David Fincher Doesn't Understand FIGHT CLUB Fans Who Like Tyler Durden - "I Don't Know How To Help Them"

Director David Fincher’s Fight Club is a hell of a great film, but there are some people who take the message behind it and see it in a way that the filmmaker didn’t intend. The film is a satire, but there are some people who miss the point of that and look at Tyler Durden as someone to look up to. As you might imagine, Fincher is confused by this misrepresentation, but there’s nothing he can really do about it.

During an interview with The Guardian, The director talks about his confusion by the far-right interpretation of his work and explains that he’s not responsible for how people interpret the story. He said:

"I'm not responsible for how people interpret things [...] Language evolves. Symbols evolve. [...] OK, fine. It's one of many touchstones in [far right] lexicography." 

When he was asked how he felt about that, Fincher expressed his frustration, saying:

"We didn't make it for them, but people will see what they're going to see in a Norman Rockwell painting, or Guernica. It's impossible for me to imagine that people don't understand that Tyler Durden is a negative influence. [...] People who can't understand that, I don't know how to respond and I don't know how to help them." 

When talking about the film at a past panel at Comic-Con several years ago, Fincher expressed his his distaste for people who are big fans of Fight Club saying:

"'Fight Club' is about moving through a modern disconnected society. It's a satire. Many don't get that. [...] My daughter had a friend named Max. She told me 'Fight Club' is his favorite movie. [...] I told her never to talk to Max again."

I don’t understand why he doesn’t want people to like Fight Club, though, because of the message he was trying to get across. Not everyone who likes the movie interprets it the wrong way. I mean, it’s a great freakin’ film and I enjoy it for the story that Fincher told and the message that he was looking to get across in it. You also can’t help but love the phenomenal performances from the cast.

Just going into this a little more, Tyler Durden is an embodiment of the disillusionment and rage that many people felt toward consumerist society and the monotony of corporate life at the turn of the millennium. On one hand, he is charismatic, fearless, and speaks to the primal urges of freedom, self-reliance, and rebellion that many people, especially men, feel but are often suppressed by societal norms and expectations. Why do people like him? Probably because he challenges the status quo, refuses to be confined by the chains of consumerism, and encourages others to liberate themselves from the mundane routines that they feel trapped in.

However, if you dig deeper into the character's philosophies and actions you can see and understand the inherent dangers of idolizing this kind of person. While Durden's rejection of mainstream societal values has its merits, his methods and end goals are rooted in chaos, destruction, and a borderline nihilistic worldview. His formation of the Fight Club, while initially a means for individuals to vent their frustrations, rapidly escalates into Project Mayhem, a full-blown terrorist organization with the intent to destroy the pillars of the society it despises. Moreover, Durden's interpersonal relationships are manipulative, exemplified by his toxic relationship with the unnamed narrator and his use of Marla Singer.

The allure of Tyler Durden comes off with his charisma and his ability to articulate the feelings of disenfranchisement that many individuals feel. However, it is important to distinguish between legitimate critiques of society and the destructive and anarchic solutions that Durden proposes.

Fight Club is fundamentally a satirical exploration of modern life, highlighting the excesses of consumerism, the emptiness of corporate culture, and the crisis of masculinity in an increasingly disconnected society. Fincher doesn’t just present a straightforward narrative but rather delves into the irony and hyperbole inherent in Tyler Durden’s philosophies and actions. The exaggerated scenarios, such as support groups for every conceivable ailment or men beating each other senseless to feel alive, serve as commentaries on how far individuals might go to seek meaning in a world overrun by advertisements and dictated by material possessions. Even Durden's infamous line, "You are not your job, you're not how much money you have in the bank," is a mocking critique of how society measures self-worth. By showcasing the extremes of Durden's rebellion against societal norms, the film actually holds a mirror up to its audience, forcing viewers to confront their own complacencies, obsessions, and the absurdities of the modern world.