'Insensitivity' in the Matrix stylee

This is from a book that discusses the Matrix as if it were real. Now even though the Matrix may not be real (that we can discern, that is), I still belive that this is VERY relivant to EVERY one of us anyway (at least, its got my number).


“Humatons (humans still plugged into the Matrix) often say that ‘no man is an island’. In fact, this is exactly what Humatons are: isolated formations with no connection to or communication with anything around them.

Humatons live in their own private worlds, and such they never concern themselves with anything besides their own private comfort, security, and complacence.

As previously noted, Humatons have little awareness and even less reguard for each other’s feelings. This is not out of any innate callousness, but due to a complete incapaticty to perceive anything outside of their own feelings as ‘real’. Humatons see life as something happening outside of themselves, as if watching through the window of a speeding train or staring at the TV. The most intense feeling Humatons feel for each other (besides anger, resentment and sexual desire) is generally pity.

Huamtons love to pity each other, mostly because they are so deeply ensconced in self-pity themselves that they consider pity for others to be an act of generosity, even charity!

But essentially Humatons are indifferent to the feelings of others (and are somewhat numb to their own). When they talk of being ‘sensitive’ (and Humatons talk about their sensitivity all the time), what they are really refering to is their extreme touchiness, an ability to be offended by the tiniest of things, and to get puffed up with indignation at the drop of a hat.”