21 Quotes From Keanu Reeves To Help You Live a Red Pill Sort of Life

February 7, 2022

Do you remember the movie called The Matrix? It was released in 1999 and it was a box office success. After that original movie, three more sequels were produced and released. The most recent one hit the theatres in December 2021. The storyline of The Matrix can seem quite confusing at first glance. The basic plot is that mankind is stuck in a simulated/virtual reality world being controlled by the system which is called the Matrix. The main purpose of mankind in the movie was to be the power source that kept the Matrix going. Being imprisoned this way, people were not in charge of their identity but instead, they were only being used by the Matrix for its selfish benefit.

Some of the prisoners would occasionally break free of the Matrix. These people were targeted and hunted down because they were considered a threat to the Matrix. Neo, one of the main characters in The Matrix, breaks out of the illusion of his life created by being a prisoner of the Matrix. Neo was given the choice of taking a red pill or a blue pill by the rebel leader, Morpheus. It was his choice of pill that allowed his freedom to live.

If you have ever heard the phrases the red pill and the blue pill, this movie is where those pop-culture expressions originated. Taking the red pill equates to having an unknown future but it is one that is free from the control of the institution. Taking the blue pill means that one will continue to live in a controlled environment that although may seem comfortable on the outside, is one void of want or desire inside.

Morpheus describes it like this: "if you take the blue pill...the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill...you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes."

The Matrix seemed very far-fetched to many at the time. Fast forward almost 23 years since the original movie was released and I now watch as the world around me seems to emulate the Matrix described in the movie. Have people traded the unknown and the thrill of living freely for the comfort that comes with the predictability of having some entity control their every move? This past December, watching people line up with their vaccine passports to access the theater where the 4th installment of The Matrix was showing was surreal based on what the series represents. It would be remiss not to recognize the irony of what I just described based on our present world.

Keanu Reeves was the character named Neo in the series. Born in Beirut but growing up in Canada, he remains a kind and down-to-earth man. The 57-year-old has had heartbreak and happiness throughout his life but he continues to be humble and generous. His acts of kindness and generosity to those around him are well documented.

Movies such as Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Point Break, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Speed, My Own Private Idaho, and Something’s Gotta Give provided Keanu with a stellar Hollywood career. He also has starred in the John Wick movies and The Matrix movies. He has also had a few duds but that's okay!

Keanu Reeves came to my mind lately because what we are witnessing around us right now is a Matrix sort of scenario, isn’t it? It remains interesting to the core to observe how people are reacting to the Matrix which society is finding itself. There are those who have taken the red pill long ago, some who are taking it now and some who have consumed the blue pill and are comfortable being under the thumb of the institution.

How will the real-life Matrix end?

Here are 21 of my favourite quotes from Keanu on life, love and loss:

1. I was also raised to treat people exactly how I would like to be treated by others. It’s called respect.

2. None of us is getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an afterthought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you’re carrying in your heart like a hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There’s no time for anything else.

3. I will always be in love with love.

4. Sometimes we get so caught up in our daily lives that we forget to take the time out to enjoy the beauty in life. It’s like we’re zombies. Look up and take your headphones out. Say “Hi” to someone you see and maybe give a hug to someone who looks like they are hurting.

5. The simple act of paying attention can take you a long way.

6. Try to be wrong once in a while, it’ll do your ego good.

7. If you have been brutally broken, but still have the courage to be gentle to other living beings, then you’re a badass with the heart of an angel.

8. I guess living without love, without experiencing it or being able to give it, is a pretty strong punishment.

9. I thank the earth and the sky every day for the opportunities I’ve had.

10. The person who was holding me back from my happiness was me.

11. I don’t understand why people get mad when they get rejected by somebody or something. They have done you a favor by not wasting your time and playing with you.

12. Money doesn’t mean anything to me. I’ve made a lot of money, but I want to enjoy my life and not stress myself building my bank account. I give lots away and live simply, mostly out of a suitcase in hotels. We all know that good health is much more important.

13. So in the end, I think we can all pretty well agree that even in the face of tragedy, a stellar person can thrive. No matter what’s going on in your life, you can overcome it! Life is worth living.

14. Art is about trying to find the good in people and making the world a more compassionate place.

15. Grief changes shape but it never ends.

16. Nothing ever truly dies. The universe wastes nothing, everything is simply transformed.

17. I don’t want to be a part of a world where being kind is a weakness.

18. I dream of a day where I walk down the street and hear people talk about morality, sustainability, and philosophy instead of the Kardashians.

19. The best way to change is to make mistakes. You can learn from your mistakes and then keep moving on.

20. I think if I had taken the blue pill, it says I would go back to sleep and I would have never known what was happening. Which sounds very depressing. So I’m glad that I took the right pill.

21. Honestly, I try not to do anything I don’t want to do.

In the movie, Neo takes the red pill. In his real life, Keanu remained consistent and took the red pill. His quotes speak of the messiness and randomness of life. That can only be from taking the red pill.

Blue pill or red pill. The choice should be yours alone. What is important is having the freedom to choose which pill you want to take. That is where the difference must be from The Matrix.

We could all be part of a blockbuster hit this way!

Thank you Neo!