Why Fight Club is a Nihilist Masterpiece
…with a tepid two liter bottom of Mountain Dew, main-lining that high fructose crack into my system. …time for an all night bender on the computer. I usually need something more, …something to keep my subconscious at bay. I guess I should pop in a movie. …HOLY SHIT!
Fight Club grabs you by the balls and won’t let go, starting with a grinding industrial musical track that just seems to cliche of late 1990’s movies now. …you know, that kind of Prodigy / Chemical Brothers / Fatboy Slim kind of noise that was always on the ‘alternative’ stations of the period. It was an amazing grinding synth dose of high octane auditory meth, to crank up, and to piss off the neighbors or parents, …maybe slow down the inner monologue just enough to crank out a 20 page paper that was due for some stupid class the next morning. …or maybe an all nighter playing video games until passing out on the keyboard.
It seemed kind of edgy, in that corporate approved suburban kind of edgy. …you know, released by Fox studios, …probably ran though a million focus groups kind of edgy. …the kind of edgy where every PR rep in Hollywood signed off on it not crossing any major lines. …so edgy.
They were sure to change Marla’s famous line to Tyler, when that disjointed “romantic” post-coital talk drifts to “I want to have your abortion!'“. Many among the Fox executives thought this was a bit much, so they demanded the line be changed. The compromise was so much better, …”I haven’t been fucked that hard since grade-school!” When the executives begged to go back to the abortion line, the producers politely declined stating the scene was already cut together and there isn’t enough of a budget for reshoots. I love the ‘90’s.
I guess young adults will pay a premium to appear urban and edgy. …$500 jeans with holes torn in just the right spots by some sweatshop worker. …$200 Beanie. …so edgy in their corporate approved uniforms of rebellion.
But the corporate machine had not completely destroyed the message. There was still something there. …and suddenly I realized all of this had something to do with Chuck Palahniuk (queue flashback).
Chuck grew up in Pasco, Washington, the poorer of the cities within the Tri-Cities of central Washington. Right in the junction where the Snake and Columbia rivers come together. Famous for Lewis and Clark spending the winter there before returning home. …Lots of farms and grapes, …oh yeah, and a massive nuclear plant right outside of town. It was one of the unpopular siblings of Los Alamos, NM, …you know, there they tested the nukes in the Oppenheimer movie? Tri-Cities seemed to be more focused on practical uses of nuclear. All the guys from Richland (the rich city of the Tri-Cities) work at the nuclear power plant. Local legend is that Matt Groening from the Simpsons grew up here and Springfield is really the Tri-Cities, nuke power plant and all. Everywhere you look, Pasco was filled with hastily constructed square cinderblock monstrosities, by maybe the Army Corp of engineers or whatever cheap Levittown was able to built for the absolutely lowest price, a hastily thrown together proto-suburbia which sprung up like weeds all over the country after the war. Before aircon, each of these boxes were built with two levels, with the appearance of an Israeli first century ossuary, the lower level was to live in during the ‘hotter than hell’ summer and the upper level to live in during the ‘freeze your ass off’ winter. …yeah, Americana as hell.
Chuck was always an outsider. Realizing he was gay at a young age, before it was cool. He was always just a bit off. …maybe a glace a bit too long in the locker room or an poorly timed joke about something entering an orifice (…his orifice). According to Esquire, high school was filled with bullies who chanted mean shit at him and beat him bloody. Now, many of them are dead. …maybe drinking themselves to death, who knows? …maybe they peeked in high school and then just had nothing left to live for. Chuck was looking up some of his old classmate tormentors during a trip back for a reunion. Palahniuk muses “several are dead. I feel cheated”, “…must find and piss on their graves.”
Palahniuk was an absolute writing genius. …picking up on the “fuck everything” attitude of the day. Although not quite an Xer, he certainly embodied the feeling. He was most infamous when he tried to gross out his audience. His readings were famous, where he would, in minute detail, describe something so disgusting, that some audience member would finally just pass out on the floor. …more points if they pissed themselves, I’m sure. His proud record is 73 people passing out. Here is the story (read by some other guy) that earned Chuck his favorite bragging achievement.
It was this guy, who may have never even read of word of Nietzsche who introduced an entire generation to nihilism.
Of course, it was already cool to pepper some weird little quotes from Nietzsche into the conversation. …so edgy.
‘God is dead, and we killed him.’ “There are no facts, only interpretations.” …so profound. But the deeper message didn’t need to be understood from reading a book or taking a Philosophy 101 class. Life is meaningless. Everything we do to try and add meaning is Grade A, uncut copium.
“We have just lost cabin pressure!”
So, let’s pretend like we actually know something by asking our new collective brain a bit about Nihilism and Nietzsche.
I asked ChatGPT to give me a good definition of Nihilism.
Nihilism is a philosophical perspective that argues that life, existence, and the universe lack intrinsic meaning, purpose, or value. It suggests that traditional beliefs, moral values, and societal norms are ultimately groundless or meaningless. Nihilism often entails skepticism toward religious, moral, and philosophical systems that propose absolute truths or values.
There are different forms of nihilism, including metaphysical nihilism, which denies the existence of any objective reality; epistemological nihilism, which questions the possibility of knowledge or truth; and moral nihilism, which rejects the existence of objective moral principles.
Nihilism has been explored in various ways throughout history by philosophers, writers, and artists. It can be seen as a reaction to the perceived absurdity or emptiness of existence, and it has influenced diverse areas of thought, including existentialism, postmodernism, and certain strains of literature and art.
Then I asked ChatGPT to tell me a bit about Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher of the 19th century, had a complex and multifaceted philosophy that covered a wide range of topics. Some of his key beliefs include:
Will to Power: Nietzsche proposed the concept of the "will to power," suggesting that all living beings are driven by a fundamental force to assert themselves, overcome obstacles, and strive for mastery and dominance.
Ubermensch (Overman/Superman): Nietzsche introduced the idea of the Übermensch, often translated as "overman" or "superman," who represents the individual who transcends conventional morality and societal norms to create their own values and live authentically.
Eternal Recurrence: Nietzsche speculated about the idea of eternal recurrence, suggesting that existence is cyclical and that one's life and actions would repeat infinitely. He presented this concept as a thought experiment to encourage individuals to live in a way that they would be willing to repeat for eternity.
Critique of Religion and Morality: Nietzsche famously proclaimed that "God is dead," suggesting that traditional religious beliefs no longer hold sway in modern society. He criticized Christian morality as being based on resentment and slave morality, which he contrasted with the virtues of strength, power, and nobility.
Perspectivism: Nietzsche argued for perspectivism, the idea that there are no absolute truths, only interpretations shaped by individual perspectives, experiences, and biases. He encouraged embracing multiple perspectives and questioning conventional wisdom.
Critique of Rationality: Nietzsche questioned the primacy of reason and rationality in understanding the world, suggesting that emotions, instincts, and irrational drives play significant roles in human behavior and decision-making.
These are just a few of the central themes in Nietzsche's philosophy. His works are characterized by their poetic style, aphoristic prose, and provocative ideas, and they have had a profound influence on existentialism, postmodernism, and other philosophical movements.
Wow! Very Interesting! I guess I don’t need my notes from that 101 class anymore. Now, lets examine the movie as pseudo intellectuals now that we that tiny bit of background.
…about the movie. Spoilers.
If you haven’t seen this movie, what’s wrong with you? Are you purposely trying to avoid the zeitgeist of an entire generation?
This film perfectly delves into the complexities of existential angst and the search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world.
The movie starts off with Jack, the protagonist, also known as the Narrator, he is developing an overwhelming sense of emptiness and disillusionment with modern consumerist society, which is manifesting in chronic insomnia. To cope with these feelings, he start attending help groups, and we are introduced to the other characters.
Jack always talks about himself in the third person. It is almost as if he doesn’t even exist. I am Jack’s total confusion.
Richard Chesler, with his cornflower blue tie. He was full of pep. He must of had his grande-latte enema. He was the boss with the permanently etched plastic grin, …and absolutely nothing of substance below the surface.
Tyler, …who is Tyler? I guess we spend the entire moving finding that out. …father figure? …support group leader? …guy who blew up Jack’s apartment? Isn’t he the type of Obi-Wan who changes Jack from a man-child into a fully realized adult? …in the Joseph Campbell sense of an eff’ed up hero’s journey.
In the world I see -- you're stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You will wear leather clothes that last you the rest of your life. You will climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Tower. You will see tiny figures pounding corn and laying-strips of venison on the empty car pool lane of the ruins of a superhighway. - Tyler
Marla, that disease ridden discussing bitch living off of the scum of society. Somehow involved in a fucked up love triangle with just one guy. "Marla's Philosophy Of Life Is That She Might Die At Any Moment. The Tragedy, She Said, Was That She Didn't."
Bob, oh yeah, Bob, he has bitch tits. A body builder who juiced up a bit much until his testosterone stopped. “Six months ago, Bob's testicles were removed. Then hormone therapy. He developed bitch tits because his testosterone was too high and his body upped the estrogen.” The very act of doing the most masculine thing possible (dramatic pause)…left him without balls. Bob was going to die (dramatic pause) …of cancer. Instead he went out like a boss on his own effin terms! “…his name is Robert Paulson, …his name is Robert Paulson.” was the chant used to remember this Project Mayhem martyr. ‘Only through death, does a member of Project Mayhem have a name.’
Space Monkeys, a bunch of asshole followers who think that this pseudo-profound bullshit is actually profound philosophy who go on to become Project Mayhem and follow Tyler to blow up the entire financial system. We are all space monkeys.
Fight Club is an underground organization where men test each other in violent combat. …but it really serves as a male initiation rite. In an age where masculinity has been chipped away, these guys rebel and do the most masculine thing possible, …beat the hell out of each other. Members break free from societal norms and embrace a raw, primal existence devoid of societal constraints. Through the rejection of all material possessions they find meaning in a world devoid of purpose.
“Fight club wasn't about winning or losing. It wasn't about words.”
“They hysterical shouting was in tongues, like at a Pentecostal church.”
“When the fight was over, nothing was solved, but nothing mattered.”
Tyler Durden epitomizes nihilism in his rejection of societal norms and institutions. He preaches the philosophy of "self-destruction" as a means to liberate oneself from the constraints of society, advocating for a return to a more primal state of existence. The hopes to rise above the societal constrains by crafting Jack into something more. What Nietzsche might call …a super man.
"Self-improvement is masturbation. Self-destruction is the answer.”
The very core of Tyler’s nihilism is tested as the story progresses, the consequences of nihilism become increasingly apparent as the actions of the characters spiral out of control. Tyler and Jack realize they are far more intertwined then we had realized in the beginning of the movie and their personalities start to converge. They realize one of them is actually the psychotic break of the other. This begins the climatic battle as Jack to tries to excerpt domination over his metaphorical absentee father and become his own self actualized man. Jack metaphorically kills Tyler by realizing they are the same person and shoots himself in the face, causing a mortal wound to Tyler.
Jack somehow survives and holds Marla as the whole fucking financial system blows up around them. Jack has transcended the need for his mentor and emerges victorious, finally passing into the final stage of the hero’s journey, where he becomes complete.
So, what is the message?
Nietzsche was very famous for talking about the Übermensch. This is the super man (that’s right, the same from the comics, where did you think they got their idea?) who has evolved past the needs for morality. He does the right thing because he has shed the trappings of religion and conventional morality and has evolved to a higher level. In a way, he embodies all freedom, in the Ayn Rand sense of the word. …but that person is very anti-social, …a kind of alien. There is something destructive about this man. He fucking blows everything up. Is that the end goal?
But the theme is to destroy the old system to build a new system. This is a familiar theme. Didn’t Marx talk quite a bit about this in the later part of a Communist Manifesto? He believed that the inherent contradictions and conflicts within capitalist society, particularly between the bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production) and the proletariat (workers), would eventually lead to the (violent) collapse of capitalism. That’s not quite it.
But where else have we seen this? Isn’t this the Joseph Campbell hero’s journey? …where the hero needs to destroy his own mentor to move beyond him and become a fully actualized man.
Maybe this is something deep within humanity, in the Jungian archetype sense. Doesn’t each generation throw away the dead weight of the previous generation? Maybe this is more descriptive of the generational struggle. A man enters the world, realizing it is effed and he needs to destroy the old system to create a new one out of the ashes. Maybe this is more of a common theme. How many stories out of the ancient world are there where a person dies and needs to be born anew? …Greeks, …Egyptians, …Babylonians, …Zoroastrians, and so many more. Maybe this is part of our DNA.
When Nietzsche is talking about the Übermensch, maybe he is touching upon something ancient. Maybe all of it is ancient, …throwing away obsolete morality to make room for the morals of the environment of a new generation. I mean… does the morality in the days of the internet need to be the same as in a Iron age civilization? No! This is the morality of how to cope when the second temple was being destroyed and Jews were being sent into exile and an estimated third of the Roman empire were slaves. This was the slavery mindset that Nietzsche struggled mentally with. The religion later adapted and became a warrior religion when it went to Scandinavia, to the Vikings. It became the religion that again supported slavery and then became the religion prohibiting slavery. It became the religion to form the justification of a colonial empire. …and later still, preaching against the morality of a colonial empire. It is the religion of Capitalists and, even though they might deny it, Socialists (they just repackage it to make it seem secular and modern). …so edgy! I suspect he didn’t quite value the fluidity of Christianity, which may be why the religion has survived so well, …where the morality can adjust to the morals of the age.
Is there anything else? What about the “will to power”? Isn’t that also a common ancient archetype? Jack’s struggle to deal with the meaninglessness of his own existence takes the form of beating the hell out of other men. "Self-improvement is masturbation. Self-destruction is the answer.” How on earth is that meaningful?
Tyler: We are the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world. We are all part of the same compost heap...
Tyler: What will you wish you'd done before you died?
Jack: I don't know! Nothing!
Tyler: If you died right now, how would you feel about your life?
Jack: I would feel nothing about my life? Is that what you want to hear?!
Tyler: I want to hear the truth.
Jack: Fuck my life. Fuck fight club. Fuck you and fuck Marla. I'm sick of this. How's that?
Tyler: Why do you think I blew up your condo?
Jack: What?
Tyler: Hitting bottom isn't a weekend retreat! It's not a seminar! You have to forget everything you know, everything you think you know -- about life, about friendship, about you and me.
Maybe the will for power is derived by realizing that all is meaningless and when you finally let go of everything are you actually able to do anything. Hitting rock bottom is the first step of enlightenment. There is this profoundly realization to the knowledge that everything you are being told to do is from other people, but there is a greater strength in letting go of that illusion. The strength to think for yourself and shed the path of others around you and go out and blaze your own path. Eff society! Leave all that shit behind and live your own life. Be your own man and life a true and authentic life!
“I found freedom. Losing all hope was freedom.”
There is also the concept of eternal recurrence. This seems to be the root of all nihilism as the concept plagued Nietzsche’s mind, as a kind of mind virus he couldn’t break away from. This is what may have led him down the path which some may refer to as the madness of his later years.
Isn’t this just an intellectual way of saying that only the present exists. But he meant is a bit more literally, where time actually stops and then is created again. He is speaking in a type of ancient Zoroastrian mystical sense of the word. Many ancient religions address this issue. History is a giant loop where the gods of destruction create the raw material for the gods of creation. It may be a common mythology because the ancient Proto-Indo-European religion may have already discovered it as part of their ancient wisdom, as it seems to be echoed throughout their derivative religions.
I prefer my own interpretation as you don’t need to get all woo-woo to make it applicable to life. We all live in the present, …not the future, because that is always ahead of us and not the past, because the past is always behind us. The only moment that ever exists is the present, and this moment will be repeated over and over and over again, so we should try to get it right. The events that happen and the choices that we make are always the only choices that have existed or will ever exist.
Fight Club doesn’t really touch much upon this theme of eternal recurrence, but the movie “The Matrix” does and I will talk about that in my next article.
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