Response Essay One on Fight Club (film)

In the Film “Fight Club” the setting was set during the postmodern period. When the term postmodern is mentioned it is a bit of a contradiction. Modern means the here and now, the present. While post means subsequent to or after. It is the same as saying after the present. That is the contradiction! No one knows what is after the present. Maybe postmodernism means before it’s time. Many argue that this movie was before its time, some even believe that people would begin to mimic this behavior. Although no one has a clear on the definition of postmodernism there are many terms that correlate to postmodernism. In the film “Fight Club” there are words that resemble the postmodernism ideation such as consumerism, nihilism, and liberation.

In historical context the rise of the free market industries is at its peak. In the year 1999 oil industries, electronics, fast food, clothing lines hit the front line. For the first time ever poor people are able to have what rich people have. Keeping up with the Jones, as many people say. There is this mindset of get it now and pay for it later. This leave most of the working class in debt. While consumers get the latest luxuries they are being “Consumed by Consumerism” (Domigpe). We have all become slaves to the brands of everything we buy. For example, when new electronics come out on the market that is mostly a want, but looks awesome, we buy it to keep up with the Jones and also because the advertisements tell us to. We also need the companies to live, because without them there is no employment. “Because of this circle, which is hanging over everybody in a modern society, the capitalists have pushed us into a place, where consumerism and capitalism go hand in hand” (Denzin). With the deb...

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... themes or ideation in the film. When he is consumed by consumption he blow up financial institutions. When he is over powered by nihilism he finds a purpose for life. Lastly when he destroys his prized possessions and forms his brother hood there is a sense of liberation. Mr. Durden seems to create a new society. It is almost as if he is rewriting the American dream. His American dream is the complete opposite a family, pet, and white picket fence. Instead Mr. Durden’s American dream focuses on masculinity, being fearless, and non-materialistic.

Works Cited

Denzin, Norman K. “Images of Postmodern Society, 1991, Published by SAGE Publications ltd

Domigpe Lee A. http://masonmediacrit.blogspot.com/2011/05/consumed-by-consumerism- narrative.html Fight Club. Dir. David Fincher. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 1999. Film.

http://postmodernfight.blogspot.com/