Science and technology have brought progress and convenience, but can they also solve environmental problems? The movie The Matrix explores this question from the perspectives of technocracy and ecologism.
The reality depicted in The Matrix is a future where machines dominate humans. Due to the war between humans and machines, the Earth has been devastated, life forms have nearly become extinct, and only machines and humans exploited as energy sources for machines remain on the surface. Human bodies are trapped within an artificial matrix (matrix, womb) created by machines, and their minds are controlled by a virtual reality program called the Matrix. In this situation, a few humans break free from the matrix and begin to fight against the machines. They search for a hacker named “Neo,” who has the ability to disrupt the matrix, and prepare for the liberation of humanity.
Many people are already familiar with this plot from the movie’s success. However, what caught my attention when I rewatched the movie was not the premise that humans are ruled by artificial intelligence created by humans, but the perspective on environmental issues contained in the movie.
Since industrialization, accelerated environmental pollution and resource depletion have become serious challenges threatening human survival. As a result, many people are concerned about environmental issues and seeking solutions. However, perspectives on environmental issues vary from person to person. Two representative perspectives are the technocratic environmentalism (technology-oriented) and ecological environmentalism (ecology-oriented) classified by environmental writer O’Riordan.
Technological environmentalism argues that science and technology are not directly linked to environmental destruction. Even if technological development has caused environmental problems, it is better to utilize science and technology to solve these problems rather than restrict or abandon them. On the other hand, ecological environmentalism argues that if humans forget that they are part of nature and try to dominate it, they will eventually suffer from the damage they have inflicted on nature.
Before environmental issues became a major concern, people were fascinated by the amazing efficiency of machines and were indifferent to the pollution they emitted. Even after environmental issues came to the forefront, humanity has continued to prioritize economic development and maintain a technocratic attitude. The power of capital created by machines has further advanced and increased the number of machines. However, the sharp blade of environmental destruction that was overlooked in this process is now threatening humanity. So, as technological environmentalism argues, can environmental problems caused by science and technology be solved by more advanced technology?
Currently, environmental technology research is actively underway around the world. A representative example is eco-friendly energy technology. Eco-friendly energy refers to energy that does not cause air pollution or carbon dioxide emissions. Considering the impact of fossil fuels, which are gradually depleting, on human civilization, the development of eco-friendly energy technology is a very important task. Currently, solar energy and nuclear energy are gaining attention as eco-friendly energy sources. However, nuclear energy is widely known for its risks, and solar energy also cannot completely eliminate factors that threaten the environment.
Solar energy is the fundamental energy source for all life and ecosystems on Earth. Atmospheric and ocean currents are also generated by convection caused by solar radiation, so in a broader sense, wind and tidal energy can also be considered forms of solar energy. Fossil fuels are also the result of past photosynthetic plants using solar energy to synthesize organic matter. If humanity were to achieve full control over solar energy, could we completely resolve energy and environmental issues? The answer is no.
To produce enough electricity to power the global population using solar energy, it would be necessary to rely on regions near the equator with abundant sunlight. This would require transcontinental and transoceanic power grids to supply energy to regions like Northern Europe and East Asia, which cannot be considered entirely eco-friendly. Furthermore, even if we assume that 100% of the solar energy reaching the Earth’s surface is utilized, installing solar panels over an area the size of a single African country would be required to meet the energy needs of the world’s 7 billion people. Constructing solar power plants over such a vast area would deprive the life forms inhabiting those regions of the sun, which is essential for their survival, and this cannot be considered environmentally friendly.
As such, technology-driven environmentalism not only fails to perfectly solve the environmental problems humanity faces but also risks creating new problems that could push humanity into an even more dangerous situation. The following scene from a movie vividly illustrates this concern.
“It’s certain that humanity burned the sky. The machines of that time depended on solar energy, and they believed that without the sun, their source of energy, they would perish.” (The Matrix, 1999)
In the distant future, humanity created machines with artificial intelligence that mimicked their “minds,” and their arrogance reached its peak. However, when the machines they created began to threaten them, humanity decided to destroy the sun, the machines’ energy source. In doing so, they forgot that their own survival also depended on the sun. Here, humanity viewed the sun and all life forms that depend on it as mere resources from a strictly technocratic perspective. The Matrix warns of the horrific future humanity might face if it continues to adhere to a technocratic worldview.
