Pollard on Film

This programme, including clips from the film, explores the concepts of nihilism and ways of escaping that worldview that are expressed in the film Hancock.

The programme invites discussion of the question "What could one say to someone who thinks their life is pointless?" - and sets up any talk about nihilism, identity and purpose.

Published: 8th July 08
Length: 05.33

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 Suggestion for use

1. Show the first part of the programme - then freeze frame on the question "What could one say to someone who thinks their life is pointless?"
2. Invite people to share their answers with one another.
3. Invite feedback and discuss what our answers tell us about:
   • our view of ourselves - who are we, why are we here, and how can we make the most of our lives?
   • our view of the world - is there a purpose to creation, and what is our role within the world?
   • our view of God - is there a God, and how does it affect our lives if there is?
4. Show the rest of the programme
5. Deliver a short talk lifting off from the suggestion to look at Jesus' claim that the truth he offers will set us free in John 8:31-32 - illustrating with contemporary quotes about identity, purpose and nihilism (NB these links into the large collection of relevant Bible references and contemporary quotes are free to anyone with a subscription to Tools for Talks - non-subscribers can obtain immediate access with a 1 year or 30 day subscription). Your talk could look at the different ways philosophers have suggested to escape from the despair caused by a nihilistic worldview (see background reading below), and conclude with Jesus' offer of freedom. Alternatively, you could use this Pollard on Film as the starting point for a talk on identity. You could look at our creation in God's image (Genesis 1:26-28), our relationship with our creator (Psalm 139), and finish by explaining that it is when we discover who Jesus is that we find out who we really are (John 8:31-32, John 1:9-13).

Background reading

Before using this programme you may find the following helpful:

• An article on the themes of identity explored in The Bourne Ultimatum (by Nicola Lee)
• A podcast on the question of identity (given by Damaris speaker Tom Price at a school prize giving day) [right click and save target as]
• Wikipedia articles on people and ideas mentioned in the programme (NB we cannot vouch for the accuracy of any content in wikipedia):

Philosophical routes out of nihilism:

• Active nihilism
• Existentialism
• Theism
• Secular humanism
• Hedonism
• Stoicism

Philosophers mentioned in the programme:

• Nietzsche
• Sartre