Cults, Consumerism, and the Construction of Self: Exploring the Religious within Fight Club

Abstract

This article explores the manner in which the creation of new religious movements is depicted in the Fight Club narrative, not only through sardonic, stereotypical ‘cult’ imagery, but also through an academic lens; the narrative fits perfectly with the psychopathology model of cult recruitment as recapitulated by Stark and Bainbridge. The nature and motivations of new religious groups, even to the most worldly student of religion, can seem alien and mysterious to the rational contemporary mind, making the possibility for an empathetic methodological approach remote indeed. However, the presentation of the new religious movement created within the Fight Club narrative is unique in its familiarity to the modern consumerist West. The article also highlights the fascinating insights of the Fight Club narrative into the power of consumerism in a post-modern world, bringing to light ideas of the ‘religion of the market’ and the resulting fundamentalisms created by unstable belief systems and transient notions of self. Focusing particularly on the prominent demographic of ‘Generation X’, this analysis of the Fight Club narrative offers a detailed portrayal of the potential religious crises facing the consumerist West in its entirety.

Notes

NOTES

1. While this article primarily discusses the narrative as presented in David Fincher's film adaptation of Fight Club (1999), Chuck Palahniuk's original novel is also quoted. As the major themes discussed here are primary within both the novel and its filmic representation and as both versions present specific examples and quotes which are at times unique to one form, the term ‘Fight Club narrative’ will be employed throughout the article so as not to exclude either.

2. Works that both discuss these themes and are worthy of attention are Christopher Deacy's Faith in Film: Religious Themes in Contemporary Cinema and “Integration and Rebirth through Confrontation” as well as Mervyn F Bendle's “The Apocalyptic Imagination and Popular Culture”. Sandie Gravett's “Marla, Freud, Religion, and Manhood: An Interpretation of David Fincher's Fight Club” deals with the subject of male and social crises, but not in the specific context of ‘cult’ formation discussed in this article.

3. While Wallace's model of ‘revitalisation movements’ is relevant to the psychopathology model with regard to social and cultural crisis resulting from various agencies, it must be noted that the agencies referred to by Wallace are perhaps more discernible to the culture they are affecting. It could be argued that, unlike “climatic, floral and faunal change; military defeat; political subordination; … epidemics”, etc. (Wallace, 1956: 269), the more subtle and culturally intrinsic crisis concerning consumerism, emasculation, and individualism facing the demographic within the Fight Club narrative are not recognisable enough to the sufferers themselves to ignite conscious changes or ‘revitalisation’. To this effect, the ‘Generation X’ men within the Fight Club narrative require the saviour, the founder, the psychotic ‘shaman’ within the psychopathology paradigm for their redemption.

4. Interestingly, another example of emasculation personified through film is discussed by Faludi. Jack Arnold's 1957 film adaptation of The Incredible Shrinking Man presents a perfect metaphorical representation of the potentially violent responses of men to feelings of inferiority to women. After an encounter with atomic radiation, the main character literally begins to shrink, until he is forced to resort to such feminine defences as hiding in doll houses and fighting animals with knitting needles (Faludi). Interestingly too, the smaller he gets, the more violent and domineering he becomes. “Every day I become more tyrannical”, he says, “more monstrous in my domination of Louise” (Faludi 31). Thus in both filmic representations, a propensity towards violence results from an emasculation crisis.

5. While Arthur Brittan focuses more specifically on the ‘gender confusion’ resulting from an absent father figure, other sociologists such as William Pollack and Christina Hoff Sommers discuss the indubitably negative effects this situation can have on boys and their development into manhood.

6. David Fincher's Fight Club illustrates this notion perfectly when, as an assignment, members are released into the community in order to ‘pick a fight’ with a random member of the public. Interestingly, a priest is chosen by one Fight Club member and, in a metaphorical reiteration of the potency and pervasive nature of this crisis, is actually provoked into a scuffle. These acts are perfectly deliberate missions to ‘find the enemy’.

7. As an example, Faludi gives an interesting recount of a 35-year-old man in the US who in 1995, after having lost his job and been left by his wife, stole a 57-tonne M-60 army tank and went on a destructive rampage through the streets of San Diego. After flattening dozens of cars, destroying property, and cutting off electricity to thousands of properties, the man was eventually shot dead by police. As Faludi states, “If a man could not get the infrastructure to work for him, he could at least tear it down. If the nation would not provide an enemy to fight, he could go to war at home.” (31) This incident perfectly parallels the destructive actions carried out by members of ‘Project Mayhem’. Faludi's perspective of the intrinsic male need for an enemy is absolutely consistent with the Fight Club narrative.

8. The war against ‘the ornamental’ aspect of consumer culture is continuous and blatant, particularly within David Fincher's film adaptation. Posters of male Calvin Klein underwear models are ridiculed, while scars and the loss of blood and teeth are applauded. Washing his bloodied face, Jack joyfully tears out a loose tooth to Tyler's congratulatory remark “Even the Mona Lisa's falling apart” (Fincher, Fight Club).

9. Indeed, Triandis makes special note of the fact that men, generally having more choices than women, are likely to be more individualistic. This emphasises further relevance to the ‘male crisis’ at hand.

10. Working for a major car company, Jack is responsible for calculating the cost–benefit of recalling a particular model after a fatal accident. If it is not conducive to the company's financial aims, regardless of how potentially dangerous the model might be, the car will be left in circulation. This is a primary example of individualistic ideology, with no regard for the greater good of any given community.

11. This is directly expressed in Jack's statement, “This is why I loved the support groups so much. If people thought you were dying, they gave you their full attention … people listened instead of just waiting for their turn to speak” (Palahniuk 107).

12. This theory has been repeatedly presented in the sensationalist mass media, but has been largely debunked by academics. Robert W. Balch, for example, asserts that perceived changes in behaviour of ‘cult’ members can be understood as simply resulting from the speed with which they are required to learn and adapt to new roles. They cannot therefore be evaluated as changes in individual members’ personality, values, attitudes or even beliefs.

13. For example, one haiku reads: ‘Worker bees can leave/Even drones can fly away/The queen is their slave’ (Palahniuk 63).

14. In the Fight Club narrative, men are forced to endure three days of standing on the porch without sleep, food or water in the hope of gaining membership. They are harangued with discouragement from Tyler and criticised for being too old, too fat or simply inadequate. Tyler proudly claims the religious origin of these practices, stating, “This is how Buddhist temples have tested applicants going back for bah-zillion years … you tell the applicant to go away, and if his resolve is so strong … then and only then can they begin training.” (Palahniuk 129) While the specific reference is clearly to the Soto sect of Japanese Zen Buddhism, whose initiates were forced to endure days of waiting outside the Eiheiji Temple in similar conditions, Tyler's vague description seems to refer to the popularly understood ‘ambiguously syncretic’ character of many new religious movements in the West.

15. This is also what David R. Loy would call ‘the Religion of the Market’. His thus titled essay is highly relevant to the discussion, particularly with regard to his assertions about the emptiness offered by the modern religion of economics and his descriptions of the seductively deceptive promise of advertising as the bringer of happiness and contentment. It is the false reality of consumerism that Tyler Durden strives to conquer, attempting to break the illusion and achieve global enlightenment with the most violent and anarchic methods imaginable.

16. With the world on the brink of annihilation, Jack commits the ultimate act of sacrifice for the greater good of humanity, by shooting himself in the face in an attempt to ‘save the world’ from Tyler Durden's apocalyptic schemes, an act from which he survives in a moment of miraculous resurrection. The selfless act of exorcism bleeds in with the collage of Christian allusions, not least Tyler's promise of a post-apocalyptic utopia, resulting from a global lack of spiritual awareness.

17. David Fincher's film adaptation ends here, with Jack's brave new self left to watch the destruction of the city; the heroic actions of his final moments suggesting, in true Hollywood style, the rebirth of a better, more decent man. Chuck Palahniuk's literary novel suggests a more devastating impact of this ‘war on the self’, with Jack's incarceration in a psychiatric hospital, believing he is in heaven.