What Is the Red Pill and Why Do Some of Us Swallow It?
Most people are happy to simply live in a state of ignorance and not understand the world around them. Far less people are willing to question what they’re told by authorities, public servants, and mainstream media.
Questioning what you’re told in society is called “taking the red pill” and it can be very dangerous. Why do people swallow it then?
I’ve wondered from time to time why there is this small amount of people who do challenge what they’re told, even though there are consequences for doing it. Other intelligent people that I know have asked this question as well.
Sometimes it feels like a curse swallowing the red pill and the consequences that inevitably befall as a result. You can lose social status, career opportunities, and personal relationships. At times you may feel like you want to vomit up the red pill and regret ever looking into topics that are verboten in society. For example, the most influential philosopher ever, Socrates, was given the death penalty for questioning the ancient Greek government.
EXPLANTATION DISCOVERED
Recently, I have discovered an explanation as to why I am constantly taking the red pill and questioning what I’m told. The explanation comes German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche in his book “The Joyous Science.” He states:
“We philosophers are not at liberty to separate body and soul, as the people do; and we are still less at liberty to separate soul and intellect. We are not thinking frogs, we are not cooly objective recording instruments, frigid and barren - we are mothers whose thoughts are born from our pain, and we must lavish on them all that we have of blood, heart, fire, joy, passion, torment, conscience, destiny, and doom. Life - for us that means the continual transformation of all that affects us and all that we are into light and flame; we simply cannot do otherwise.”
SUMMARY
To summarize Nietzsche, the small amount of people who are philosophers and “take the red ill” must be willing to take the good with the bad. There will be torment and hardships if you search for truth and knowledge, which is the purpose of philosophy.
I’m a philosopher, because I seek knowledge and truth in life. The discomfort and negative consequences that may occur is the price that I must pay. That goes for anyone who swallows the red pill.
References:
Nietzsche, Friedrich (1882). The Joyous Science, pages 10-11). Penguin Group.