Written by 4monstersdaily

Intro

Fight Club is “about two guys who start an amateur boxing league for underprivileged youth, and the woman who comes between them but we uh we twist it a bit” – Brad Pitt.

The film fascinated me on my first viewing: its style, substance, and unapologetic attitude bring a sick sort of comfort. This resonated with me in a way I couldn’t quite verbalise and it still does to this day.

Fight Club is an adaptation of the 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk, it is blatant and aggressive with its messaging, yet at the same time undeniably subtle and complex. It is a hate letter to modernity and possibly existence, yet it continues to inspire young men of today. Fight Club is a story of self-liberation, sorrow, and the fire-born phoenix. It preaches giving up, and losing hope, yet demonstrates a broken man becoming whole.

This article attempts to interpret the film’s philosophy within.

Who is Jack?

“With insomnia nothings real, everything’s far away, everything’s a copy of a copy of a copy”.

We are introduced to Jack, a recall coordinator for a motor company who suffers from intense insomnia. Jack is invisible and indistinguishable, in fact, at no point in the film is his name revealed. His dark eye circles, negative to neutral expressions and monotone voice tell all. Jack has been consumed by consumerism; in his free time, he ponders what kind of dining sets define him. We at no point see Jack enjoying anyone’s company, except maybe a begrudging camaraderie with a woman named Marla singer. Marla and Jack share a secret, that is that they both attend support groups for inflictions they lack. The only way Jack can sleep is to seek connection with those he feels equally miserable. Jacks coping mechanism has been ruined by Marla. Her unsavoury pastime sparks introspection and Jack can no longer sleep, again.

Who is Tyler Durden?

“All the ways you wish you could be, that’s me. I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable and, most importantly, I’m free in all the ways that you are not. People do it every day. They talk to themselves. They see themselves as they’d like to be. They don’t have the courage you have, to just run with it.”

Jack meets Tyler on a business flight and is made to laugh for the first time in the film.
Tyler Durden is the same person as “Jack”, a projection of other sides of himself. Tyler is Jack’s Jungian shadow, Tyler is Jack’s repressed aggression, Tyler Durden is Jack’s missing confidence. Tyler is Jack’s lacking masculinity, Jack’s freedom and Jack’s self-expression.

Style is an important aspect of Tyler’s character. Tyler is shown dressing in unconventional outfits representing his uncaring yet charismatic attitude. His muscular physique, scruffy hair, popped collars and tinted glasses exhume confidence. Tyler does not conform to conventional masculine clothing; he’s seen throughout the film wearing crop tops, see-through jumpers, and fur coats. He does not care for society’s opinions of his presentation. Ironically, he has been characterised by some commentators as representing Jack’s homosexual tendencies. This is incorrect, Tyler simply does not care for the oppression of such presumptions. These homoerotic presumptions are unfortunately telling of the lack of strong connections between men.

“Who would you fight?”

Tyler asks Jack, as the two men are sat in their dilapidated bathroom, tending to their wounds. Tyler is bathing as he smokes his cigarette. The two men ponder over who they would fight given the chance. Jack chooses his boss; Tyler chooses his dad. Both authority figures which the duo have contempt for. Jack has grown to despise his boss as many in the modern world do. Jack’s boss takes his work seriously and is notably unfit. With his attitude and physical appearance, it’s easy to determine that he identifies with his job and the power it holds yet, he is miserable. He is The Cog, the ruler over the hellscape that is the mundane and soul-draining workplace.

Tyler has little respect for his father, a true scar on his personal development. Tyler’s monologue about his father is as follows “My father never went to college, so it was important that I go. After I graduated, I called him long distance and asked, “Now what?” He said, “Get a job.” When I turned twenty-five, I called him and asked, “Now what?” He said, “I don’t know. Get married.” We can determine that Tyler’s father was absent due to a divorce, perhaps he isn’t as involved in Tyler’s life as he ought to be. The father instead of visiting his son decided to congratulate him on the phone. The ideal father teaches practical skills, morals and principles. he is dedicated to his role; he is the strong guiding light for his blood that leads by example. A person to rely on in an uncaring world. Tyler’s father is not any of this, instead, he offers only half-baked congratulations as well as platitudes such as “get a job” and “get married”. The absent and half-absent father is the plight of many a modern man.

Tyler continues “We’re a generation of men raised by women. I’m wondering if another woman is the answer we really need”. This points to the issue of absentee fathers again. If a man grows up without a father, he is to be moulded by his mother, unchecked, unguided and undisciplined in his desires. In the quest for love is it truly wise for men to seek only more femininity? Is another woman the answer we really need? Or do we additionally lack strong male bonds? Can you expect yourself to be feminised and yet succeed in a relationship with a woman?

“Losing all hope was freedom.”

This is a quote by Jack near the start of his journey, an admission of defeat. It is important to note that Fight Club does not take place in chronological order, the first scene of the film Is chronologically one of the last. The constant narration by Jack is retrospective. For Jack before his transformation, this quote is steeped in depression but, in the eyes of the Jack at the end of the film, it takes on a profound meaning.

Hope may very well be what is imprisoning you. Jack hoped for happiness, he hoped for friends, and he hoped to find a meaningful relationship. We all hope, it is engraved into the consciousness of society. How many times has someone uttered the sentence to you “it will all work out in the end” as if some cosmic luck is on your side? Hope will not save you. We should face that these things will not happen without great effort; we should understand that even with great effort the things we desire are not guaranteed. We should reject these expectations, and entitlements and embrace the inconvenient truths. As Tyler would say “let the chips fall where they may”.

“Even the Mona Lisa’s falling apart.”

A passing comment by Tyler, as Jack ripped out a wonky tooth from his bloodied mouth.
Friedrich Nietzsche described the Übermensch as one who confronted his mortality, who considered it deeply.

Whilst sharing beers at the bar that would eventually become the first fight Club, Tyler offers Jack a cigarette which is quickly refused. Jack so instinctively refuses to shorten his, at the time, miserable existence. Just like the human race’s most prized artistic achievements, you are also falling apart. Tyler understands this, not fears, understands. He understands that his “life is ending one moment at a time.” He understands he had better sacrifice his body for something. He understands that if he cowers in a corner, walled off from all risk, from all danger, he may as well already be dead.

It may be of even greater importance to embrace such risks within the transcendental rather than solely the physical. Ending a long-term relationship or marriage for that matter will surely bring great suffering. However, what is the other option in that situation? Delude yourself, lie internally and externally, live in the albeit safe but miserable abyss? Should we not risk ostracization for sticking to our morals? Should we not reveal ourselves to our close friends and loved ones for fear of betrayal?

Hypocrisy, Gyms, and Individualism

Tyler eventually becomes the antagonist of Fight Club. Hypocrisy is littered throughout Tyler’s methodology within the chaotic “Project Mayhem” finale. One clear example of hypocrisy is Jack’s opinions on gym culture, he feels sorry for people trapped in gyms “trying to look like how Calvin Klein or Tommy Hilfiger said they should”. A statement in direct opposition to the physique of his alter ego projection.

The first and second rule of Fight Club is “do not talk about Fight Club” why is that? How is a movement meant to grow in an isolated state? It isn’t, Tyler and Jack specifically made these rules to be broken. Recruitment of true individuals, who oppose the suffocating conformity of society is the objective. Throughout the development of Project Mayhem, its members are made to betray their individuality. “Space Monkeys” are made to dress the same, shave their heads, remove their names and are constantly reminded of their insignificance. Project Mayhem in pursuit of its goal became its own enemy. A simple warning against blinding hatred and extremism.

Welcome to Fight Club

Tyler paces around the dimly lit bar’s basement, clearly frustrated. Surrounded by men of various origins, somehow connected, he spoke for others in ways they couldn’t.

“Man, I see in Fight Club the strongest and smartest men who have ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see it squandered. Goddammit, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables, slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need. We’re the middle children of history man; no purpose or place. We have no Great War, no Great Depression. Our Great War is a spiritual war. Our Great Depression is our lives. We’ve all been raised by television to believe that one day we’d all be millionaires and movie gods and rock stars. But we won’t, and we’re slowly learning that fact. And we’re very, very pissed off.”

For a society to function it must have its components, its slaves with white, pink, and blue collars. Whilst the speech isn’t cryptic or overly sophisticated, a deeper understanding of what’s being expressed can be found. Spending a considerable portion of your limited days, repeating undesired menial tasks, for wages as low as possible to keep you docile. Spiritual slavery. It is easy to notice it chips away at the soul. Being bossed around in such a manner is demoralisation, domestication, and emasculation. Materialism serves to perpetuate this cycle. The individual is left void due to his wage slavery, he foolishly hopes to fill this void with material objects. To achieve this, he must continue to sink time into his job. This cycle may also increase in severity if enabled. Eventually, the objects you own aren’t shiny enough, and the pop culture statues rare enough. So, you must rise through the ranks of corporate undead. Dedicating more of your precious time and energy and so on. It is a hard trap to resist, especially when society’s cultural enforcers, women, reward this behaviour.

The service worker accepts public abuse with a smile, the corporate drone is sycophantic to his higher-ups, and the unskilled labourer degenerates his vessel for a purpose he does not see fit. Yet this work is somehow portrayed as virtuous, so much so that it is widely considered synonymous with identity. “What do you do for work?” is one of the first questions asked when greeted with a new face. Damn shame. This is escapable to certain degrees of course; it is possible to pursue careers that bring you purpose and enjoyment and to work for oneself. However, achievability, self-employment, purpose, enjoyment, decent wage. These things are rarely aligned. The men who truly enjoy their job are few and far between.

If you took a wider view of even recent history, you would understand you are fortunate and comfortable. No war to fight in, and no starvation to endure. Instead, the war we must wage is one of spirit, against oneself and societal circumstance. Only a madman would wish to return to times of strife. As we do not yearn for times of economic depravity, the economically deprived did not yearn for times of war, the warring man did not yearn for times of clashing swords over rifles and so on. You must be vigilant when engaging in comfort in the context of your lifespan. When you are comfortable with your friends you may not have the courage to cut out the toxic ones, to endure the loneliness. When you are used to being sedated by constant dopamine rushes, you may not have the courage to continue without such habits. When you are comforted by your possessions you may not have the courage to pursue an enjoyable, less lucrative career.

FIN

Project Mayhem is almost at its conclusion. There are 11 bombs in 11 buildings, set to erase the debt record and achieve one step closer to economic equilibrium. Jack is arguing with Tyler, with himself. Tyler is happy that his plans are succeeding but Jack is regretful – does he really want to take such a drastic step? Jack comes to a solution. He must put a gun to his head and pull the trigger. Jack tells Tyler “I want you to really listen to me, my eyes are open”. The trigger is pulled. The final goodbye to his alter ego and best friend, as Tyler ceases to exist, and the two men merge into one. Finally, Marla and Jack hold hands as they watch the beautifully destructive culmination of Project Mayhem.

So, what does this mean? Jack has finally come to terms with himself throughout his time with Tyler Durden. He no longer needs to disconnect from his repressed desires and inadequacies. Jack has become an individual in a true and metaphorical sense, unbound by the views of others. He has accepted and integrated his shadow. He embodies the masculine in which he lacked. Jack is connected with his pain – both physical and mental. Jack has the will and experience to fight and protect. Jack is now able to accept the consequences of his actions, able to accept everything just the way it is. Jack joined Fight Club comprised of cookie dough and left carved of wood. Jack as a person becomes whole. He can now express his love for Marla, pursue a positive relationship. Jack hit rock bottom, He arose from the depths, scarred, changed and reborn. Jack is free. Jack’s eyes are really open.