The Essence of Kierkegaard in David Fincher’s adaptation of ‘Fight Club’
Søren Kierkegaard is considered the father of existentialist thought. In ‘Sickness unto
Death’ and ‘Fear and Trembling’, the Danish philosopher explores the human self and its
relation to higher being, angst, and despair. David Fincher’s movie adaptation of ‘Fight
Club’ addresses these concepts by depicting internal conflict in the pursuit of self and
freedom. The protagonist of the movie, who remains unnamed throughout and will thus
be referred to as Jack, works for a car manufacturer and lives a superficial life centered
around materialistic needs.
His definition of self derives from his possessions, as he flips through IKEA catalogs
trying to choose a dining set that best represents his personality. He is the perfect
representation of corporate culture; one that falsely promises its consumerist slaves the
