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I occasionally see references online to people being "red-pilled" or >"blue-pilled" or black-pilled".
Can anyone explain the meaning of these terms?
I occasionally see references online to people being "red-pilled" or "blue-pilled" or black-pilled".
Can anyone explain the meaning of these terms?
On 05/10/2025 15:43, Steve Hayes wrote:
I occasionally see references online to people being "red-pilled" or "blue-pilled" or black-pilled".
Can anyone explain the meaning of these terms?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_pill_and_blue_pill
The red pill and blue pill are metaphorical terms representing a
choice between learning an unsettling or life-changing truth by
taking the red pill or remaining in the unquestioned experience
of an illusion appearing as ordinary reality with the blue pill.
The pills were used as props in the 1999 film The Matrix.
In article <10bu22b$3ggi7$1
@dont-email.me>,
rjh@cpax.org.uk says...
On 05/10/2025 15:43, Steve Hayes wrote:
I occasionally see references online to people being "red-pilled" or
"blue-pilled" or black-pilled".
Can anyone explain the meaning of these terms?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_pill_and_blue_pill
The red pill and blue pill are metaphorical terms representing a
choice between learning an unsettling or life-changing truth by
taking the red pill or remaining in the unquestioned experience
of an illusion appearing as ordinary reality with the blue pill.
The pills were used as props in the 1999 film The Matrix.
In common parlance, red-
pilled tends to mean becoming
conservative while blue-
pilled means becoming or
remaining liberal. Being
black-pilled usually means
getting fed up with all of it
and turning to general
misanthropy.
In article <10bu22b$3ggi7$1
@dont-email.me>,
rjh@cpax.org.uk says...
On 05/10/2025 15:43, Steve Hayes wrote:
I occasionally see references online to people being "red-pilled" or
"blue-pilled" or black-pilled".
Can anyone explain the meaning of these terms?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_pill_and_blue_pill
The red pill and blue pill are metaphorical terms representing a
choice between learning an unsettling or life-changing truth by
taking the red pill or remaining in the unquestioned experience
of an illusion appearing as ordinary reality with the blue pill.
The pills were used as props in the 1999 film The Matrix.
In common parlance, red-
pilled tends to mean becoming
conservative while blue-
pilled means becoming or
remaining liberal. Being
black-pilled usually means
getting fed up with all of it
and turning to general
misanthropy.
I occasionally see references online to people being "red-pilled" or
"blue-pilled" or black-pilled".
Can anyone explain the meaning of these terms?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_pill_and_blue_pill
The red pill and blue pill are metaphorical terms representing a
choice between learning an unsettling or life-changing truth by
taking the red pill or remaining in the unquestioned experience
of an illusion appearing as ordinary reality with the blue pill.
The pills were used as props in the 1999 film The Matrix.
In common parlance, red-
pilled tends to mean becoming
conservative while blue-
pilled means becoming or
remaining liberal. Being
black-pilled usually means
getting fed up with all of it
and turning to general
misanthropy.
Interesting.
Unless I'm missing something, it therefore seems that in common
parlance the meaning is the opposie from that in the movie "The
Matrix" (which I haven't seen, and am now unlikely to be able to see).
From what I've been told about "The Matrix" the you take the blue pill
to stay as you are for the rest of your life, which would be the
conservative option, surely?
Another thought:
In the Wikipedia article recommended by Tony Cooper I read:
'"taking the red pill" or being "red-pilled" typically means becoming
aware of perceived political biases in society, including those in
mainstream media, and viewing oneself as an independent thinker;'
Which I understand as one of the core meanings of being "woke".
"whereas "taking the blue pill" or being "blue-pilled" generally means unquestioningly accepting these perceived biases."
"Individuals who identify as "red pilled" often espouse conspiracy
theories, antisemitism, white supremacy, homophobia, and misogyny."
Weird inconsistency.
So the meaning remains out of reach.
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com--
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
Steve Hayes <hayesstw@telkomsa.net> writes:
Another thought:
In the Wikipedia article recommended by Tony Cooper I read:
'"taking the red pill" or being "red-pilled" typically means becoming
aware of perceived political biases in society, including those in
mainstream media, and viewing oneself as an independent thinker;'
Which I understand as one of the core meanings of being "woke".
I agree. Long ago I had a minor epiphany when I encountered the
phrase, "externalize internal diseconomies". As a principle, that
explains why numerous corporate products and services don't make
sense. If it costs money (or fails to produce enough money), let
somebody else eat it. People can pump their own gas. I think the
current term is "enshittification".
"whereas "taking the blue pill" or being "blue-pilled" generally means
unquestioningly accepting these perceived biases."
"Individuals who identify as "red pilled" often espouse conspiracy
theories, antisemitism, white supremacy, homophobia, and misogyny."
Weird inconsistency.
Thing is, if you're poorly educated (or perhaps highly but narrowly educated), have been enculturated from childhood with counterfactuals
or perhaps have been subject to other uncritical social/cognitive
influences, a sudden "realization" that Jews, black people, queers or
women (or Muslims, Democrats, Catholics, socialists, space aliens or
people who open their eggs at the wrong end) are conspiring against
you is just as much an awakening, just as "woke", just as much of an
epiphany as was my encounter with "externalize internal diseconomy".
Being "woke", being awakened to the true state of affairs, requires sufficient knowledge and mental acuity to evaluate candidate "true
states of affairs". In the Matrix movie, there was little doubt on
the part of the lead character that the state of affairs to which he
was awakened by the red pill was not yet another con but another major character in the red-pilled reality held an unshakeable belief in a "prophesy" that he should have been able to treat with suspicion.
So the meaning remains out of reach.
Clearly depending on who's using it.
'"taking the red pill" or being "red-pilled" typically means becoming
aware of perceived political biases in society, including those in
mainstream media, and viewing oneself as an independent thinker;'
Which I underst6and as one of the core meanings of being "woke".
From what I've been told about "The Matrix" the you take the blue pill
to stay as you are for the rest of your life, which would be the
conservative option, surely?
I occasionally see references online to people being "red-pilled" or "blue-pilled" or black-pilled".
Can anyone explain the meaning of these terms?
Mike Spencer hat am 06.10.2025 um 09:36 geschrieben:
Steve Hayes <hayesstw@telkomsa.net> writes:
Another thought:
In the Wikipedia article recommended by Tony Cooper I read:
'"taking the red pill" or being "red-pilled" typically means becoming
aware of perceived political biases in society, including those in
mainstream media, and viewing oneself as an independent thinker;'
Which I understand as one of the core meanings of being "woke".
I agree. Long ago I had a minor epiphany when I encountered the
phrase, "externalize internal diseconomies". As a principle, that
explains why numerous corporate products and services don't make
sense. If it costs money (or fails to produce enough money), let
somebody else eat it. People can pump their own gas. I think the
current term is "enshittification".
"whereas "taking the blue pill" or being "blue-pilled" generally means
unquestioningly accepting these perceived biases."
"Individuals who identify as "red pilled" often espouse conspiracy
theories, antisemitism, white supremacy, homophobia, and misogyny."
Weird inconsistency.
Thing is, if you're poorly educated (or perhaps highly but narrowly
educated), have been enculturated from childhood with counterfactuals
or perhaps have been subject to other uncritical social/cognitive
influences, a sudden "realization" that Jews, black people, queers or
women (or Muslims, Democrats, Catholics, socialists, space aliens or
people who open their eggs at the wrong end) are conspiring against
you is just as much an awakening, just as "woke", just as much of an
epiphany as was my encounter with "externalize internal diseconomy".
Being "woke", being awakened to the true state of affairs, requires
sufficient knowledge and mental acuity to evaluate candidate "true
states of affairs". In the Matrix movie, there was little doubt on
the part of the lead character that the state of affairs to which he
was awakened by the red pill was not yet another con but another major
character in the red-pilled reality held an unshakeable belief in a
"prophesy" that he should have been able to treat with suspicion.
So the meaning remains out of reach.
Clearly depending on who's using it.
My conclusion after your and Steve's thoughts: "red pill" was originally
a good thing, at least to those people who value their freedom of speech
and thought, but some people managed to turn it into its opposite. An >eccellent reason never to use this term and to be extremely suspicious
when someone else says or writes it. Unless, of course, it's only a >discussion like this one about its usage and meaning.
The same applies IMHO to "mainstream media" and even more to its--
abbreviation MSM.