»Why Neo "chose" the left door«

well...the fact of the matter is that he didn't...EVER.

and here's why:

when he first goes to see the Oracle, he tells her about the dream and they have an interesting discussion about choices and he asks if she means that he has to chose between letting Trinity live or die, and she replies, "you've already made your decision, now you just have to understand it."

i've argued with many people about it. they say that he makes his choice because he's in love with Trinity and if the world is going to end, he wants to be with her. but no...that's just stupid. because of this:

when Neo goes to see the Architecht, there are hundreds of monitors all focused on Neo. These monitors show every possible reaction or decision Neo can make. All of his decisions are present in just one of the screens, but is always there. however, when it comes time for him to chose a door, EVERY SINGLE Neo on the screens walk the same direction as him.

he had no decision. no real choice in the matter. he had to chose to save Trinity. it was like his fate...which was the thing he dreaded most. that is why the Oracle said he had already made his decision...because he couldn't do anything otherwise

Counter-Proof:

He chose to hope, and he made that decision before he even met with the Oracle.

The simplest analogy is to compare it to whether a glass filled halfway with water is "half full" or "half empty." An optimist will say half full, a pessimist, half empty. Its all how you interpret the situation.

The situation present in Neo's dreams shows what most people would have thought to be Trinity's death. But when the Oracle asks if she dies, Neo says he doesnt know. Why? Because he cant accept her dying. The Oracle senses Neo's inability to accept it- that he has hope. Thats why she claims he is able to make a believer out of her. It seems to indicate that maybe before, the Ones said "she died"

The way the One interprets this dream is critical to what door is selected. The choice offered the One at the end is this: your friend is falling to her death. But all of mankind will die if you dont choose the other door, and whats more, your friend will end up dying anyway.*

Neo cant accept this lose-lose compromise. He cant accept that Zion will fall and he cant accept that mankind will die and he cant accept that Trinity will die. Its totally illogical given the circumstances. Except, Neo hopes.

Free will; free irrational, wonderful choice.


*this is why, even if the machines DID force Trinity into the matrix, they didnt do so in order to force Neo to choose a certain door- its an illogical choice- at most they are only ensuring that he will have to choose. Also note that the previous Ones loved mankind in a general way, so presenting this choice in the past would have probably had a different effect- which is why I say 'friend' and not 'lover'