The Tate bros are out, and back to tweeting themselves senseless; pacing back and forth and yes, eating pizzas. So too Andrew is talking his normal mumbo jumbo about “the Matrix” to devise cunning, new and improved, and increasingly expensive ways of escaping it. “Escape the Matrix”, I hear again and again – rippling across the social media world. As someone who looks at such ideas with an innate scepticism, I have noticed an odd parallel (a shared belief perhaps?) between two of the world’s greatest mortal enemies. Because equally often, I hear “Smash the Patriarchy!” Similarly blurted out from the same puzzled faces. Another oppressive system of power, that grinds down upon our shoulders, dominating each of us, and turning us into slaves – which we must “smash” asap. I’ve listened to both sides parrot on about these ideas, and have come to wonder – is “The Matrix” and “The Patriarchy” the same thing? And do both sides suggest the same solution through a combination of “smashing” and/or “escaping”? Are they describing the same fantastic narrative, with the same sense of helplessness, but each using their own unique (but equally alarming) language? Truth be told – both ideas mean little to me, as like a bar of soap each remain impossible to hold onto, analyse or test. Neither exist in the world of the scientific method, and continue to escape scrutiny or falsification. And let’s not forget how profitable both ideas have become; flogging merchandise, selling out events, signing book deals, and enrolling countless many onto bunkum educational courses – for that’s how “smashing” and “escaping” is done. So are they two sides of the same whacky coin? One turning women against men, the other men against women, and each a wedge to separate us into eternally warring tribes, for reasons I expect many don’t even know. This is not the only time I’ve seen the right and left parrot the same ideas, and it’s about time someone pointed it out. So may the feminist movement share more in common with its greatest super villain, that it realises? ~ Images by Silvani Bandaru, Shoeib Abolhassani, Kiwi Hug, Christopher Burns, Black Kiwi Hug, Vadim, and Gradienta.

2023-04-25