Why You Should Study Fight Club

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Fight Club is one of those films that keeps hanging around in the cultural psyche even though it was released more than two decades ago. The reason it’s stayed with us is because of the philosophical ideas the film deals with. So what are those ideas? How did Fight Club come to be such a memorable, impactful story? And how can you apply the same ideas to create your own impactful story?
Today we’re taking a look at all of these ideas as I break down Fight Club’s core philosophical conflict and explain why the film became a cult classic.
Joe Rogan and Chuck Palahniuk talk Fight Club: • Joe Rogan - Chuck Pala...

[@TylerMowery]

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[@baltrus5915]

Fight club fan made soundtrack kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIvFhYdtet6jg5o

[@davideisele7682]

Hey Tyler, this was an excellent video. God bless you.

[@LamiNalchor]

I do agree with tarring down the world on a mental-emotional level.

[@Ruben9]

No

[@baltrus5915]

Tyler Durden loves this kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3qpZ5iQqa2orqM

[@edwardv4546]

What this movie meant to me was you can literally become anything you want to become. The narrator was so tired of his mundane life, he literally projected an image of what he wanted to become, befriended it and quite literally became that projection. You can change, create and design your reality.

[@RakshitShekhar]

@Jeffery Hoover now self destruction

[@mariofilho8880]

you didn't get it mate, sorry

[@edwardv4546]

@@mariofilho8880 yeah, you are sorry

[@jaydenstrickland6552]

I agree with your viewpoint of the movie. Tyler explains this concept to jack Moore (the narrator) in the revealing of the split personality.

[@jaydenstrickland6552]

@Jeffery Hoover I respect your opinion other than calling me a snow flake. I don’t see the preface of why that is necessary. I agree with the idea of setting the people free from credit bureaus. I do see that his nihilistic behaviors have brought the narrator to do the things he’s done. Such as pornography clips in theaters between clips of a movie, or pissing into peoples soups. I understand that materials doesn’t create your identity. Robert Paulson’s death was unfortunate. There was a risk of doing this and the police officer possibly prematurely fired at an unarmed suspect, however he did witness an explosion from the area (possibly considered terrorism). I see that many others have perceived this movie in different ways. I don’t see what is wrong with perceiving the movie differently than others. It seems that there are people who are closed minded and believe what they perceive is the only way that can be right. It is a shame because Fight Club is a cult classic and I believe it touches base with a handful of different ideas. But in the end, you do you dude.

[@flippinjimmy8677]

We are going to break the first rule of fight club, aren't we?

[@The.Nasty.]

And the second rule!

[@accidentalgnius]

It's ok, I think we are not the members

[@pdzombie1906]

@@accidentalgnius Well, not anymore!!!

[@mat7083]

His name is Robert Paulson

[@smsooomhboo9877]

@@jmah5553 why this man, this not goodd man

[@jucurtis23]

I remember seeing Fight Club back in 1999 the weekend it came out. That was the year The Matrix, Magnolia, and Eyes Wide Shut came out as well. Being a 17 year old who loved film in 1999 was a transformative experience. I don't think Hollywood filmmaking will ever be so bold and subversive again. Thank god I grew up in the 90s.

[@langdons2848]

I have to agree. It was an interesting time. I clearly remember seeing all of those films. In contrast, I watched Nobody last night which was entertaining - but it's a virtual clone of John Wick's story. Fun, sure, but we won't be having a conversation about it and what it means in 20 years time.

[@Augusto888]

60s best movie era off all time

[@t.kahraba763]

1999 was no doubt the best year for film and also music So many good movies came out in 99

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

@@langdons2848 Man, I had a feeling "Nobody" would just be John Wick but played by Bob Odenkirk. In hyperbolic sense.

[@langdons2848]

@@TomEyeTheSFMguy turns out that Nobody was directed by the directors of John Wick, and they hired the same writer. So it's not surprising that it feels derivative. I guess it's hard not to fall into that trap with such a similar story - especially when the original movie was so good.

[@nahabrz9190]

Tyler is one of the greatest character ever.

[@praveenp1369]

You are wrong Tyler is a Character of a Character

[@kostajovanovic3711]

Be careful there

[@tbrown5836]

He really is though

[@tbrown5836]

@lilmil yes

[@Gedagnors]

I hope you will google Shakespeare one day.

[@OutstandingScreenplays]

Man, I see in fight club the strongest and smartest men who've ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see squandering. 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's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on 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.

[@captain_giacco]

man do I love this film and screenplay

[@OutstandingScreenplays]

@@captain_giacco 🙌💯✅

[@colina1330]

And we are are very, VERY, pissed off.

[@assbat1205]

I see them as smart, but infantile to a primal degree- but that's part of the beauty in the grittiness of the story/message. Love your comment!

[@theuglyfriend]

Life changing movie!

[@cinephile9]

Such a classic film. I study psychology and we had to analyse this movie to do a group presentation on Tyler, the Narrator & Marla. By far my favourite class assignment

[@FromPanictoParis]

That sounds awesome

[@S0FIAV]

please share your presentation!

[@alexbarcovsky4319]

How is this movie related to psychology moreso than the obvious, shallow connection such as cultism, mob mentality, personality disorders and the other highly visible things? I always considered this film to be more of a sociology oriented discourse.

[@cinephile9]

@@alexbarcovsky4319 Fight Club potrayed a good portion of Freud’s psychoanalytic theory which consists of the id, ego and superego. And perhaps a somewhat dramatised version of dissociative or multiple personality disorders.

[@alexbarcovsky4319]

@@cinephile9 Ego and superego? how?

[@paulheimlich2691]

I feel like this film also sends a message about mental disorder. You see a lot of people tell someone to workout, find a hobby, reduce alcohol, etc. But this movie shows that even though these people are aware about their disorder, they literally can't do anything about it.

[@spacemann1425]

I didn't understand this. Can u be more elaborate? How does the film send this particular message?

[@rigvedgirkar7817]

@@spacemann1425 I think he meant insomnia as a disorder And Tyler can do anything about it

[@mango8127]

Your statement is totally false. The Narrator overcomes the Tyler persona at the end of the movie and takes control over his own life.

[@paulheimlich2691]

@@mango8127 I mean... he shot himself in the face which likely killed him after the movie. Not to mention that Tyler won, the charges were set off.

[@mango8127]

@@paulheimlich2691 His injury was definitely not fatal. Even though the buildings were still blown up the Narrator still took full control of himself by the end.

[@angeloreyes357]

Fight club has taught me a very good lesson's.."how much do you know about yourself if you'' ve never been in a fight???" And " things you own end up owning you!"...love this movie..really...lot of reality eye openning lessons.

[@jpebrz]

The materialism message is probably the best lesson to take from it

[@nickelcreed4421]

bunch of bollocks, it's a movie for entertainment. The guy literally shoots himself in the face at the end to avoid consequences, do not take any life lessons from that jabroni

[@Donnybrook10]

smart kid...two key take-aways most people seem to miss.

[@HoseTheBeast]

You thinn ”how much do you know about yourself if you’ve never been in a fight” is what the movies lesson is. That whole sentence is ridiculous😂

[@GiJoe94]

​​​@@HoseTheBeastHow so? Fight means getting out of your comfort zone and the stoppage of living on automode day after day. Living on easy mode means you will not learn anything about life and yourself. Then with the smallest inconvenience in life you fall in that deep hole spiraling into depression. (It's and epidemic these days)

[@pranavrk9752]

for a movie made in 1999, it feels like it was made yesterday. Reason why its the GOAT

[@jesusoftheapes]

No but it is in the conversation for best movie. No Country for Old Men is the best movie ever made.

[@klemenk9548]

@@jesusoftheapes In ur opinion

[@jesusoftheapes]

@@klemenk9548 No I think it is well recognized as one of the best films from a production standpoint. It hit every pacing mark in film history and it had way more characters to the story which makes for a more polished and perfect film. Fight club did hit the pacing as well but the limited depth of characters and tunnel driven storyline was not able to be as good as other films with more characters to write stories around and to have acted at a high level. So many working parts to a great film. it is hard to explain all the small things that get movies ranked higher than other films . Fight Club is one of the best movies ever made. i am not saying it is not but there are a handful of movies that are just better.

[@klemenk9548]

@@jesusoftheapes ok but a movie doesnt need to explore depths of its characters to be good

[@licht9262]

Truly a movie ahead of its time

[@algirdongas1]

I think Norton's character can be viewed as embodying the Apollonian (daylight, rationality, thinking, accumulation) and Pitt's the Dionysian (nocturnal, destructive, impulsive, expenditure, revelry). The disjointed Apollonian is what Nietzsche thought was at the core of Western Civilization and the enlightenment, which, ultimately led to the situation in which Norton's character finds himself in. Tyler, while being totally unbalanced, actually brings balance and meaning to the life of our protagonist. As Jung wrote, " No tree can grow to heaven unless it's roots reach down to hell."

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

*Pitt's

[@spacemann1425]

what was the "enlightenment" in this case tho? Which situation did Norton's character find himself in and what did he conclude from it? Cuz he was just confused in the end. He tried to stop the movement but let the buildings fall.

[@algirdongas1]

@@spacemann1425I think the enlightenment, in this case is that civilization is heading towards catastrophe and collapse. The Apollonian character is static and incapable of acting in the face of this, while the Dionysian would not know what to do, he'd be aimless in his orgiastic revelry. Only through the synthesis of these two poles can a hero capable of action be born. In the case of the film, he acts to hasten this coming collapse of civilization, through acts of terrorism. Which is really off-putting to most people and in a way discredits this possible generative synthesis, leading to heroism as something only antisocial and leading only to destructive outcomes. I think the fact that Arnon Milchan produced Fight Club and it predates 9/11 by two years is also pretty crazy.

[@spacemann1425]

@@algirdongas1 so basically both the characters would not know what to do in this situation, but even if they come together, they would only hasten the process. Either that or hastening the process is the solution. Right?

[@tenkokswnos804]

Yeah, I think I red that article too

[@uriahkabemba5798]

Can we drink every time he says “philosophical conflict”?

[@jasonbonham2057]

Yes, but I don't feel like dying.

[@MagicalCipher]

@@jasonbonham2057 im surprised that you DoNT feel like dying after watching this movie

[@Rosricnobadvibes]

but uhm

[@increase9896]

you can do whatever the FUCK you wanna do.

[@swimfan752]

@@increase9896 woah we got a badass here

[@Imakebootysclap]

"things you own end up owning you" Im looking at my gun collection, safes, watch and hat collection thinking I need a bigger place to store my shit, gotta work more hours and make more money so I can have more stuff. Tyler was right!

[@nunyabiznes33]

TBF the guns and safes you own help you keep owning what you already own.

[@pabl0191]

@@nunyabiznes33 which in return helps owning him because what he owns owns him. Ironic isn't it?

[@nunyabiznes33]

@@pabl0191 I rather have a hoard of gold own me than a bunch bureaucrats. Priorities I guess. 😁

[@honkhonk8009]

@@nunyabiznes33 Even tho its corny as shit, its why people liked bitcoin and crypto in the first place. Its tough all these soyboys jumped on the train and thought they could make money off it lmfao. Id rather store my money in crypto just in spite of the governmen. I really wish we formed litteral terrorist organizations hellbent on not paying taxes purely in spite of the elites.

[@nunyabiznes33]

@@honkhonk8009 LOL yeah, it'll be funny as they look at the money start disappearing. Sure they do track these transactions but they'd still be pissed. 🤣

[@danNo_nin0]

We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war. Our Great Depression is OUR LIVES.

[@viceversa7562]

Teen challenge

[@sreeragmsudheesh]

COVID 19: Hold my spike protein

[@antonioarcudi1897]

Putin: hold my vodka

[@rehan5514]

We have all been raised on television to believe one day we're all be millionaires and movie gods and rockstars, but we won't and we're learning that fact and we're very very pissed off!!

[@FirmaSyahrian]

The best thing about Fight Club is everyone has their own interpretation. For some people Tyler is the picture of an ideal man, for some other he's just a nihilistic crybaby. And so on, and so on.

[@xzonia1]

Yeah, I'd be in the he's a nihilistic crybaby camp. Nihilism is such a pointless philosophy to embrace. I was surprised after seeing the movie to hear that anyone enjoyed it because of the philosophy; I enjoyed it despite that. I watched it and thought, yep, these characters are crazy, and their philosophy is a direct reflection of that insanity. Weird that some watch this movie and think it's a worthwhile philosophy to embrace. But there are a lot of crazy people in the world. I never could have imagined Jan 6th back in 1999, for example, or Putin going bonkers and attacking Ukraine, but here we are. People need to get a grip on reality again.

[@prototype8534]

@@xzonia1 take a grip on reality? And who defines it? The politics? The tv? Maybe social medias? Or maybe our ancestors? We just smart animals man, the only purpose of our life is to give our life a purpose, otherwise we better kill ourself. Read something about Jung and The Shadow and you’ll see that we as humans are worst than you would imagine but we have not to reject what we are deep inside but embrace it as a part of our nature as the narrator does in the film with his shadow self Tyler

[@Aloyz3n]

because ppl can't read the actual meaning of art and they project their own ideologies/insecurities/values to the movie, missing the actual point. we are presented with two choices: meaningless life of consumerism, wake up, work, fit in, consume, repeat or... meaningless life of soldier, wake up, blow up some buildings, follow orders, don't ask questions, repeat the choice is ilusory, this touches nihilistic ideas, how no matter what you do at the end there is no point, you can fool yourself that you're changing something but in the end there is no aim to strive for, etc.. you get the point Neither side is right, it's not "life of comfort and courtesy" vs "life of strength, masculinity and primal instincts" both are criticised, and neither gives you meaning but that's the fenomena of this movie, it show how selective we can be with criticism, masculine fantasy or pro-feminist caricature of masculinity, you are projecting your own views, selecting criticism you like and fooling yourself into thinking our side is portrait as good one. but at the end it doesn't matter 😉 edit: and the ending in this context is beautiful, Tyler's goal is achieved and the viewer should be left with question "what's next?" there is no resolusion, no happy end, no sad ending, no consequences and no victory, this act meant nothing

[@jankyyard5610]

Watching Cobra Kai helps me understand Fight Club a little bit. It's always about balance and casting light upon your "shadow". Shadow, in this context, means the antithesis of your philosophical beliefs. For example, if you're a person who values tradition then maybe it's time to explore the territories of daring and adventurous. Learning to adapt and change (for better or worse) will give you some sort of character arc that will bring growth into your life. In this day and age, Cobra Kai's philosophy and Tyler's ideals are what people (mainly men) really need right now. There will come a time that we must be cautious about Project Mayhem but we'll only get there if we're careless about the dangers of Fight Club. But still....Fight Club is a complicated piece I cannot fully comprehend. Really need that Nietzsche book I won't bother to read. I guess Viktor Frankl's book can help since I applied his lessons in Fight Club and I already read it.

[@PieroMinayaRojas]

@@xzonia1 you expect me to take yous seriously after deeming Jan 6th as a bad thing?

[@juxe411]

i think it’s important to also mention how Fight Club is a satire. You’re not necessarily supposed to take Project Mayhem and Tyler Durdens philosophy too seriously which is the biggest misconception with the film and why people have actually misunderstood it as a satire and have been inspired to go and make real life fight clubs. The film is showing two extremes of ways of living - the standard American modern way of living in a consumerist world which ends horribly for the Narrator and then the complete opposite (Tyler frequently mentions monkeys or apes and i believe this is supposed to represent that primal instinct in is known as the Id where we act like our ancestors millions of years ago) which also ends horribly for the Narrator and even somewhat becomes similar to the life they wanted to escape at the start of the film. The reason Tyler’s philosophy has wrongfully been taken as an actual philosophy to live by in young men is down to the filmmaking at Fincher and Palahniuks part. In order to believe the character is seduced into this new violent lifestyle, Fincher has to seduce the audience into this new violent lifestyle by having Tyler convince the audience too that what he’s saying is actually right and has a lot of depth. It’d be almost impossible for the audience to empathise with the characters when they’re brutally beating the shit out of each other in basements and committing acts of terrorism if we the audience aren’t seduced into it. The satire on the consumerism world in the start aswell make us understand Tyler’s philosophy better, but as the film goes along and things get way too out of hand for Project Mayhem and Tyler’s philosophy becomes deeply flawed and contradictory is when the audience is supposed to understand that this way of living is equally as bad if not a worse idea than the narrators lifestyle in the beginning. Fincher stated that the film is all about ideas.

[@sguraya7223]

What Tyler is saying IS right and DOES have a lot of depth. The problems with society he underlines are exactly right. He is 100% correct about the problems that young men face in this society. The solution he underlines is wrong. But that doesn't change the fact that the problems he spoke about were real, and that he spoke of them with depth.

[@juxe411]

@@sguraya7223 yeah that completely make sense, i may have used some wrong wording but i agree in that Tyler outlines a lot of real life problems yet where things go wrong and get out of hand is the methods he used to solve the problems

[@h_3_x_]

@@juxe411 what other methods can u use?

[@blubaylon]

@@h_3_x_ Absurdism

[@seulnx7092]

​@Jeffery Hoover interesting cause I've had several discussions with people who also perceive the movie this way

[@Strawberryknight]

Couple of things I have learnt and practiced from Fight Club: (1) Fill up any space in my home with Ikea furniture, (2) Pick up girl friend from peers help group.

[@87solarsky]

I'm glad that you logically assessed the issue of fatherlessness being at the root of nihilism and its philosophical conflicts. What a great motivation to do a modern-day "fight club" that is even more resonating with today's audience than Fight Club would be these days...

[@Aloyz3n]

what's up with this "fatherlessness" thing? lmao it's not like presence of father is some magical silver bullet for all the problems of our society, the fact that so many ppl put this realtion on the pedestal makes me think they are fatherless themselves and idolise realtion they wish they had. anyways, what's up with this thing?

[@ChubakaSteven]

@@Aloyz3n if you think statistics have any value, coming from a fatherless home is the #1 predictor for many sub-optimal life trajectories.

[@petrwarthursty2011]

@@Aloyz3n you have no father

[@Aloyz3n]

@@petrwarthursty2011 on the contrary I do and that's why I don't understand what's so life changing about it, I would genuinely like to know? I feel like folks who fail in life don't want to take responsibility for it, and someone who is not even present, like absent father, is a convenient scapegoat and why use it as an insult? you can't claim it's a serious societal problem while using it as a way to mock others

[@petrwarthursty2011]

@@Aloyz3n who said I use that as an insult? You have no father

[@johncliffalvarez6513]

This movie was actually the main focus of my Social Psychology final in college. It’s such an amazing movie!

[@prashantmarwaha5214]

I lived a lie throughout my childhood. I smiled when i did not meant to smile. I laughed when i did not meant to laugh. i learned acting out even when i was 7-8 years old. When i saw this movie it resonated perfectly , it clearly shows how fake every thing is. Even our desires are not truly ours's , they have been dumped into us by the fucking society.

[@jaywalkercrew4446]

How to get unprogrammed ? We are programmed from birth.

[@baggabarz]

Its true until you remember that no one is stopping you going and NOT doing any of these things, plenty of hippies live off the land without any of this stuff and no one knows or cares about them, so if thats really how you feel, sell all your shit and go be a hippie lol, nothing is stopping you other than your being comfortable because its always up to you how you live your life, the only thing stopping you is your mind

[@astralguardoriginal]

@@jaywalkercrew4446 self improvement

[@unrandomcualquiera5291]

@@baggabarz The only thing stopping us is fear, attachment, safety

[@Andre_Thomasson]

You cant unprogram, only change whats programming you as you are constantly programmed since birth

[@chad264]

Me and my friend watched this movie, stood up and fought. I got 3 stitches on side of my eye while he got one on upper eye. Now there are 7 of us. We meet every Saturday, and fight. I stopped playing video games, can concentrate on studies, and am hard. Its the adrenaline and dopamine rush that makes it worth it.

[@rusty1187]

Shhhh...... Where can i join?

[@Frandezo]

@@rusty1187 just join a boxing club or mma

[@basedcat2349]

Based lol

[@Subsistence69]

Rad as fuck

[@marksulzman1551]

Apparently your "club" has no special rule of secrecy....

[@vaibhavyadav168]

"Our great war is a spiritual war, our great depression is our lives". As i am growing older i see more and more of this unnatural world and see myself being sucked into it. I lacked a strong male role model growing up and now I find myself lost in this adult world, struggling in this transition of finding my masculanity. Rejecting conformity is a war in itself.

[@basementmadetapes]

This film tears into capitalist realism too. And we still live in a capitalist realistic world

[@bordidellapizza]

I hope someday you'll talk about Mindhunter

[@cristianvazquez3645]

That’s will be amazing

[@prathameshparab8205]

yess please

[@vyshakhvp5994]

True'.....

[@carlosacfc]

🙏🏻

[@Aidanhackwell]

Please yes

[@arklyshill]

I gotta add that Fight Club screenplay is one of the best novel-based scripts ever written.

[@austins.2495]

Fight Club is cool, until you talk about it too much. The film is better off left alone, for each individual person (men especially) to get what they need from it and leave it at that. Also, it's rule #1

[@likearollingstone007]

There’s always someone who wants/needs to define what’s cool or not…I think we found him.

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

@@likearollingstone007 nah. I don't think so.

[@toothbrushdave9833]

😂🤣

[@chriswaters2327]

@@likearollingstone007 There is always a guy who needs to define who thinks they are cool for defining what's cool and what not.

[@raiderbro8663]

dude, that's impossible cause there's nothing quite like it. that's why after seeing it again after alot of years, people will yap about it like they saw it the first time (guilty as charged)

[@JERZEELOON]

Edward Norton is just an incredible actor. Primal fear was great too

[@zombiehampster1397]

One of the important messages in Fight Club, which seems to be missed or not mentioned, is how in their quest to go their own way, they inadvertently became what they hated once the Project Mayhem arc begins. They fall victim to what happens to many great movements in history and it should also be a cautionary tail for following ANYONE without question.

[@bolivood2012]

Вы вообще не поняли о чём этот фильм. Это притча. Все действия там - это метафора.

[@stzaleft7355]

Preveet nuposnukko myetza minnya zavoot suka.

[@ArjanPaijers]

Exactly. All those young man who wanted to stand up against the system turned into Tyler's space monkeys. Tyler may talk a lot about personal freedom, but he wants all the members of Mayhem to think and act the same way he does, and in the end forces society into those beliefs. He is not a free-thinker, he's is dictator. But because he has charisma, we go along with it. Until we realise it's too late. Perfect movie.

[@spasydk]

The book went even deeper then the movie. It had even more character and feeling. Sometimes I couldn't tell if the narrator was saying something or just thinking of it. I could read the progression of madness and the pace, I loved the pace. I've never read a book written like this, just incredible. It is a masterpiece! You should read that!

[@jessicapatton2688]

I just ordered it!!😊

[@ZestySoul]

100% agree. Book was way better than the film, but then again, that’s usually always the case!

[@wils2332]

Every time after you watch the movie, you start to see the world and our lives in a different perspective!! EVERY TIME!!!!!! And that's why this movie is a masterpiece!!

[@adotlee]

And wow! Thanks for doing Fight Club. One of the first movies that made me wanna write.

[@bobharris5093]

I always thought of structure as a skeleton. Sure it can stand, and u can even make it walk but it doesn't mean it has a heart or a soul. Look at asian cinema or literature; most of them don't bother with structure. Yet some of their work stick under ur skin for days.

[@sguraya7223]

A lot of western movies and books have abandoned structure as well... But theyre absolute dogshit. Abandoning structure has to be done with some thought, otherwise youre just being subversive for the sake of being epic and cool and edgy. Kubrick knew how to abandon structure, but whoever the fuck directed that new Harley Quinn movie, did not. I also find it highly unlikely that Asian cinema and literature don't bother with structure. What's more likely is that, in that culture, the general rules of structure is different than what you think it is. Structure doesn't predate art. The art comes first, and we notice an underlying structure within it. In all likelihood, subversive art has structure as well, we just don't understand it, and it isn't quite as definitional as the hero myth.

[@zemptai]

Thanks for your contribution Tyler.

[@assbat1205]

I have been a huge Fight Club fan since I saw the film and then I read the book, there is a Graphic novel Version of Fight Club as well (pretty dope.) I have loved Chuck Palahniuk's story telling style so much, every single character he makes, a few great examples are from Choke, also made into a feature film- they're all so complex. Aggressive Nihilism is a running theme in Palahniuk's writing in general but something about Fight Club just resonates with anyone. I am a woman and I feel and have felt so close to this story, through the stages in my life. I am now 33. I was exposed to Fight Club at 15- talk about agro teenage nihilistic angst. It's basically poetry to me. Thank you for making this video- it's nice to see Fight Club is still alive and being examined in 2021, I think a lot of people these days could take a message or two from Fight Club, as long as they don't talk about it. I would also like to note- the book is a bit more well constructed and structured than the film- there are parts that focus on Marlas background and a little insight into her mental health/part in Narrator/Tylers life. It explains her erratic chaotic behaviors and it makes sense when she's calm in certain situations.

[@uwu_smeg]

as a woman, how do you feel about violence and femininity? is it just cultural repression/enforcement/consensus that likes to paint women as neotenous and incapable of doing harm (i bet testosterone plays a role, but possibly not as much a role as one would think). do you think you (or women in general) would gain something from discovering what their own capacity for violence is, through martial arts or the like? genuinely curious - my little sister definitely has the capacity for violence without being abusive/violent, and i'm so very proud of her for standing her ground and decking her perpetrator in the eye when he grabbed her behind at the club. made my heart grow so many sizes

[@manuzitz]

Ive seen this movie like 20 times.. the movie changed who i am and how i live.. and i love it!

[@quickdrawmcgraw3567]

I have never agreed with the idea that human creation and ideas arent "natural", because humans are natural. Human beings came from nature just like everything else "natural", and separating ourselves from the rest of nature speaks to a certain hubris and superiority complex that alot of people have.

[@gabe2968]

I think that idea is one of those "yes and no" answers. I think it's both

[@brennanswanson2392]

IMO it all goes back to the comfortable piece and wanting things just the way you vision them and realizing the vision wasn’t as great as you thought it would be. True portrait of an ordinary everyday adult.

[@mateoignaciomontanocatacor8786]

I got the notification right when I watched Fight Club yesterday. And I just watched the two protagonsits video😂

[@_AZBT_ASHUTOSHKUSHWAHA-vm3fh]

Either it's dead poets society or fight club . One that says you more about life and one that questions it's existence

[@MAFion]

I'm surprised there are not more movies that approach these themes given there definitely seems to be an audience for this. It's really amazing this subversive film got made by a major studio. (And it shockingly didn't make much money on theatrical release.)

[@halalgordonramsay5531]

It's not about the money, it's about sending a message.

[@jayeshshrivastava2478]

@@halalgordonramsay5531 batman

[@zoya_ahmed_._]

do you have any movie recommendations like fight club?

[@glorytoamerica6332]

@@zoya_ahmed_._ falling down or taxi driver

[@voldemortsshampoo4551]

american psycho definitely deals with these themes as well

[@teaviie]

I think you perfectly captured exactly what draws me into this film. I am not this film's main demographic as I watched fight club for the first time when I was a little girl. It kind of perplexed me when I connected to this movie so much even after all these years. My dad thought it was so bizarre too. It was my favorite movie then and its still my favorite movie now. There's kind of no other movie like fight club where it really made me think deep down about my place in the world and my worldview.

[@leonfa259]

It's an honest film, that is honest about ourselves. No fake happy end, no bs morals, it's actually honest about us humans

[@trevornicolas684]

It’s more relevant now then ever before !!

[@anthonycorcino6700]

I think American flagg is more relevant.

[@genericexcuse7803]

After watching it for the 1st time at 22 I'm 100% for the destruction of our shackles. Even moreso after watching it a 2nd time. My favorite part is watching the buildings go down. They made them fall straight down rather than partially or fall over. It shows sincerity towards their idea of this being for the people, not just themselves, as Tyler mentioned before.

[@slowdancer5563]

Fight club was my first exposure to reality. When I began to embrace adversity. The left hand path.

[@captainkavern]

Project Mayhem was somehow accomplished on september 11th 2001...

[@JosephCee]

I just watched this movie for the first time and that line about being a generation of men raised by women really resonated with me. Besides the movie having a profound message about society, the song that plays at the very end is just great, perfect ending. Him standing there holding Marla's hand, both of them looking out at the buildings exploding while "where is my mind" plays, so nostalgically 90's.

[@Thegr8Gupta]

I believe that if nothing truly matters, then it is up to us to make meaning. One can tear it down, or one can chase the few things that truly fulfill us without the regard for others. But the problem is that humans live for others just as much as we live for ourselves…

[@AM-ee2ro]

I believe the movie having a disjointed structure was done very purposefully, this wasn’t just a regular movie for entertainment, it was a message to you. Because of it being disjointed it actually has you aware and it makes the scenes very long and stand out, it’s this precise reason that it sticks to your head and memory, because there’s nothing like it. This isn’t a regular movie, the was a message and an idea that the director wanting to tell you about

[@acharyavivek51]

1999 was a special year for movies.

[@Doomer-hg2fi]

i understand this movies on a spiritual philosophy level still got a lot to learn

[@sleepmeditationrelaxingmus9541]

Tyler, congratulations on publishing a video with high quality content... I will take to heart your parting message at the end of this video where you mention the fault of trying to produce a "perfect" film... So many times I get caught up with wanting things to be perfect in the stories I create but I am now convinced that some elements of story-telling will take precedence over others, as is the case with the philosophical conflict in the Fight Club being the main thrust of the story over structure... Take care!

[@arghyadas6331]

The beauty of this masterpiece is, how many ways it can be interpreted/understood. It makes sense in so many ways. One of my favourite films of all time.

[@krnwyldchild69]

You can't understand Fight Club unless you've lived it. If you can give up everything you own and go out to the world and truly find yourslelf by going through hell and come out on top, this is when you've finally opened your eyes to the reality of knowing all the materialistic things that you thought was the badge of honer no longer become the object of the importance but understanding life itself is the true value. You can watch Fight Club and feel like you're Tyler Drden, is a laughable joke of a life time. You don't know you until you alone have truly have experienmced life in the gutters of life and survived to tell about it. I have lived this life and came out on top! Therefore I can tell you this!

[@albertguldbrandsen969]

Damn life really is all about suffering to grow

[@tracy1210]

That can match some points of Hegelian dialectic if you are interested

[@Payote88]

That’s why it’s a “cult classic” There’s an entire cult of people out there who have never been punched in the face waiting to experience life in it’s rawest form. No appreciation for life and the beauty in it. Glad you made it out the other side man, stay up!

[@rusty1187]

The only other movie that affected me like fight club, was "up". i was sitting in the theater with 5 grand kids, when Mrs. Fredrickson died. As i watched, you see all of Mr. Fredrickson's dreams crumble to ashes. I literally started crying in the theater, thinking "FUCK!!! I've pissed my life away! I'm not gonna let that happen to me" so i started doing the things i wanted to experience. 10 years later, no regrets!

[@hhh_arjun]

what have you done differently from then on

[@heliosapollyon4391]

I was in college when this theaters and I loved it so much I saw it six times before it left the theaters. My all time favorite movie 🍿

[@emyywolf]

I as a woman have already been through so much hell with an alcoholic verbally abusive Dad. Bullied all throughout school. Boys almost assaulted me and one pushed me against a desk in front of everyone. Several Near-Death Experiences…. And happened both in the US and Ecuador a 3rd-world country. I don’t know how these “men” look like they haven’t gone through nothing

[@kingvonnofiltersquad1465]

I’m happy your still here ❤

[@kingvonnofiltersquad1465]

The universe is love ❤️

[@kingvonnofiltersquad1465]

From Colombia btw

[@A7xeno]

Hope you're doing well now.

[@MarkCorrigan.]

okay? how does ur gender matter?

[@comotuabogada]

My favourite movie. It came out when I was 14. I felt less alone. It changed me deeply. I watch it yearly on my birthday ❤

[@dusk6634]

"Why we should study any david fincher film"

[@dusk6634]

@@aj.s... no he isn't. But the subject matter of his films is always something worth studying

[@anthonycorcino6700]

Visually yes.

[@carcasscruncher9354]

I think he read Ted Kaczynski manifesto before making the movie.

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

@@carcasscruncher9354 or, you know, he read the script.

[@yanukaravshlomoyehuda]

This was a genius made film and the writers blew the industry away!

[@SRocco-dv8we]

Changed my life this movie , in many ways ! I always had developed these beliefs ….however the movie validated them and told me many other guys feel the same way . The movie really did change my life , my thinking , and validated / reaffirmed my thinking 🤔

[@dioncostelloe3942]

Great channel Tyler! You're videos have genuinely helped me to grow as a writer, much appreciation.

[@TylerMowery]

Happy to help!

[@ReelFusionbySupun]

All the people who have the name Tyler are great

[@tacomaster2885]

Tyler the creator

[@saiganesh7944]

Man you are a great screenwriting teacher ❤️

[@PANDERF]

Amazing video. Going to rewatch the film. However, the things that you said have helped me write and think about my own stories and films that im writing/directing.

[@andreastrink9820]

Very good video, it touched me do deeply and spiritually. All these questions we all have like ,,What is the meaning of my life?" And ,,Is there something better?" Are explained in this video using Fight Club. It made me think, like really think about all of this life and the miserable people and every single thing that we have created.

[@robertsullivan9232]

It comes down to existential crisis and we each individually must define our own lives rather than looking to someone to do it for us

[@YourAverage_EvilDeadFan]

This is probably my favorite movie Of all time. 1999 was just a good year for movies. And the philosophical ideas of the movie makes it great as well.

[@DoritoJuice]

Very interesting point from a writers perspective. This definitely helps with understanding why stories can be so captivating!

[@NasidRayhan]

I subscribed! Thank you for being there!

[@kewlozer7979]

Thank you Tyler for all your videos!

[@TylerMowery]

My pleasure!

[@mosheglick295]

I feel like there’s a lot more that could’ve been said about this movie. And many more deeper concepts than just political or philosophical ideas. However, your insight was indeed enjoyable and it’s clear that you were tired of this video, so thank you very much I enjoyed it.❤

[@soldier09r]

I remember watching this for the first time and having more questions than answers! One of the greatest movies of my time.

[@JiM-SWEET-art]

Fight Club is a great movie. I didn't know it was going to be a lesson on writing, but nothing wrong with that. Thought maybe it was going to be more of a discussion on what was being said in the movie. Life is meaningless with or without the system we live in now. There will always be a way of living, whether purely natural or helped with our imagination, that also being natural to use our imaginations to help our survival. Just saying you can't really get away from the meaningless factor, it's there all the time, we just try to think of others things as meaningful. When asked, "Do you think life is hopeless?" I say, "No, not at all. It's just pointless. You can hope for a point all you want though."

[@johndillermand4053]

You broke the first two rules. EXCELLENT WORK, SIR!

[@datboi_gee]

Thinking about critical thinking itself, as it sits at the center of Fight Club and at the introduction of this very deconstruction, something feels weird about the concept of learning to think critically. As if some people don't have the ability to think critically. And I can easily see where this notion comes from. So much of today's ideological dogma is wrapped around logical fallacy and antithetical behaviors to concepts in direct contrast with those who claim to believe in them. Like critical race theory. Attempting to dismantle racism by binding the entirety of a person's identity to their race. Making race the defining attribute of a person. Bolstering the ideological importance of race. And as such, creating more racism. It would appear that people are lacking the ability to think at all. But I'd wager that it's more wilful ignorance than anything. People choose to look the other way, and people choose to act under the guise of false ideals, not because they can't recognize the truth they're ignoring but because this allows them to justify their behavior and feelings. It's easier to them. It's the same reason people fight for their depression to be a byproduct of chemical imbalance and nothing else. Not because of the empty life they lead in an empty world devoid of purpose or meaning or genuine connection. Not because of personal choices they've made. But because their "brain is broken." Because it strips them of personal responsibility and, therefor, of guilt. People know damn well that they're disingenuous in their ideologies and how they choose to perceive the world around them. But truth doesn't matter to them. They live a life devoid of virtue as they're without meaning. They would rather bend their perspective to alleviate feelings of guilt and shame and personal responsibility rather than face up to their own dogmatic identity. I absolutely refuse to believe people out here don't have the ability to comprehend sense. The majority of it must be choice.

[@MVO1999]

Wow, this was well written and expressed...thank you for sharing

[@1elholly160]

Agreed and thank you

[@cautarepvp2079]

hmm nice analogy, what you think of this fight club mentality vs stoicism

[@steveosborn7224]

CRT is absolute trash. And shit. It pushes social division and I honestly think that’s the point.

[@keldonlemon]

Very well said Gerald. I couldn't have put it better myself.

[@mehmetsar5287]

Great content. Glad to have discovered it!

[@Enjoyerofenjoyment]

This made me cry, bravo!!

[@Dmac6969]

I definetly agree with alot of views in this movie. However I think the solution is unclear, or maybe the solution to our problem is something I'm subconsciously not willing to accept that everything needs to come down because that means me and my children

[@babytheman1]

It's ironic to see so many men take to Tyler's ideology, seen in film which is art. They can find this meaning they seek IN art (like the dead poets society parallel quote) but instead they choose the more masculine and destructive lens which was articulated to them IN an art piece (the film). To the men who missed the message of fight club and want to be Tyler: If you love film, love it, and fall back in love with life through that love and don't create insecurity in the world from your own

[@MacbethofGondor]

Another great video! Thank you

[@TylerMowery]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@QuickPoker]

Great analysis of a great film. Well done.

[@hekatetrivia1727]

I feel you've missed a major aspect of the film by not acknowledging its usage of mythological themes and the deeper (liminal/paradoxical) meaning those themes underscore. Campbell's conception of the monomyth clearly describes the setup to the movie years before the novel or movie were produced: "Refusal of the summons converts the adventure into its negative. Walled in boredom, hard work, or "culture," the subject loses the power of significant affirmative action and becomes a victim to be saved. His flowering world becomes a wasteland of dry stones and his life feels meaningless-even though, like King Minos, he may through titanic effort succeed in building an empire of renown. Whatever house he builds, it will be a house of death: a labyrinth of cyclopean walls to hide from him his Minotaur. All he can do is create new problems for himself and await the gradual approach of his disintegration."

[@simonecookie809]

This is probably the most pretentious explanation I have had the misfortune of attempting to read.

[@hekatetrivia1727]

@@simonecookie809 Are you insecure regarding your level of intelligence?

[@justinkittle7401]

This movie was made to rattle my father's generation and a warning to mine. It's just that where as my father had no war I went and fought in two countries and I'm telling you it would have been harder to understand evil without this movie. It would have been easier to look at them as monsters as opposed to understanding what made them monsters. It taught me that men can be lead to things without realizing it. In the same way we are brow beat to conform to our society so are they brow beaten to confrom to their society. From offices to mosques to temples all these things are meant to isolate you from yourself, the world, and God.

[@honkhonk8009]

Fight Club taught people what History class shouldv. How people in Germany could cave and turn to shit like the Holocaust. Its ironic seeing how these inherently liberal woke ideologies are slowly turning into Nazism, with book burning, mass censorship, completel tribalism, pseudoscience, and an inherent feeling of superiority these people think they exude over "normal people".

[@josephtittoanselom]

Simple and good explanation 👍

[@Jonnyanomaly1986]

Very well narrated my guy ....very very well

[@SOSOLRAK]

Patrice O Neal said it best, “Fight Club is a movie for lame dudes.” That hit me in the feels.

[@ssj4goku18825theepic]

Patrice is a legend. Full of knowledge of wisdom in every way

[@ssj4goku18825theepic]

@Top Lobster Patrice understood female and their nature well on how to handle them

[@asurapriest8054]

No wonder that guy looks like a a parachute bag of meat and think that about FC

[@guignolfest]

I remember when the Beatles were a 20 year old phenomenon. Loved Fight Club when it came out. Love it still.

[@slackhackman9115]

This was an excellent take.👍

[@djbritten7402]

3:15 one of the many and I truly mean many great examples in this movie this truly was a work of art

[@AmigoAmpz]

great video one thing that stood out to me is when he said that we created this world where everything is clean, sterile and safe but humans are not made for that I also think this and to me it raises another question: If we humans are not made for this safe and sterile world then why did we create it? It seems to be doing more negative than positive

[@sguraya7223]

Humans are not built to deal with a utopia. Humans strive for utopia. These are not contradictions. We are built to strive for utopia, and so, as a natural result of that: if we have a utopia, we have nothing to strive for.

[@tuneboyz5634]

Mr Robot is really similar in terms of plot

[@rafalvonbur9946]

absolutely especially 1st season

[@colina1330]

I feel like it borrows a lot from Fight Club in terms of tone, as well. It feels a lot like it.

[@skyleylines9459]

mr robot took so many ideas from everything

[@nguyentanluc6638]

I love your videos! Keep going bro 🎬

[@tailgunner6948]

Balance...is the key...your shadow self vs ego self....know both well...work and live between the lines...find fulfillment in both aspects...

[@Ungtartog]

Lesser known is that "Fight Club" was directly inspired by the "Suicide Club" and "Project Mayhem" correlates with "The Cacophony Society" ( this is directly supported by the author). Burning Man arose out of those cultures. Of course, Burning Man became this over developed polished playground with most of the wildness and danger washed out of it.... but we are still around, and the time is ripe for the next chapter in this story.... **loooooong fucking wink!** I want you to hit me as hard as you can! It's time for you to have a near life experience.

[@arsheenap3711]

I remember our professor made us watch this movie in my first year of college in Critical Thinking class!! 😂😂

[@joshualum]

Very well put. I like your clearly presented case for your take on the film. I appreciate your passion for such a topic. If you do happen to see this comment, I'm curious as to why you stopped short for the "philosophical conflict?" I don't think you're off, I think it runs deeper. In laymans terms, the movie is about the battle between the head and the heart. I'd stab, that the conflict you so accurately deduced, is held between the head and the heart. It's a fairly common trope, which is best exposed in the climax, where the head learns how to control his heart. Through his experience, he learns how to control his heart. And through the same experience, he trains it and discovers the power of having them in a closer sync. It's a play on an old chinese proverb, "better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war" Now thats obviously a simplistic explanation. But it's how I see the film. I do like the fatherless home perspective. That was something I missed watching it. Subbed!

[@MrsS3lfDestruct]

I went into a state of denial when you said the film is 2 decades old. Oh god. Great video! Fight Club was my introduction to Chuck Palahniuk and I went all in.

[@Pain-cw3lt]

Well as much as I love this movie I can't study because I don't need to lol. See I had insomnia really bad when I first saw Fight Club. Naturally I became hooked. Not only was the insomnia relatable, but, the Narrator's emptiness was too. See I haven't really broken out of this mindset. It's addicting. "It's only after we've lost ever, we're free to do anything". That's a scary quote.

[@jaywalkercrew4446]

It’s true, best feeling, even though it feels scary beforehand. I hit a rock bottom after being a alcoholic for Years, had that feeling then.

[@Pain-cw3lt]

@@jaywalkercrew4446 This movie has opened my eyes to a lot of things in this world and how utterly pointless a lot is. I hope you're doing much better, bro.

[@jaywalkercrew4446]

@@Pain-cw3lt yeah thanks Sobor over 5years work with the 12step program

[@Pain-cw3lt]

@@jaywalkercrew4446 Hell yeah, that's great to hear, bro.

[@jaywalkercrew4446]

@@Pain-cw3lt thanks 👍

[@andreaviola8675]

I just watched this for the first time a week ago. What I learned is that we are actually the slaves they want, we do not think for ourselves, we are addicted to technology which are the shackles. I started to remove myself from the system

[@PearlyFostter]

LOVE THIS MOVIE, was watching it yesterday with my brother