Troy's Nihilistic Views In Reality Bites
In Reality Bites, Troy- an idolized, philosophical hipster, ends up being the final love interest of Lelaina- an ambitious, self-important, victim of a love triangle trope. Through analyzing the Schools of Thought within Psychology, it will be explained as to why their relationship is not only unhealthy, but will not last. Firstly, Troy holds the belief that life is pointless. How can someone believe in love- a huge aspect of life- if nothing truly matters? It’s a complete contradiction. Lelaina would be surrounded by a constantly pessimistic environment with Troy’s Nihilistic views. Secondly, he is impulsive and has no ambition- not a solid foundation for trusting, secure, relationship. Thirdly he cast his negativity upon others, most significantly
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towards Lelaina. He engages in a repetitive cycle of abuse that will surely end the relationship if something else doesn’t.
Ivan Pavlov constructed Learning Theory. The idea that a person’s personality can be sculpted by the behaviours the learn from their surroundings. This is quite true in Troy’s case. Heavily influenced by his father he succumbs to a nihilistic outlook on life. Throughout the movie, his favourite topic seems to be the pointlessness of life, how he doesn’t owe the word anything, and how the only thing someone should aspire to do is what makes them feel good- since everything is pointless. It is revealed halfway through the movie that after Troy’s father was diagnosed with cancer he took him to the beach, presented him with a shell and the new found ideology that there is no meaning to life and that nothing matters. Even though Troy actually tries to avoid becoming like his father, by refusing to do the simpler expectations of life, he essentially ends up the same.
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory states that the mind is composed of the conscious and unconscious mind. Within the unconscious mind reside three parts: ID, EGO, and SUPEREGO. ID is the driving force for short-term gratification. It can be argued that things people impulsively do hold a deeper meaning and motivation. For example, Troy has gone through the process of being hired and fired over half a dozen times before the film has even properly begun. We witness him steal a snickers bar on the job and later see him show up at Lelaina and Vickie’s flat, unemployed and looking for a place to crash. He come up with some rubbish about the system owing him that snickers bar. In a simple word he may have stolen that snicker bar because, he was hungry and didn’t have money, or perhaps he simply enjoyed the thrill of minor theft. However, do to his past record of running through jobs at an impressive rate, one can determine that he stole the snickers bar because he knew he would be caught and fired. Then could return to his nihilistic, self-victimizing, view of the world and blame his own lack of ambition on ‘the system’ and a ‘lack of jobs’.
Behaviourism, created by John B.
Watson, is the theory that once the motivation behind a behaviour is understood and identified, the behaviour can be predicted in the future. A behaviour that Troy depicts quite frequently is how is is emotionally abusive towards Lelaina. Throughout Reality Bites, he states that he is Lelaina’s best friend and is supposedly in love with her. Yet, on multiple occasions he publicly ridicules her, attempts to control, flatter, and isolate her and overall treats her poorly. This behaviour reflects on his own emotional immaturity. He doesn’t know how to express himself, so he mocks her. He can’t handle sleeping with someone he cares about so he runs away. When he doesn’t know how to apologize properly and prove himself worthy of her, so he resorts to tempting her own personal fears. He says she needs him and that he is the only real thing in her life, so therefore he should be excused for his wrongdoings. Knowing that this emotional immaturity drives his abuse towards Lelaina, one can predict that although the movie ends seemingly happy, his abuse will continue. Contrary to popular belief, falling in love does not absolve someone of all their poor traits. Especially when it comes to an unemployed, self-important, fellow with daddy
issues.
To conclude, Troy is a cynical, unreliable, and emotionally abusive person. These characteristic will eventually result in the ruin of his relationship with Lelaina. Troy’s traits can be explained through the schools of thought within Psychology: Learning Theory, Psychoanalytic Theory, and Behaviourism.
towards Lelaina. He engages in a repetitive cycle of abuse that will surely end the relationship if something else doesn’t.
Ivan Pavlov constructed Learning Theory. The idea that a person’s personality can be sculpted by the behaviours the learn from their surroundings. This is quite true in Troy’s case. Heavily influenced by his father he succumbs to a nihilistic outlook on life. Throughout the movie, his favourite topic seems to be the pointlessness of life, how he doesn’t owe the word anything, and how the only thing someone should aspire to do is what makes them feel good- since everything is pointless. It is revealed halfway through the movie that after Troy’s father was diagnosed with cancer he took him to the beach, presented him with a shell and the new found ideology that there is no meaning to life and that nothing matters. Even though Troy actually tries to avoid becoming like his father, by refusing to do the simpler expectations of life, he essentially ends up the same.
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory states that the mind is composed of the conscious and unconscious mind. Within the unconscious mind reside three parts: ID, EGO, and SUPEREGO. ID is the driving force for short-term gratification. It can be argued that things people impulsively do hold a deeper meaning and motivation. For example, Troy has gone through the process of being hired and fired over half a dozen times before the film has even properly begun. We witness him steal a snickers bar on the job and later see him show up at Lelaina and Vickie’s flat, unemployed and looking for a place to crash. He come up with some rubbish about the system owing him that snickers bar. In a simple word he may have stolen that snicker bar because, he was hungry and didn’t have money, or perhaps he simply enjoyed the thrill of minor theft. However, do to his past record of running through jobs at an impressive rate, one can determine that he stole the snickers bar because he knew he would be caught and fired. Then could return to his nihilistic, self-victimizing, view of the world and blame his own lack of ambition on ‘the system’ and a ‘lack of jobs’.
Behaviourism, created by John B.
Watson, is the theory that once the motivation behind a behaviour is understood and identified, the behaviour can be predicted in the future. A behaviour that Troy depicts quite frequently is how is is emotionally abusive towards Lelaina. Throughout Reality Bites, he states that he is Lelaina’s best friend and is supposedly in love with her. Yet, on multiple occasions he publicly ridicules her, attempts to control, flatter, and isolate her and overall treats her poorly. This behaviour reflects on his own emotional immaturity. He doesn’t know how to express himself, so he mocks her. He can’t handle sleeping with someone he cares about so he runs away. When he doesn’t know how to apologize properly and prove himself worthy of her, so he resorts to tempting her own personal fears. He says she needs him and that he is the only real thing in her life, so therefore he should be excused for his wrongdoings. Knowing that this emotional immaturity drives his abuse towards Lelaina, one can predict that although the movie ends seemingly happy, his abuse will continue. Contrary to popular belief, falling in love does not absolve someone of all their poor traits. Especially when it comes to an unemployed, self-important, fellow with daddy
issues.
To conclude, Troy is a cynical, unreliable, and emotionally abusive person. These characteristic will eventually result in the ruin of his relationship with Lelaina. Troy’s traits can be explained through the schools of thought within Psychology: Learning Theory, Psychoanalytic Theory, and Behaviourism.