How could there possibly be a connection between Fight Club and A Course in Miracles? A psychological action-thriller and a non-dualistic, deeply philosophical spirituality don’t seem to have much overlap.
But there’s much more to Fight Club than meets the eye.
There are some movies that have such a totally unexpected twist that your jaw is left hanging. Some that come to mind include Sixth Sense, Planet of the Apes, and Citizen Kane. But perhaps none as unforeseeable as what takes place in Fight Club.
If you watch the move a second time, it’s a completely different movie. And if you’ve never seen it before (but are planning to), then please don’t read any further.
In the movie, the main character played by Ed Norton lives his life both in awe and terrified by the Brad Pitt character. At times, Norton wants to experience the same life as Pitt, and in other scenes he is repulsed by him. It’s a love-hate dynamic that plays out over compelling drama.
And in the penultimate climatic scene, we learn that the Norton character and the Pitt character are the SAME PERSON.
Of course, once you know the twist, you can’t “un-see” it. My reaction the first time I saw the film was, “How could I have missed that? It’s so clear to me now!”
Which is what makes the linkage between Fight Club and A Course in Miracles so interesting.
There are people in our lives with whom we have strong emotional reactions such as adoration, fear, anger, love, jealousy, hate, respect, and so forth. Basically the people who inspire or disgust us.
Like Ed Norton, we want to be like and hang around the “good” ones while avoiding (or even mentally killing off) the “bad” ones.
Until we realize, just like in Fight Club, they are all one and the same.
As we read in A Course in Miracles:
Forsake not your brother. For you are the same.
This is the plot twist none of us saw coming. There is no meaningful difference between any of us.
And once we truly understand this concept, the “movie” of our lives takes on a totally different perspective. Instead of seeing separate interests and differences, we see the sameness that unites all of us.
Fear instantly melts away and we’re left with a blissful peace that embraces everyone.
Enjoy the show!
