Released in 1999, The Matrix made literal a well-worn philosophical belief—the world around us is only a simulation. In one of its most iconic scenes, Neo, a messiah for the internet age, is asked to choose between two pills, one blue and the other red. While the blue pill would allow him to forever live in blissful ignorance, the red pill offers realisation, an understanding of stark and uncomfortable truths, a chance to see how deep the rabbit hole of technology, control and consciousness really goes.
Speaking to india today via Zoom, author Hari Kunzru confesses he was a fan of The Matrix: “The film puts our sense of reality on pause and reality is then seen as being this constructed thing—I thought it was a fantastic film.” Like Neo, the narrator of Kunzru’s latest novel, Red Pill, also sometimes loses himself in the labyrinth that is the internet but, unlike Neo, he is no hacker. He is a writer who finds himself bored in Berlin. Having been awarded a fellowship at the prestigious Deuter Centre, he hopes to write about the construction of ‘self ’ in lyric poetry. Tragically, however, a full-blown middle-age crisis leaves him too self-involved to work. He spends much of his time binge-watching Blue Lives, an American cop show whose nihilism, he finds, is as disturbing as its violence.
Denne historien er fra November 09, 2020-utgaven av India Today.
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Denne historien er fra November 09, 2020-utgaven av India Today.
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THE GENERIC BREAKTHROUGH - Pharmacy to the World
India's pharmaceutical industry has evolved from dependency on foreign firms to global dominance. Driven by generics, biopharma breakthroughs and innovation, it has cemented the country's status as the planet's drug factory
THE SOFTWARE BOOM FROM BYTES TO BILLIONS
From a $100-million fledgling in 1991 to a $250-billion powerhouse today, India's IT industry capitalised on visionary policies, pioneering companies and the Y2K opportunity to become a global leader in outsourcing and innovation
ECONOMIC LIBERALISATION, 1991- BREAKING THE SHACKLES
In 1990, India faced economic collapse with dwindling forex reserves and mounting debt. The next year, the Narasimha Rao government, with Manmohan Singh as finance minister, launched transformative reforms, dismantling protectionism and reshaping the economy
THE MARUTI 800, 1983- The Aam Aadmi Car
The small car that made a big difference by democratising car ownership in the country and changing the face of India's automotive industry
RELIANCE INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING, 1977 - The Emperor of Equities
With his novel idea of raising funds from the public in the late '70s, Dhirubhai Ambani awoke the sleeping giant that was India's capital market, giving the ordinary investor a chance to own a small piece of big business and be part of an equity revolution
WEAVE A STORY
Saree plays muse and material in this modern iteration
SIMPLE LIVING
Spatial planning meets spirituality, and up-cyling meets unconventional design practices, in this Gurgaon home
HARMONY IN DESIGN
Using principles of vaastu coupled with a creative interplay of open and closed spaces, this home in Vadodara is a welcome sight
THE NEW ECO CHIC
This home in Kerala is designed on the principles of climate responsive architecture
Crafting a New Look
A look at five festive artistic finds from Jaipur to brighten your celebrations