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The alienation that presumably accompanies modern life finally led the protagonist to create an alter-ego that embodies his rage over society. They then created a club where men gather to beat the hell out of each other, allegedly, to provide some purpose for their lives. Over time, the organization grew and turned into an army bent on destroying civilization.

The paradox that this idea is caught in is this: you are using the very systems that you want destroyed. You are telling people to hate consumerism, to stop going to malls, to stop being a bunch of mindless robots, but the only way they can access your idea is by buying your book or watching your film. Of course, realization of this paradox is never really that much of a blow to the central idea itself: that the world we are living in, is full of shit. Apparently, judging by the popularity of the movie and the novel, many people entertain this idea. Clearly, the author has struck a nerve.

But on another point of view, this could also be taken to symbolize the might of the prevailing order. Mass culture has provided that the very idea of rebellion itself be a form of entertainment or a fashion statement at most. Take for example, Che Guevarra, the Argentinian guerrilla-doctor who spent his life fighting capitalism, only to have his face end up in T-shirts and various merchandise. I don't know, but I think there's something wrong with that. This might be too much a stretch of the imagination, but still, the possibility is there.

Jul 10, '07
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