Why does Neo's cubicle not look like the workplace of a programmer?
The Matrix is not a movie with an overdose of realism.
But parts of it take place in the normal "real" world. We see Neo at work in his software company in his cubicle before the Agents come to his workplace to arrest him. Neo is a programmer in his day job. So why does his cubicle not look like a programmer's? Whatever your view of what a programmer's workplace should look like, it should not be a sterile empty cubicle with no sign of any actual activity. There is no paperwork, no notes and no signs of any sort of activity on his desk. There are no reference books, manuals (and this is set before such resources as stackoverflow went online) or any other sign of activity. Moreover, his computer is turned off.
What explains this? Is it meant to mean something, or were the film makers just being lazy?
Best Answer
I think it's safe to assume that Neo doesn't put too much effort into his day job, and probably does the minimum he can get away with. Notice the contrast between his cubicle and the computer desk in his apartment where he does his "real" work:
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What was Neo doing on his computer?
Based on the first words we can read during this scene, Neo is searching online papers for Morpheus. The first time we get a good look at the computer screen, we can read 'Searching...' as part of the used software, and the large header 'Global Search', before it scrolls to 'Morpheus eludes Police at Heathrow Airport'.What is special about Neo in Matrix?
Neo has carried, since his conception, the Matrix's source code known as the Prime Program. This gives him the ability to freely manipulate the simulated reality of the Matrix, similar to the authority a system administrator has over a given system. He manifests these abilities as various superhuman powers.What was Neo waiting for?
In \u201cThe Matrix,\u201d The Oracle told Neo he had the gift but was waiting for something: \u201cYour next life, who knows?\u201d she said. At the end of that film, Neo died in a hail of bullets but was brought back to life with a kiss from Trinity \u2013 signaling that his next life had arrived and he become The One.Was Neo born in the Matrix?
Like most humans, Neo is born in a vat in one of the machines' farms. His brain is jacked into the Matrix from birth, and he is raised as Thomas Anderson, just another unremarkable citizen of Mega City.What Happened to NEO? EXPLAINED | Matrix Resurrections
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Answer 2
As you can see on my SO profile stats, I'm not a terrible programmer.
I have zero dead tree books in my cubicle. They are all in electronic format for easier searching.
On a related note, if you are a programmer and not familiar with O'Reilly Safari, I would strongly recommend you check it out.
My monitor (not computer) can be off for 50% of the 2-4 hours a day I spend outside meetings, since I design things and plan on paper (it isn't since I monitor SO feeds, but Matrix was before SO).
I don't have a single post it note - just a notebook and a Crackberry to organize.
I quit coffee long time ago, and try to keep the desk clear of old tea cups.
Pizza boxen go into a data center (of the Sun kind) or garbage (of the food kind), right after pizza is shared, which isn't often. I doubt I have pizza more than 2x/month.
Either I exist in the Matrix, or you're WAY overgeneralizing what a typical slob programmer workplace looks like
Answer 3
In addition to the possibility of a mere oversight on the filmmakers' side, it could also be intentionally. This way it emphasizes the sterile and unrealistic feeling Neo has about the world around him, which plays well with him wearing this average joe suit and the very contrast-less visual style of this scene (or many of the in-matrix-scenes).
Neo is a standard cubicle-drone walking through his 9-to-5-daylife without paying any attention or doing any (considerable) work. Something along those lines maybe.
Answer 4
Just because Neo works at a software company doesn't mean his cubicle has to look like that. Maybe he works at a software consulting firm. He is, after all, wearing a suit. As for the no books, maybe he learns it all at night? He's supposed to be a programming God, remember, so the lack of books just goes along with that.
Answer 5
Where do you get the idea that a programmer's cubicle has to be cluttered? I've been a professional programmer for decades, and generally my cubicle is very nearly as sterile as Neo's. It's all a matter of taste.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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