Since man first walked upright, he has sought to dominate, control, and benefit from the world around him. He harnessed the wind to move his ships, fire to use for warmth, and the rivers to power his factories. Man, however, cannot be so easily satisfied. He must control his fellow man; he must make him work so he may profit, regardless of the effect it may have on his fellow man. Social class is a social mechanism used by the rich elite members of society, the upper classes of society to control the working class. Through the use of culture, economics, and government, the upper class is able to oppress the lower classes, and thereby create a profit. However, it is only because the lower classes allow it. In America, we hold the belief that all men are created equal. All men are not born equal; some are born into wealth and social power, while some are born into poverty and despair. Social class is not real, however, and therefore cannot truly restrain anyone; we all have the power to ignore social class, even if we cannot ignore the effects it has on society.
Fight Club, a movie about a man who starts a myriad of fighting clubs across the United States, examines the inherent ability of members of the lower classes of society to ignore the role their social class has given them, and cast off the chains which restrain them. The main character, unhappy with his empty and materialistic lifestyle, channels all of his anger and primal aggression into starting and operating fight clubs. These clubs serve more than mere outlets for the participants’ anger; they give the oppressed, hardworking members of the lower classes freedom. It allows the everyman, who has had his dreams and aspirations crushed by a cruel and indifferent society ruled by the rich and privileged, to become for a moment greater than he truly is. It allows him to become the dominator, and in this small victory, they discover they have power. “This kid, Ricky from work, couldn’t remember if he...