Even though we are almost 30 years on since American Psycho was published, Patrick Bateman continues to be a popular figure. How does Bateman and other themes of opulence, insecurity, and finding deeper meaning in one’s life still resonate today?
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I think Atticus makes great points. I read somewhere that Ellis said many of Bateman’s thoughts are about “wanting to fit into a society that he doesn’t believe in.” Coming from the author, I think this is an interesting interpretation of Patrick Bateman’s character, and a conclusion that we may have come to in our discussions. Though Bateman sets an incredibly high materialistic standard for himself, we see that he is unable to find meaning or truth in his life. This imbalance, which in Bateman’s case if fueled by deep insecurities, seems like it would resonate for many of today’s readers. Most everyone is in some way striving to find their place in the environment they find themselves. We often feel compelled to meet the standards of expectation of those around us, while also trying to determine what gives us meaning and purpose. Often these don’t align.
I also believe the depiction of New York amplifies this feeling of imbalance and disorientation. New York is famous for good reason, and can feel like an overwhelming city that has a life of its own. In a broader sense, I think the physical space we inhabit when we go through these periods of insecurity/self discovery are important, and whether we are in rural Vermont or in Manhattan, space can dramatically alter our experiences.
I agree with everyone who’s already posted that Bateman’s character and his representation of opulence and consumerism in American culture definitely still resonate today. Another aspect of Bateman that I think still persists in the twenty-first century is his concern with youth. Throughout the novel, Bateman corrects others who overestimate his age, making a point to emphasize that he is younger than they think (I believe he frequently reminds those who call him 27 that he’s 26). In today’s world, we continue to chase after our fleeting youth. People dread turning 30, and use this milestone as an important point to evaluate one’s success and trajectory. There seems to be a heightened expectation among people in their early twenties that they should achieve markers of career and material success within a few short years of graduation. To Alexander and Hanna’s points, social media and pop-culture seem to feed these expectations, and these high aspirations fuel a simultaneous obsession with opulence and personal insecurity. I think that the insecurity we observe in Bateman as he compares himself to those around him is only more pronounced today as we are able to easily see what others are age our accomplishing (or present themselves as accomplishing) through social media. These comparisons are more pervasive and immediate, and begin at a much earlier age.
I definitely agree with you here Atticus – in particular that certain human elements of Bateman are in all of us. As mentioned in the previous posts, In many ways I think American Psycho is actually more relevant, and in ways relatable, today than it has been previously. Bateman is part of a relatively niche culture – Wall Street in the 80s. Young people today (hopefully) do not have the same drug habits as were the case in the 80s, along with an obsession with our ‘businesses cards’ and hopefully most people do not share the bigoted views that Bateman and his peers have. However, arguably we have different cultural markers today that demonstrate our insecurity and desire for validation – such as those Alexander and Will mentioned. Another example that sticks out to me is the widespread use of social media today. This seems like our contemporary experience of consistently comparing ourselves to our peers and seeking to ‘fit in’ (as we discussed for Bateman). Furthermore, in light of American Psycho it seems like an instantaneous way to compare yourself to others in the form of ‘likes’ or ‘followers’ – something I would imagine Bateman would have been obsessed with.
I agree with Hannah here about Bateman being a part of that niche 80s Wall Street culture of opulence — though it’s interesting that the mentality of excess during that time is showed so differently now with movies like the Wolf of Wall Street. That being said, I also agree with Hannah and Will that we have our own cultural markers of opulence/insecurity today, and we can mainly see that through social media. I think this current atmosphere can be seen in the Black Mirror episode “Nosedive,” where someone obsessively hounds for approval on social media in a society where your social status is literally dependent on your number of likes and and how people “rate” your personality. I think people still see corporate America as a place obsessed with business cards and small talk, and Bateman really represents this dark underbelly of office life where people joke about hating their colleagues or being homicidal at work. As Will and Atticus said, I think Ellis and others show how capitalism can make people dedicate their lives to acquiring stuff they don’t need and identifying their very self with material things.
This is a super interesting question. I think even more so than when the novel is set, our lives demand instant gratification. Everything we could ever want and need is available on Google or at the click of a button on Amazon. This is sort of similar to being super wealthy in Bateman’s time, where he has access to anything and everything he wants no matter the cost. I think this growing need for instant gratification translates to our own frustrations with like; if a bunch of stuff I don’t need from Amazon can get here in two days, why can’t I get a job in a month? While not similar to the mental disorders we have covered in this course, I do think this alters the way we think about things and impacts our own mental states. I find myself more cranky and irritable the more I rely on technology for anything. The other day something I ordered from Amazon was delayed a day and I got furious, until I realized I didn’t even really need the thing I ordered. Melville and Ellis were on to something in their critiques of capitalism and the way it affects us, even if its to a lesser extent than Bartleby and Bateman.
I definitely think that the theme of opulence still resonates today. Of course, like in Bateman’s world, the Wall Street sort of style still exists to this day. By this I mean that it is still all about the brand of suit you wear, having a 212 cell phone and business phone line (NYC-specific), and having an American Express Black Card. More so, this kind of theme of opulence towards the general public is definitely perpetuated by pop culture. In this sense, it’s about having the right car (like a G-series Mercedes or Range Rover) or the right accessories (Prada Bag/Louis Vuitton/Christian Loubouttin “red-soled” shoes). Even at Middlebury, this kind of sign of opulence would be like Bean Boots and Canada Goose jackets. However, this pop-culture type of opulence is constantly changing all the time. (How like in middle school, the it things were Vera Brady bags. Since these examples of opulence still exist, I definitely think that financial insecurity then still exists.
One reason I think that Bateman continues to be a part of American culture stems from something we briefly talked about in class on Tuesday. There is a little bit of Bateman in each of us. Obviously not in the creepy serial killer way, but possibly through obsession or the desire to find more meaning or “feel” something. At some point in our lives, everyone wants to find a greater meaning, have a sense of satisfaction, or feel as if they are doing something worthwhile. While, throughout the novel, Bateman does not quite achieve a state where he really “feels” anything, the search is relatable. Even when Tim Price shows up at the end of the novel, after going down “the tunnel,” there still is not a complete journey inward. Personally, I feel like this novel is relatable to people at the verge of ‘adulthood’ in that up to this point our lives have been very structured. Once we begin ‘adulthood’ it will be up to us to, as Dead Poet’s Society states, “make your lives extraordinary,” something that Bateman doesn’t do in the novel. In short, Bateman remains a relatable character in modern times primarily because he represents everything material that people may desire, but lacks the non-material goods that allow for a satisfying life.