I just finished Fight Club

[Anonymous No.17914672]

What should I take away from it?

[Anonymous No.17914676]

>>17914672
Your life

[Anonymous No.17914677]

>>17914672
you should fight guys in a club and be cool and smoke cigarettes and stuff

[Anonymous No.17914694]

>>17914672
Fight Club is a book about modern masculinity, in an era where men are emasculated to shit and our natural instincts are suppressed so that we can exist in modern society.The book is very good, Chuck has mastered a very specific & minimal style of storytelling that keeps to its own rhythm. The film even managed to capture some of his prose style. But I say it's not just about masculinity, it's more than that.

There's a bigger Hegelian thing going on of trying to escape something by becoming its opposite, but then realizing that the opposite is the same as the first thing, and then transcending the whole dilemma. I think it's a lot more universal than our generational problems, and the impotence of modern man, which is what makes it such a good and timeless book, good enough even in my opinion, to enter the realm of philosophy, which is why believe its such a cultural artifact and has had such an impact on so many men.

https://youtu.be/GCuSDH-YEKI

>"Existentialist moment, where you realize that you have to give your youth to something, you're not going to live forever. It's a very Martin Heidegger moment, you have to become a being living towards death, you're not going to live forever, you have to give your life to something." - Chuck Palahniuk

[Anonymous No.17914756]

>>17914694
I think a lot of the book is actually Existentialist. It touches on the theme of God abandoning us. In chapters 18 & 19, we're introduced to this character called the mechanic, who is the Friedrich Nietzsche of Fight Club.

>"If you're a male and you're Christian and living in America, your father is your model for god. And if you never knew your father, if your father bails out on you and is never home, what do you believe about god? What you end up doing, is you spend your life searching for a father and God."

>"What you have to consider is the possibility that God doesn't like you. Could be, God hates us. This is not the worst thing that can happen." "We are God's middle children, with no special place in history and no special attention." "Unless we get God's attention we have no hope for damnation or redemption. What's worse? Hell or nothing."

In Western societies a father no longer has a responsibility to put his son to work, to give him a skill, or an education, or a craft, or teach him about the ways of life which aren’t repeated on the television screen. This I believe causes the meaninglessness and hedonism of modern man. Fight Club and Project Mayhem become the outlet for mans frustration, and become mans sense of purpose.

[Anonymous No.17914788]

>>17914756
>What you end up doing, is you spend your life searching for a father and God."

But because our fathers have abandoned us, the world has abandoned us, God has abandoned us, we are left with no direction.

At least no meaningful direction.

>“My father never went to college so it was really important I go to college. After college, I called him long distance and said, now what?"

>"My dad didn’t know."

>"When I got a job and turned twenty-five, long distance, I said, now what?"

>"My dad didn’t know, so he said, get married."

>"I’m a thirty-year-old boy, and I’m wondering if another woman is really the answer I need."

>"What happens at fight club doesn’t happen in words. Some guys need a fight every week. This week, Tyler says it’s the first fifty guys through the door and
that’s it. No more."

[Anonymous No.17914794]

>>17914756
Is that picture true?

[Anonymous No.17914812]

>>17914794
Nietzsche is not a Nihilist. Nihilism is the belief in nothing. Nietzsche was an Existentialist, in response to God being dead, Nietzsche believed that it was our obligation to create our own meaning.

[Anonymous No.17914844]

>>17914812
This is why Fight Club is great, because it touches upon similar existentialist themes that I want to talk about, the creation of our own meaning in a world we're God has abandoned us and we are left with nothing, but the reality of our own death.

>"We are God's middle children, with no special place in history and no special attention."

Also touches upon how we've been utterly fucked by the modern age, which emasculates us and deprives us of any sense of purpose.

>"The System needs a population that is meek, nonviolent, domesticated, docile, and obedient. It needs to avoid any conflict or disruption that could interfere with the orderly functioning of the social machine. In addition to suppressing racial, ethnic, religious, and other group hostilities, it also has to suppress or harness for its own advantage all other tendencies that could lead to disruption or disorder, such as machismo, aggressive impulses, and any inclination to violence."

[Anonymous No.17914920]

>>17914672
I tried reading it once upon a time but it felt like it added nothing that the movie didn't already acknowledge. Great film is there any point in reading the book though?

[Anonymous No.17914989]

>>17914920
I thought the same thing during the first few chapters, but the books and the film do differ, as the book contains a lot more depth. The reason I decided to read the book is because I liked the message of the film so much that I wanted to have more of it, and the quotes in the film are taken from the book, and I wanted more of those quotes, and a deeper look into the message, I think if you liked the message of the movie you should read the book.

https://youtu.be/8E7w7tPzW4A

Here's an example of where the book has more depth than the film in something seemingly subtle. In chapter 16 when we're introduced to the beginning of project mayhem, one part I like, that differs from the film, is where the soldiers of project mayhem are given an assignment to GET beaten up by a random stranger.

This differs from the film, in which Tyler gives an assignment just to get into a fight with a stranger, however in the book, they are ordered to get beaten up by a stranger. This is important, but admittedly subtle difference, but if you're paying attention the book remains consistent in its underlying message. Because getting beaten up teaches the men humility, and the power of self-destruction, and letting go. https://youtu.be/Q03frcLDXWk

Not even in a masochistic way, but the wider point is to build that detachment from being comfortable, and to destroy yourself. To expose yourself to pain to overcome it, see >>17914694

>There's a bigger Hegelian thing going on of trying to escape something by becoming its opposite, but then realizing that the opposite is the same as the first thing, and then transcending the whole dilemma.

As to develop the true spiritual power. So that they can strengthen their nerve so they are willing to hit rock bottom.

"I'm breaking my attachment to physical power and possessions, because only through destroying myself can I discover the greater power of my spirit."

"If you lose your nerve before you hit rock bottom you'll never really succeed."

Also Fight Clubs intentions are to liberate men and to give them purpose, and the assignment does this secondly, as it serves to recruit men to the cause of project mayhem. As it reminds them, when they beat up the guy, that they are in fact men. What the is assignment is doing is reviving in these men "the spirit of man", which they have forgotten.

>"What we have to do people is remind these guys what kind of power they still have."

[Anonymous No.17914994]

the movie is better

[Anonymous No.17914998]

>>17914694
The onion really is great bless em. I know the irony style is a little played out by now but they do it so well.

[Anonymous No.17915003]

>>17914920
Shit, just watched the clip
https://youtu.be/8E7w7tPzW4A
Never mind, I misremembered the movie. He does say to lose the fight with the stranger, yeah don't bother reading the book the film and book our identical in every way.

[Anonymous No.17915014]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpxHFNvlUmU

What do you guys think lads? Is he right to draw the parallels between Fight Club and Nietzsche's concepts?

[Anonymous No.17915022]

>>17914994
I agree, but the movie is so good that it warrants reading the book.

[Anonymous No.17915030]

>>17915022
true, that is what I did.

[Anonymous No.17915033]

>>17915014
fightclub is about active nihilists. it's fairly neitzschian

[Anonymous No.17915035]

>>17915014
I've had this in my watch later and forgot about it, I'm gonna watch it now.

[Anonymous No.17915122]

>>17915014
Anyone hate the narrator and prefer Tyler Durden? I don't care about the shit at the end with the narrator shooting a bullet out his cheek, and that symbolical representing him overcoming his emasculation by embracing his shadow etc... Its not about that, the book is about just one man, its about having a purpose and giving your life for it, thats the entire idea behind the space monkey. Tyler Durden is the really hero of fight club, and the villain is the narrator who wins in the end.

[Anonymous No.17915137]

>>17915122
>book is about just one man
isn't about just one man

[Anonymous No.17915155]

>>17914812
>Nietzsche is not a Nihilist. Nihilism is the belief in nothing. Nietzsche was an Existentialist, in response to God being dead, Nietzsche believed that it was our obligation to create our own meaning.
tx

[Anonymous No.17915165]

>>17914998
Is it though? They're the only ones holding up classic irony.

[Anonymous No.17915262]

I'm dumping all the quotes I wrote down and some of the quotes from the movie :-

Quotes

Chapter 1
"The first step to eternal life is you have to die."

Chapter 2
"It's easier to cry when you know everyone you love will reject you or die. On a long enough time line, the survival rate to everyone drops to zero."

Chapter 4
"Oh, the proof that one day you're thinking and hauling yourself around, and the next your cold fertilizer, worm buffet. This is the amazing miracle of death..."

Chapter 5
“Then you’re trapped in your lovely nest, and the things that you used to own, now they own you.”

“‘If you don’t know what you want’ the doorman said… ‘you end up with a lot you don’t.’”

Chapter 6
“What you see at fight club is a generation of men raised by women.”

“Fight club gets to be your reason for going to the gym and keeping your hair cut and short nails. The gyms you go to are crowded with guys trying to look like men, as if being a man means looking the way a sculptor or art director says.”

“My father never went to college so it was really important I go to college. After college, I called him long distance and said, now what?"

"My dad didn’t know."

"When I got a job and turned twenty-five, long distance, I said, now what?"

"My dad didn’t know, so he said, get married."

"I’m a thirty-year-old boy, and I’m wondering if another woman is really the answer I need."

"What happens at fight club doesn’t happen in words. Some guys need a fight every week. This week, Tyler says it’s the first fifty guys through the door and
that’s it. No more."

"I didn’t want to, but Tyler explained it all, about not wanting to die without any scars, about being tired of watching only professionals fight, and wanting to
know more about himself. About self-destruction."

"At the time, my life just seemed too complete, and maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves."

“Nothing was solved when the fight was over, but nothing mattered.”

“Most guys are at fight club because of something they’re too scared to fight. After a few fights, you’re afraid a lot less.”

Chapter 8
"I should run from self improvement, I should be running towards disaster. I just can't play it safe anymore."

"If you lose your nerve before you hit rock bottom you'll never really succeed."

"Only after disaster can we be resurrected".

"It's only after you've lost everything, that you're free to do anything."

Chapter 9
"Because everything up to now is a story, and everything after now is a story."

"Someday you will die and until you know that your useless to me."

"Without their death, their suffering, their pain, we would have nothing."

[Anonymous No.17915269]

>>17915262
Chapter 9
"Because everything up to now is a story, and everything after now is a story."

"Someday you will die and until you know that your useless to me."

"Without their death, their suffering, their pain, we would have nothing."

This chapter is about the acid burn on the hand.

Chapter 14
"Disaster is a natural part of my evolution, towards tragedy and dissolution."

"I'm breaking my attachment to physical power and possessions, because only through destroying myself can I discover the greater power of my spirit."

"The liberator who destroys my property is fighting to save my spirit. The teacher who clears all possessions from my path will set me free."

Chapter 16
"What we have to do people is remind these guys what kind of power they still have."

"…in offices where every day they felt their lives end one hour at a time."

"We, each of us, can take control of this world."

Chapter 17
"You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the same decaying organic matter as everyone else, and we are all part of the same compost pile. Our culture has made us all the same,. No one is truly white or black or rich anymore. Individually we are nothing."

Chapter 18
"If you're a male and you're Christian and living in America, your father is your model for god. And if you never knew your father, if your father bails out on you and is never home, what do you believe about god?"

"What you end up doing, is you spend your life searching for a father and God."

"What you have to consider is the possibility that God doesn't like you. Could be, God hates us. This is not the worst thing that can happen."

"We are God's middle children, with no special place in history and no special attention."

"Unless we get God's attention we have no hope for damnation or redemption. What's worse? Hell or nothing."

"Believe in me and you shall live forever."

"The first step to eternal life is you have to die."

Chapter 19
“I see the strongest and the smartest men who have ever lived, and these men are pumping gas and waiting tables.”

“If we could put these men in training camps and finish raising them."

“All a gun does is focus an explosion in one direction."

“You have a class of young strong men and women, and they want to give their lives to something. Advertising has these people chasing cars and clothes they
don’t need. Generations have been working in jobs they hate, just so they can
buy what they don’t really need."

“We don’t have a great war in our generation, or a great depression, but we do, we have a great war of the spirit. We have a great revolution against the culture.
The great depression is our lives. We have a spiritual depression."

“We have to show these men and women freedom by enslaving them, and show them courage by frightening them."

“Napoleon bragged that he could train men to sacrifice their lives for a scrap of ribbon."

[Anonymous No.17915276]

>>17915269
Chapter 20
"Everybody in Project Mayhem is part of Tyler Durden, and vice versa. Raymond K. K. Hessel, your dinner is going to taste better than any meal you’ve ever eaten, and tomorrow will be the most beautiful day of your entire life."

Chapter 21
"We've just lost cabin pressure."

Chapter 22
“The people you’re trying to step on, we’re everyone you depend on. We’re the people who do your laundry and cook your food and serve your dinner. We make your bed. We guard you while you’re asleep. We drive the ambulances. We direct your call. We are cooks and taxi drivers and we know everything about you. We process your insurance claims and credit card charges. We control every part of your life."

“We are the middle children of history, raised by television to believe that someday we’ll be millionaires and movie stars and rock stars, but we won’t. And
we’re just learning this fact, so don’t fuck with us.”

Chapter 23
“I am the all-singing, all-dancing crap of this world, I am the toxic waste by-product of God’s creation.”

"I am the shit and infectious human waste of creation.”

Chapter 24
"Only in death will we have our own names since only in death are we no longer part of the effort. In death we become heroes."

Chapter 28
"You aren't your name."

"How everything you ever love will reject you or die."

"Everything you ever create will be thrown away."

"Everything you’re proud of will end up as trash."

"I am Ozymandias, king of kings."

Chapter 30
"Why did I cause so much pain?"

"Didn’t I realize that each of us is a sacred, unique snowflake of special unique specialness?"

"Can’t I see how we’re all manifestations of love?"

"I look at God behind his desk, taking notes on a pad, but God’s got this all wrong."

"We are not special."

"We are not crap or trash, either."

"We just are."

"We just are, and what happens just happens."

"And God says, “No, that’s not right.”"

"Yeah. Well. Whatever. You can’t teach God anything."

"God asks me what I remember."

"I remember everything."

"We’re going to break up civilization so we can make something better out of the world.”

Movie Quotes

"Reject the basic assumptions of civilisation, especially the importance of material possessions."

"I am free in all the ways you are not."

"I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say let's evolve, let the chips fall where they may."

"Stop trying to control everything and just let go."

[Anonymous No.17915352]

Bump

[Anonymous No.17915424]

>ctrl f "gay"
0/0
>ctrl f "homo"
0/0

[Anonymous No.17915449]

>>17915424
you're a gay homo

[Anonymous No.17916396]

>>17914694
nigga why tf did you copy paste my post from the other thread and added some of your words to it? i just had a mini crisis like did i write that or did i imagine writing it lmao. ive been spooked and durdened. also why did you keep the opinion of it not being about modern masculinity and then added "Fight Club is a book about modern masculinity" im not complaining or anything, its just strange

is this a tribute to how in the book project mayhem slowly becomes a parody of the thing its going against and slowly becomes the opposite of itself, like my post has evolved into being the opposite of itself? very creepy