Ever since I watched Fight Club during COVID, I’ve been fascinated by its raw yet straightforward message. It struck a chord with me.
The ideas in Fight Club weren’t entirely new to me. Coming from a third-world country and learning English as a second language, I’d always sensed these principles but could never quite articulate them as the film does.
Re-watching it reminded me of these values—the “Fight Club” values.
For those unfamiliar, “Fight Club culture” typically refers to a mindset rooted in the themes of Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club novel and its 1999 film adaptation. It centers around rejecting societal norms, questioning consumerism, embracing discomfort, and finding meaning through personal struggle and self-discovery.
This “culture” often resonates with people who value:
- Self-discipline and resilience: Pushing limits and embracing challenges, both mental and physical, to build strength and grit.
- Anti-consumerism: Rejecting the idea that happiness or identity can be bought.
- Authenticity and individuality: Embracing raw, unfiltered expression and staying true to oneself rather than conforming to societal expectations.
- Brotherhood and camaraderie: Valuing deep, genuine connections that arise from shared challenges, often in unconventional ways.
The idea that resonates most with me is this pursuit of self-discipline and resilience. I’ve always believed in pushing personal limits and embracing challenges to build tenacity. To me, that’s the only way to grow and improve.
You see people all around who read books on self-improvement, binge motivational videos, listen to endless podcasts on discipline—but they never actually do anything. They never take real action. They never push themselves to the edge.
As Tyler Durden puts it, “Self-improvement is masturbation.”
All the time spent on self-help books, motivational videos, and podcasts—it’s mental masturbation. You can read about shooting a basketball for hours, but when you finally step onto the court, you’re still going to suck. The only way to improve is to get out there and try. As Tyler would say, “Self-destruction…”
As a software engineer, I see it in tech, too—engineers “masturbating” over planning, caution, and safety. Striving to be perfect before taking any steps. But they never actually do anything. They never make a decision, take a side, or act. Worse yet, they block others from taking action.
In Fight Club, it’s about finding freedom through destruction, not perfection. Embracing the mess and making progress in action—not in endless preparation.