there are some who can be unplugged from the Matrix, most prefer the Matrix world of illusion, fraud and coercion. So why not give it to them? Let them have their panem et circenses – their football and America’s Got Talent. Their payday loans and home equity lines … their consumerism and debt, McMansions and income taxes?
And make some bucks for oneself along the way?
I understand what Greenspan did. And I have to admit, if I am to be honest about it, that I’d be tempted to do the same – for the same reasons. God help me. I hope I wouldn’t. I try hard to keep an optimistic perspective and hope that enough people come around in time … .
But then I remember the tens of millions who will vote for Obama – or Romney. Actively – that is, enthusiastically – vote for them. The scores of millions who believe in – who want – authoritarianism and redistributionism (pick your flavor). Who actually do “hate freedom” – as The Chimp put it.
In which case, why fight the inevitable? Why not make the best of a bad situation? Money does equal power – and power can insulate one (and one’s family) from the massed millions out there….
And with a couple million, one could buy a very safe retreat, well-stocked and far, far way from the coming shit-storm. Or, just hop in one’s private jet and leave. . . . The safe house in Argentina (or wherever) is waiting. Let the masses have what they crave – their fuuuhhhhttball and TeeeeVee and theirSmoooVees and shopping malls – and gnaw each other to a bloody pulp.
Such thoughts probably circulated through Alan Greenspan’s mind. He chose accordingly.
I like to think I would choose differently.
But perhaps Alan – perhaps Cypher – was right.
I hope they weren’t. But I fear they may have been.
Just look around. It is hard to be optimistic. America is becoming the new Soviet Union – or perhaps something even worse. And most people welcome it. Or at least, don’t give a damn about it. So long as they are plugged in to the Matrix… into their false world of illusory comforts, of status and power (ephemeral though it may be)…
Stopping this – let alone reversing it – may be as hopeless as trying to push an already-rolling car back up the hill. In which case, perhaps better to stand aside and let the thing proceed on its way.
Maybe we can salvage something from the mess afterward.
Regards,
Eric Peters
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[...] google_color_bg = ""; google_color_text = ""; google_color_url = ""; google_ui_features = "rc:0"; whiskeyandgunpowder.com / By Eric Peters / July 23, 2012In the original Matrix movie, there’s a character named Cypher [...]
You were correct to speak of such choices as temptations. Were we to take a humanistic approach to life, why not do as Greenspan did and yield to the temptation. But it is a temptation and the use of that word implies an unwavering right versus wrong. The real choice is at what price do we individually sell our souls, our morality, or our principles.
Fortunately, guidance has been provided. Examples of living in a way which reflects morality and a love of Liberty are more precious than filthy lucre have been recorded. While we all fail at some level, the primary struggle of life is reaching for that goal of one day standing before the One who gave us life and Liberty and hearing Him say, “Well done good and faithful servant”.
Meanwhile, remember freedom is the ability to individually choose our actions and take responsibility for those actions. Liberty is freedom in a moral wrapper which encourages us to stay true despite all the temptations which can be offered.
Cipher- and Greenspan- chose poorly.
Well thought, well written.
Thank you.
I understand with the sentiments of this article. But I disagree with the premise. Or at least I hope to disagree with the premise. We’re presented with an either/or choice. Either we become one with the borg and live well, or we stick to our principles and live worse off than the average person as a result.
But I have to believe that the paradigm should include both living well and sticking to our principles. Since discovering agorism and anarchism I finally feel that activism and prosperity are not mutually exclusive. You can spread the message, fight leviathan, and make a lot of money while doing so if you can figure out a way to work in the underground economy.
When I was a minarchist I would donate gobs of money to Ron Paul and other fruitless activist ventures that always left my wallet empty. But now as an anarchist I am investing my money into activist ventures that actually make me money and weaken the state far more than my libertarian evangelizing ever did.
But then in the aftermath there will be some other person who is tempted by corruption and makes excuses why it is acceptable to manipulate and exploit his fellow man.
…which is why you need incorruptible money.
Funny, I was just talking to my wife yesterday about this very thing.
We live on all cash. We gave up on the debt and false appearance of prosperity that 75 percent of the population lives under. The only debt I have is a house payment.
Here is the illusion. My cars are both 10 years old and falling apart. I live in a three unit house. The tenants pay the house payment. I live in the 1500 sq foot apartment on the first floor with three boys and my wife.
I try to buy some precious metals but struggle to afford to buy them.
We have no debt other than the house. I struggle to live this way.
All my friends, people I work with or really whoever I know have debt out the you know what. Brand new houses, pools, new cars. They take a trips to some far off places twice a year. They don’t seem to care either.
They all say the same thing, you only live once, what’s the difference. They all seem happy.
I know the way I do it is the smart way but I get weary of it all. I want to plug back in to the matrix. Then I can be happy in the debt bliss and denial.
You will never convince anybody to change. You can donate to Ron Paul or whoever. It means nothing. We are too far gone as a country. 75 percent of the pop. lives in this state of denial. It will continue until it all implodes.
Which I have been hearing for 10 years but we seem to get thru everyday without nothing happening.
What if we could go on forever living like this. Why can’t we just keep printing money, why can’t the whole world keep doing this? I hope I am right. I hope I am not spending my whole life waiting for some economic meltdown that will never happen.
I fight it off but it is tough.
This is a test to see if this site will take even a short comment from me: Hang in there guys and remember that some debt is worse than others. Credit cards should be paid off on time as they ask for up to 29.9%. Meanwhile other interest rates are less than inflation. Hedging sometimes means planning for the possibility that the apocalypse is not quite so nigh as we fear.
OK, let me try that again: Tim, I don’t mean to pry, but why are you struggling, with the main monthly expense of life being covered by rent-payers? No job? Lousy job? Does the mother of your children work or stay home to rear/homeschool them? Maybe the change you need in life, rather than living off of credit, is for one or both of you to do something you love–for money, as one of the other posters has suggested is possible. I don’t know what your abilities or disabilites are, but there must be some opportunty out there for you. This is the big change I am attempting in my own life, so I am preaching to myself here, too.
Or, if a mortgage is an exception to the living debt-free rule, buy more property. Risky, but most investments are hedges against inflation–stocks, metals, real estate–with various benefits depending on how you buy them and how you use them. Cash is handy when prices drop. If armageddon: remote farmable land, a nice well (priceless), some tradable skills, and lead probably will be more valuable than silver. FRN’s good for burning, maybe, although they might have some value as collectables (like Confederate money) when civilization returns.
Meanwhile, if your cars are soon to be run into the ground, treat yourself. Zero/near zero financing comes with a new car and new car price. You can let someone else pay that and then two years later buy it from them for half the price.
Edward,
You might be right. The life change sounds good. I have a decent job. My wife homeschools. No problems there.
I can tell you that not many people seem to care about things that are talked about on here. Are society has overrun with rules. Nobody seems to notice. Fiat currency? Forget about it. Nobody cares as long as it spends.
Debt crisis? Again, nobody seems to care as long as there life stays the same.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I don’t want to care about it anymore myself.
Tried serveral verbose comments they suffered Edwards fate as USUAL. They all boiled down to:
Don’t stop caring!!! Despite the invitations to do otherwise.
Taking a cue from Cheri, I will avoid going on at length and simply suggest reading Wendy McElroy’s piece from Freedom Fest posted here. (That was a great panel, btw.)
I have to believe that the paradigm should include both living well and sticking to our principles. Since discovering agorism and anarchism I finally feel that activism and prosperity are not mutually exclusive. You can spread the message, fight leviathan, and make a lot of money while doing so if you can figure out a way to work in the underground economy.