Interesting. I interpret Max's actions as being the opposite of your interpretation; he rejects Vincent's viewpoint (almost mocking it), shows him the logical extension of it (Vincent's own death), and chooses to stop Vincent using the only weapon that he has (his car). That he was prepared to sacrifice his own life in the process of stopping Vincent (which is confirmed by his actions after the crash itself) seems to weigh against your interpretation.
Oh, and I'd imagine that Vincent has a dismal world view because he's a violent psychopath, not because he's an atheist.
Thank you so much for you comments, you make some good points.
Certainly, Max appears to have take on Vincent’s worldview, temporarily, in order to draw it to its logical conclusion. Note that I stated that “Max granted Vincent his worldview and incorporated it into his thinking.” And that Max was driven to despair and it is not until after the car wreck that the notes inform us he has some sort of renewed appreciation for life.
I would also agree that “Vincent has a dismal world view because he's a violent psychopath, not because he's an atheist.” But athe“ism” has nothing to say to a Vincent about violent psychopathy.
To what then is he to turn in order to forego violent psychopathy? In this case, in the end, he met someone who survived as the fittest and simply did away with him—the strongest won.
The movie certainly does not describe Vincent as an atheist. Yet, it seems like a valid inference, in which case he does not have to make excuses for his action such as a theist may make to the likes of “God told me to become a hit-man.” He merely took whatever step he chose based on his assessment of life in an absolutely materialistic universe. He functioned as a bio-organism surviving as the fittest over other bio-organisms until an even fitter one put his lights out.
Individual atheists have certainly concocted various subjective systems of morality but they could not ultimately and absolutely condemn Vincent’s actions.
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Interesting. I interpret Max's actions as being the opposite of your interpretation; he rejects Vincent's viewpoint (almost mocking it), shows him the logical extension of it (Vincent's own death), and chooses to stop Vincent using the only weapon that he has (his car). That he was prepared to sacrifice his own life in the process of stopping Vincent (which is confirmed by his actions after the crash itself) seems to weigh against your interpretation.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I'd imagine that Vincent has a dismal world view because he's a violent psychopath, not because he's an atheist.
Thank you so much for you comments, you make some good points.
ReplyDeleteCertainly, Max appears to have take on Vincent’s worldview, temporarily, in order to draw it to its logical conclusion. Note that I stated that “Max granted Vincent his worldview and incorporated it into his thinking.” And that Max was driven to despair and it is not until after the car wreck that the notes inform us he has some sort of renewed appreciation for life.
I would also agree that “Vincent has a dismal world view because he's a violent psychopath, not because he's an atheist.” But athe“ism” has nothing to say to a Vincent about violent psychopathy.
To what then is he to turn in order to forego violent psychopathy? In this case, in the end, he met someone who survived as the fittest and simply did away with him—the strongest won.
The movie certainly does not describe Vincent as an atheist. Yet, it seems like a valid inference, in which case he does not have to make excuses for his action such as a theist may make to the likes of “God told me to become a hit-man.” He merely took whatever step he chose based on his assessment of life in an absolutely materialistic universe. He functioned as a bio-organism surviving as the fittest over other bio-organisms until an even fitter one put his lights out.
Individual atheists have certainly concocted various subjective systems of morality but they could not ultimately and absolutely condemn Vincent’s actions.
aDios,
Mariano