The Philosophy of “Fight club"
More than two decades ago, a movie was released that changed the way we see the world. That movie? "Fight Club."
It's not a movie about fighting or toxic masculinity or some psychopath; it's a movie about life. Easily one of the most influential movies out there. Why? Because it's relatable.
The narrator, played by Edward Norton, is just like us, who worries about the smallest things like "what kind of dining set defines me as a person."
The movie discusses the harsh reality of the capitalist system that we've created, where we all work jobs for mega corporations that completely suck. And we have only two days left to live where we're trying to showcase our false selves to the people that don't even care.
The narrator has a dead-end white-collar job at a major car company. Dictated by social norms, he walks perfectly in line like a docile sheep, living a life that's inauthentic, repetitive, and hollow. He suffers from a bad case of insomnia, which causes him to be neither fully awake nor fully asleep.
He sometimes entertains self-destructive thoughts like "I wish the whole flight would crash, and everyone dies." His life is dull, meaningless, unfulfilling, and numb. He is unhappy. In other words, he is messed up like all of us.
But one day during a flight, he met an eccentric and hypermasculine character named Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt, who is the direct opposite of the narrator.
Spoiler alert: Tyler Durden is the imagination of the narrator of what he wants to be or he should have been.
Tyler is a wolf rather than a sheep; he doesn’t give a darn about what society thinks. He’s self-sufficient, has no superiors, and doesn’t care about material possessions. He does what he wants. He takes what he wants without asking.
Throughout the movie, Tyler Durden shares some modern philosophical ideas that are a real game-changer which I’m going to discuss here in this read, so without further ado, let’s explore the world through the eyes of Tyler Durden..
Anti-consumerism
We've all been there - mindlessly scrolling through online shopping sites, thinking about the next big purchase, or worrying about the latest fashion trends. It's a lifestyle obsession, and Tyler Durden has something to say about it.
"We're consumers. We are by-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don't concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, some guy's name on my underwear. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra..."
In the world of Tyler Durden, the real problems aren't the critical issues like crime or poverty. No, it's the mind-numbing pursuit of consumerism that's the real threat. He couldn't care less about the latest celebrity gossip or the endless TV channels. What keeps him up at night are the logos and brand names plastered across our lives. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra, and a myriad of products we've convinced ourselves we need.
"Reject the basic assumptions of civilization, especially the importance of material possessions."
Here's the crux of it - Tyler Durden encourages us to reject the basic assumptions of our consumer-driven civilization. We've been told that material possessions are everything, that we need the latest gadgets, the trendiest clothes, and the fanciest cars. But Tyler says it's time to break free from this materialistic trap.
Perhaps one of his most powerful lines, "The things you own end up owning you," strikes at the heart of consumerism. Think about it - how many times have you bought something you thought would make you happy, only to realize it's just another weight on your shoulders?
Tyler urges us to let go of these possessions, to stop being defined by our stuff, and to find meaning beyond material wealth. It's not about rejecting everything you own, but about reevaluating what truly matters.
Non-conformity
Tyler Durden is a non-conformist, who rejects societal norms. He lives in an abandoned building and urinates in soup at a public restaurant.
The narrator, on the other hand, seems to be the embodiment of the conformist, living by societal expectations just to feel "accepted."
This is a fundamental difference between Tyler and the narrator, who puts it like this:
"I'm free in all the ways you are not."
Non-conformity isn't about rebellion for the sake of it. It's about embracing your individuality, living life on your terms, and not being afraid to challenge the status quo.
Physical violence
At the beginning of the story, Tyler asks the Narrator to hit him as hard as he can, saying:
"How can you know yourself if you have never been in a fight? I don't want to die without any scars."
The narrator hits him, Tyler hits him back, and some strangers watching this also wanted to be included in these fistfights, and thus "Fight Club" was born.
The narrator further in the story mentions,
"After fighting, everything else in life got the volume turned down."
Fight club works as a metaphor in the movie for dealing with hardships through exposure.
Keep in mind, though, that this is a fictional perspective from a movie, and there are healthier ways to seek personal growth without resorting to violence.
Self-destruction
One of Tyler's most famous lines is, "Self-improvement is masturbation, now self-destruction."
What's he getting at here? Well, he believes that before you can truly rebuild, you've got to tear down the old structure. It's like renovating a house – you can't have a brand-new, stunning mansion without first demolishing the old, worn-down shack.
And why do we endlessly want to improve? Why can't we just be happy with what we are or what we have?
Tyler states, "I say never be complete. I say stop being perfect. Let's evolve, let the chips fall where they may."
In a scene from the movie, Tyler threatens a guy named Raymond who works in a convenience store, he wanted to become a veterinarian but didn't make it, saying "it was too much studying." Tyler threatens him if he didn't start studying within six weeks he'll kill him.
It's the destruction of all the fears, negative self-talk, and distractions that hold us back from living life on our terms.
Near-life experience
We all go to great lengths when it comes to pain avoidance, but running from pain is running from a crucial part of life. Only with extreme pain comes extreme results.
Tyler's philosophy is simple; you must reach the bottom.
In his words, "It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything."
In a scene, Tyler Durden inflicts a chemical wound on the narrator's hand. The narrator tries to do everything to avoid the pain, such as using visualization techniques, but Tyler slaps him in the face, forcing him to stay with the pain,
saying, "This is the greatest moment of your life, man, and you're off somewhere missing it."
According to Tyler, there's another aspect that should be crushed: "hope." Losing all hope is freedom.
He states, "Consider the possibility that God does not like you; in all probability, he hates you."
And now we're truly free; now we can create our meaning and live as we want to live.
Living in the present
Tyler Durden despises the idea of endlessly planning for a future that might never come.
He states, "This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time."
So make sure you're spending it as you please. It's like writing a story that you will never be able to edit again, so make sure you write a good piece.
Tyler Durden's views may seem extreme, but they provoke us to question our lives and societal norms. Through rebellion, authenticity, and embracing chaos, we can find a path to a more meaningful and liberated existence. His views remind us to look beyond the mundane and strive for authenticity in a world that often demands conformity.
So, the next time you find yourself stuck in the middle of something, try looking at the situation through the eyes of Tyler Durden.
Have a nice day :)
