When referred to control, the hierarchical workplace might be first word that
springs into mind, where “people are compelled to join” in because of “the pressure to get
a job” and “the absence of alternative democratic options” (Malleson 11). For workers
delegated to complete tasks, disciplined by the time schedule, they have freedom of
thoughts. Though working with regular and rigid time, they don’t necessarily feel anxious
on the working matters incessantly as long as finishing their daily work in time. For
students, schools serve as the workplace, where they should arrive at classroom before 8
o’clock in the morning and can’t leave until 5 o’clock, when all the classes end. It seems
like students are largely restricted since they have to obey the fixed time schedule with no
exception. However, during the class, they probably daydream while the teacher imparts
the application of derivative functions or plan the first date with their new girlfriends
while staring at the textbooks. Those common moments usually take place at school,
which people have already become accustomed to, but for characters in Fight Club, they
not only fulfill their responsibility at workplace absent-mindedly but try to ruin their work
as well. In Fight club, while working at restaurants, club members “fart on a whole cart of
Boccone Dolce” and urinate in a cocktail (Palahniuk 80). For them, tricking and food
destruction serve as a way to not only achieve a sense of satisfaction and accomplish-
ment, but also clean the world of upper class and destroy the social hierarchy. While
required to follow the working schedule, they conceive the ambitious Project Mayhem,
pondering how to overthrow the government officials and set up a new world.
However, not everyone is a worker. For supreme leaders, they just need to make
decisions and assign tasks to their workers. Sometimes those decision makers could have
time freedom because it is them who allocate time and assignment to each person, but at
the same time, controlled by their thoughts, they tend to have a heavier psychological
burden, from both taking a greater risk of making mistakes and concern the condition of
their entities. In the ancient time, the ruler, known as Huangdi, lived in the life that others
envy of. He lived in a life of luxury, with the most precious jewels, the grandest palace,
and the most delicious food. Everyone living in that country had to listen to him, and he
was the only one who had the supreme military power and could decide who lived and
who died. The only thing he needed to do is to make decisions on the state affairs and
assign the tasks to whomever he trusted.