It’s a tantalizing idea that dates back to the parable of the cave in Plato’s Republic VII: a special perspective unclouded by the illusions to which virtually everyone else is subject. In The Matrix that special perspective is induced by a red pill, which one may or may not want to take. Geoff Shullenberger examines the attractions of taking the red pill, the enduring power of the red pill narrative, and what it means to accept or reject a consensus view. Implications of the perspective may not be as revolutionary as the red pill metaphor is meant to suggest.