# Movies that present varied philosophical ideologies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457 "2010-12-08T19:31:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![blood63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/21 "2010-12-09T14:01:47Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Does it have to be formally organized ideologies, or can it be more loosely defined personal ideologies? > > _Stay Hungry_ is one movie that shows a wide array of personal ideologies, though none of them really fall into any formal definition like “objectivism.” However, if you are an expert on philosophy, you might be able to watch it and then fit them into those categories yourself, if you choose to see it that way. It would probably be appropriate for all ages if you skip the sex scene with the two prostitutes at the end. Formal would be better. Ideally, I would like a movie that was designed to be that way. Alfred Hitchcock’s _Lifeboat_ might be a good example even though I haven’t seen it. I’ll take the other as well. It might be fun to pigeonhole peoples beliefs. BTW, All the examples I can think of have people confined to a small space. !2 angry men might be another example. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/22 "2010-12-09T14:23:58Z")
> [@Chipacabra](#): > > I \<3 Huckabees comes to mind as a movie that’s ABOUT people with different philosophies trying to figure things out. I was going to mention this one. > [@](#): > > No sex please, this is for 16/17 year olds. Hmm. [del]I \<3 Huckabees[/del] ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/23 "2010-12-09T15:20:18Z")
**My Dinner with Andre** has two people with very different philosophies of life. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/24 "2010-12-09T16:04:53Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > I’m a p-zombie. Who here knows what _that’s_ like? Haha! + 1 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/25 "2010-12-11T14:48:57Z")
How about “Amazing Grace”, about Wilberforce’s attempts to abolish the slave trade in Britain? There are disagreements within his own supporters about how to move on the issue, whether revolution is a viable option, whether the parliamentary process will work. There are his opponents, who place economic values over abolition. And there is a former slave, who simply says, with great force and dignity, “I am a man, yet this is what they did to me.” ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/26 "2010-12-11T15:00:03Z")
American History X. In a way. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/27 "2010-12-11T15:01:05Z")
This is going to sound dorky but bear with me. There’s an episode of DRAGNET 1969 (I think it was that year) where Friday and Gannon go to bust a college professor for drug use. Sounds typical. But the entire episode, beyond a minute or two of setup, is a surprisingly evenhanded back-and-forth between Friday and the professor about drug use, freedom of action, and the responsibilities of societal expectations. Really, it’s an astonishing thing. And it’s Jack Webb at his best. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/28 "2010-12-11T15:25:58Z")
Probably not what you are looking for, but my Finance professor last semester showed us (parts of) \*Other People’s Money \*because of the presentation of alternate viewpoints in the movie–basically should investors shut down a factory and ship the jobs overseas or keep an inefficient factory open. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/29 "2010-12-11T15:51:55Z")
This might also not be totally what you’re looking for but pop on over to the [Harry Potter seen it](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=585994) thread and read the fascinating argument that popped up on the decision of Hermione to change her parents memory. I’m sure a lot of the students would have read the books, or at least seen the movie, and you could start another great discussion on it. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/30 "2010-12-11T16:28:53Z")
It’s more about religion than philosophy per se, but the Firefly episode “Jaynestown” presents one of the most even-handed depictions of two incompatible worldviews I’ve ever seen. It’s also funny as hell. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/31 "2010-12-12T21:10:49Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > I’m a p-zombie. Who here knows what _that’s_ like? Well, by definition, nobody . . . ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/32 "2010-12-12T21:20:59Z")
**Princess Mononoke** which examines man’s relationship with nature from two different perspectives. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/33 "2010-12-12T21:22:05Z")
Funny that nobody has made a film of [‘Sophie’s World’](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie's_World) ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/34 "2010-12-13T02:42:55Z")
Wall Street - Greed is Good. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/35 "2010-12-13T02:55:20Z")
I heard Big Lebowski is philosophical… Every character represents a different philosophy/worldview. The Dude-Buddhism Walter-Judaism The Big Lebowski-Objectivism The Stranger-Existentialism The Nihilists-Nihilsim Bunny Lebowski-Hedonism Maude Lebowski-Feminism Smokey-Pacifism The Sheriff-Fascism ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/36 "2010-12-14T03:17:05Z")
You probably shouldn’t show it to 16/17 year olds, but for your own sake, watch I Heart Huckabees. It’s amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Walmarticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/37 "2010-12-14T03:32:22Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > The Matrix? The Matrix is pretty relevant to hedonistic utilitarianism and [experience machines](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experience_Machine). The peple who regret being unplugged and even try to be reassimilated are like Bentham, but Neo and the techno-bondage crew are qualitative about their pleasures. As are most techno-bondage crews. ---
**Author:** ![Enuma\_Elish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/38 "2010-12-14T04:27:00Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > No, but their parents tend to get really mad if a teacher shows it to them. So I take it you can’t show “Last Tango in Paris” and then hand out butter as an extra credit assignment. American Public Schools are sooooo Puritanical! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/39 "2010-12-14T14:53:30Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Woody Allens’ _Crimes and Misdemeanors_ has some very interesting philosophical discussions. This +1. Also, _[Duck Amuck](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O71_N3sWsRc)_ is a good presentation of the issues of existentialism. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/40 "2010-12-14T19:01:54Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > How about “Amazing Grace”, about Wilberforce’s attempts to abolish the slave trade in Britain? There are disagreements within his own supporters about how to move on the issue, whether revolution is a viable option, whether the parliamentary process will work. There are his opponents, who place economic values over abolition. And there is a former slave, who simply says, with great force and dignity, “I am a man, yet this is what they did to me.” > [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > American History X. > In a way. Other than that “takes place in Britain” thing, of course. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457.md?page=1)