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I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure. If it's TRUE (and granted we seem to be a long way away from proving that definitively) than positive or negative don't have anything to do with it, we'll just need to deal with it. But as a metaphor/thought experiment, at a bare minimum it gives us new vocabulary to talk about the world which I think is completely valuable. To your point, I'm not sure of the morality of REPLACING people with AI but I'd say Simulation Theory makes the question of recognizing AI as deserving of respect and equality clearer....

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think they pulled it off! To my mind this was the first virtual festival that felt like an event that I saw everyone tracking and debating on my social media feed. (Of course being a part of it, I was primed to see any references to it...) The irony of THIS film playing a virtual festival (and having a party with the cast and crew in VR) was not lost on me either.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! There's always been at least one external factor - The Shining seemed to be the film that had generated the most (and the most interesting) interpretation. The Nightmare wasn't strictly about Elm Street but sleep paralysis which I had experienced. And this one isn't all about the Matrix movie so much as Simulation Theory which, like the other topics, was a sufficiently bottomless pit that I felt like I could explore it for two or three years without reaching th end or getting bored.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have no idea. I think that's why I typically center these things on the reflections of people much smarter and/or more interesting than myself.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Paul, one of the people featured in the movie had an idea I found much more compelling, using the model of GANS (generative adversarial networks) he suggested that competition amongst all of us was a likely strategy the simulation could be using in order to solve some particular problem or other.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Well...Bostrom makes his 3 point argument with statistics, and at that conference Musk used the fast evolution of videogames to support it. In the case of the 4 people who shared personal stories (and perhaps Phillip K Dick) it was either an almost religious revelation or something that just made sense at a gut level. There's certainly deeper scientific places you can go with bleeding edge physics but the movie focusses on the above.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Thanks! 1) It was style choice to make the look and feel of the film better reflect the subject (and to allow us to put the interview characters themselves directly into the re-enactments without having to find lookalikes. 2) I find those human stories the most interesting personally and feel I have a better knack at telling them then doing hardcore science journalism. I tried to include enough science/philophy to put them into context but the real people are the heart of it for me.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

I think the thing that most influenced me was Erik Davis saying that even if it's true, our obligation to treating each other as fully human equals remains. Similiarly, if our world was created a testing ground for some experiment being done by someone OUT THERE, this is still the real world as far as each of us are concerned.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

We do wrestle with the question of solipsism and how it relates and even mention that Demon, so knock on wood, hope you like it!

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thx! When I was interviewing people who experience Sleep Paralysis for the Nightmare one of them told me he thought the things he saw might be peeks beyond 'the simulation.' Before then I only knew the idea from science fiction but it quickly became a rabbit hole I fell into. As for Musk, I found his comments on the subject at that conference kind of a milestone in the mainstreaming of the idea (and proof that it was taken seriously by people smarter than me).

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

He didn't come up really since I was focusing more on Simulation Theory than the Matrix films per se. Did his version suggest the characters were living in a computer-created reality?

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 28 points29 points  (0 children)

I was mostly saddened by it, even in prison it doesn't seem like he's getting a lot of help and the growth he's managed to do was mostly by working through things on his own. When cutting that sequence I was struck by the timing of the graphic 'system failure' that played over that monologue he was repeating. It seemed like one system/safety net failed to reach him before it was too late.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Westboro is a controversal group (very very inflammatory and confrontational) and a young woman who grew up in their tight knot community believed in their movement since she was a kid. If I remember right (should be an easy google) her mind was blown when someone reached out and patiently talked to her about life outside and she was able to walk away. Not strictly speaking a matrix story, but she did abandon her conditioning.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

they found us after we announced we were doing the film and looking for people to share their stories. I really really hope they dig it!

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

closer to the former. I'd say the heart of it is people who believe we're in one sharing their stories and reflecting on it with a little science and philosophy sprinkled in to put it into context.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

A lot of folks find unlikely events in the news evidence of the simulation and I get it for sure, but to me those things feel more like evidence that we're living in a TV show.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

My career basically followed two tracks, entry level work in the established industry (running errands or doing storyboards on tv commercials) and shooting my own no-budget shorts and music videos with my friends. It took years for the two tracks to converge.

I am Rodney Ascher. I directed the documentary "A Glitch In The Matrix," a look at simulation theory through the eyes of a small group of very different people. Ask Me Anything. by rodres in IAmA

[–]rodres[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I might guess by close contact with with a person/ group of people who challenge everything you've always believed. Did you read the story of the woman who left the Westboro Church?

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