The main premise of the movie was the alienation inherent in capitalist societies.

The quote isn't "we are not our labels", it's:

You are not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.

That's Marxism in a nutshell.

I'm always confused by the people who worry about "labels." They seem to think that if any label applies to them accurately, it's something bad. Well, being smart, kind, human, attractive, etc. are all labels too. For that matter, every aspect of who you are that could be conveyed in spoken or written language is by definition a label.

But fair enough, I'm mostly just trying to be provocative. People demonize "Marxism" in America so much it's silly. Nobody even knows what it is, because it's a taboo topic. Technically you aren't a "Marxist" unless you buy into the Marxian alternatives to capitalism (I don't), but it leaves you with some understanding that Karl Marx wasn't the anti-Christ, either.

After all, the philosophy of Tyler Durden is almost entirely based on Marxist critiques of capitalist society, and a lotta people dig Tyler Durden.

>> ^criticalthud:

So if we agree with a main premise of the movie that "we are not our labels" then we are necessarily labeled marxists?

For me, the defining moment in Fight club was when they were starting the whole club out, fighting in a parking lot, and a man in a suit watches Tyler beat another guy to the ground. His response to seeing it happen? "Can I be next?"

>> ^NetRunner:

Anyone who likes the philosophy of Fight Club is a Marxist.
No, really. I'm not kidding.
If you think Karl Marx and all his associated works were some sort of Satanic verse, perhaps your affinity for Fight Club should make you rethink that assessment, because it's essentially one and the same.


So if we agree with a main premise of the movie that "we are not our labels" then we are necessarily labeled marxists?

>> ^dystopianfuturetoday:

Without revealing too much, there is serious.... shall we say, duality.... to the philosophy of this film. Too be honest, the lines blurred to a degree where I can not be completely sure what the author intended it all to mean. A great film all the same. I should probably read the book.


My recollection is that the film is better than the book, although it has been ... hang on.... (sweet monkey jesus!) 10 years since I read/watched it last.

That is depressing.

Anyone who likes the philosophy of Fight Club is a Marxist.

No, really. I'm not kidding.

If you think Karl Marx and all his associated works were some sort of Satanic verse, perhaps your affinity for Fight Club should make you rethink that assessment, because it's essentially one and the same.

That's such a simplistic and derivative thing to say.
>> ^Locque:

As a pretentious student of philosophy, I feel compelled to point out that "derivative" and "simplistic" aren't really valid criticisms. there's nothing wrong with being derived from something else, or indeed being simple. Perhaps "overly simplistic" could be employed, if it doesn't represent the reality of a complex issue, but to be honest, I think the flaws in Fight Club's life philosophies are intentional, and add to the movie's artistic merit. Furthermore, if it inspires people to rethink their existence and what they want from it, it very much succeeded in doing what the author intended (apart from filling his bank balance too, obviously).

As a pretentious student of philosophy, I feel compelled to point out that "derivative" and "simplistic" aren't really valid criticisms. there's nothing wrong with being derived from something else, or indeed being simple. Perhaps "overly simplistic" could be employed, if it doesn't represent the reality of a complex issue, but to be honest, I think the flaws in Fight Club's life philosophies are intentional, and add to the movie's artistic merit. Furthermore, if it inspires people to rethink their existence and what they want from it, it very much succeeded in doing what the author intended (apart from filling his bank balance too, obviously).

>> ^heathen:

You're not how many power points you have. You're not your sifted videos. You're not your playlists. You're not your star points. You're not your username. You're not your personal queue. You're not your anniversary. You're not your unsifted videos.
... but you're still going to upvote this video. You're going to upvote this comment too. Or these guys are going to take your balls. They're going to send one to the New York Times, one to the LA Times press-release style. Look, the people you are after are the people you depend on. We cook your meals, we haul your trash, we connect your calls, we drive your ambulances. We guard you while you sleep. Do not fuck with us.


Oooo I was so tempted not to upvote that comment you troll you, but it was impossible not to. Good stuff

>> ^ChaosEngine:

I imagine that someone better schooled in philosophy will come along and explain how Fight Clubs philosophy is simplistic and derivative.
I really don't care. This was probably the first movie that made me look at my life and truly question what I wanted out of it.
It's a great movie. And now I have to watch it again. And for that @alien_concept, I thank you.


Here here, still my favorite movie of all time after dozens upon dozens of viewings I still like it. I know the arguments for an against the various philosophies espoused in it, I don't live my life by them. I think it's a great movie, and that's really all I ever ask for out of things.

>> ^ChaosEngine:

I imagine that someone better schooled in philosophy will come along and explain how Fight Clubs philosophy is simplistic and derivative.
I really don't care. This was probably the first movie that made me look at my life and truly question what I wanted out of it.
It's a great movie. And now I have to watch it again. And for that @alien_concept, I thank you.


Oh you're very welcome I think that anyone who argues that a philosophy is too simplistic has a rod up their arse to be honest. Surely the best kind of philosophy is one that the masses can understand and relate to, which Fight Club and in fact Chuck Palahniuk's other novels have in buckets.

I imagine that someone better schooled in philosophy will come along and explain how Fight Clubs philosophy is simplistic and derivative.

I really don't care. This was probably the first movie that made me look at my life and truly question what I wanted out of it.

It's a great movie. And now I have to watch it again. And for that @alien_concept, I thank you.

Can't go wrong with Bukowski or Vonnegut.

And then there is this:

http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-novels/

In reply to this comment by kymbos:
I'm reading Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club, which is a pretty good page turner.

I'm interested in reading some classic American literature if anyone would recommend some for a guy who has never really read any of the classics (like Mark Twain, Hemmingway, Fitzgerald).

I'm green.

Ham on Rye.

>> ^kymbos:

I'm reading Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club, which is a pretty good page turner.
I'm interested in reading some classic American literature if anyone would recommend some for a guy who has never really read any of the classics (like Mark Twain, Hemmingway, Fitzgerald).
I'm green.

>> ^luxury_pie:

>> ^longde:
Anyone else want to weigh in on @kymbos request of the Great American Novel? I think Twain' Huckleberry Finn is a must read (I actually reread this story every couple of years and still enjoy it).
What other candidates do people have?>> ^longde:
Huckleberry Finn>> ^kymbos:
I'm reading Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club, which is a pretty good page turner.
I'm interested in reading some classic American literature if anyone would recommend some for a guy who has never really read any of the classics (like Mark Twain, Hemmingway, Fitzgerald).
I'm green.



I reread Catch 22 every 5 years or so, gets better every time.
edit: oh, not necessarily a classic, though.

Really? Because I couldn't get through it. I thought he just kept hammering the same points over and over and over again until I was bored to tears and stopped (kind of like American Psycho actually, I didn't need any more graphic depictions of murder to get the inanely shallow existence he led).


Pity, as I thought I'd like it. The general premise is good, hell it spawned the extremely common saying... but I was left wanting by the source material itself.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

I like John Irving for that category - Cider House Rules or World According to Garp.>> ^longde:
Anyone else want to weigh in on @kymbos request of the Great American Novel? I think Twain' Huckleberry Finn is a must read (I actually reread this story every couple of years and still enjoy it).
What other candidates do people have?>> ^longde:
Huckleberry Finn>> ^kymbos:
I'm reading Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club, which is a pretty good page turner.
I'm interested in reading some classic American literature if anyone would recommend some for a guy who has never really read any of the classics (like Mark Twain, Hemmingway, Fitzgerald).
I'm green.