I haven't watched the film so only going by the authors' description of the fictitious character, Gary. What or who is he? What does he do? How does he behave?
1. The protagonist of the film (a vehicle used by Linklater, to stimulate philosophical thought in a fun way).
2. A philosophy professor teaching students. A soft-spoken, introverted intellectual.
3. He poses questions about the 'self'. How much of it is a construction, an illusion, an act, a single role perpetually played by a person? (central to film's exploration).
4. Also, an undercover agent for New Orleans police, acting as a 'hit man' to 'ensnare those who would purchase his murderous services'.
5. He plays a character Ron, a charismatic alpha male who happens to kill people for a living.
'As the film progresses it becomes less clear if Gary is merely acting like Ron, or is actually becoming the new self he invented.'
Is this an interesting question? Can we not see through the fiction right from the start?
It is not a shy man that would take on the perils of undercover police work. It is one who is willing to take a chance to explore the nether regions of society by submerging into the underground as a killer. How much of their selves and lives do UC agents have to discard to complete their mission. Their morals? What does it take to turn virtue to vice? Or are there no such absolute states of good and bad. No Either/Or.
Right from the start Gary shows the audience 2 selves. Good acting Bad will become what? Bad? Or play-acting fun, acting out a fantasy? How easy is to slip to the bad side of life. What factors influence change?
Love, lust and always a woman. The temptation of Eve. Same old story.
6. Actor, Lover and Killer.
''Seize the identity you want for yourself''. Gary exhorts his students.
It reminds me of another motto "Seize the day!" A different kind of encouragement. To live in the present. As you are.
Gary's seems more selfish, perhaps a dangerous call to a classroom of students mesmerised by the charming rhetoric of a hit man.
The article ends with a serious message re self-improvement, societal challenges and how structures should be changed. Barriers including childhood poverty, resources, time, energy, attention, gender.
Gary is not an everyday man. He is the hero of a film. Fiction. How much fiction is there in real life? The stories we tell our selves...
The article ends with a plea:
'Our societies need to prioritize policies that truly nurture children to developing the cognitive capacities necessary for self-reflection and growth, such as food security, quality education, and safe housing. Society also needs to create social structures that give adults the space and support they need in order to have the time and energy to engage in reprogramming their own identity algorithms if desired – such as affordable daycare, quality healthcare, and a shorter work week. It must also provide educational opportunities for both students and adults to learn about and implement self-changing strategies that actually work.'
Yes, yes, yes. The question remains, "How?"
The authors take the opportunity to push their model of reprogramming identity algorithms.
Whatever that means.
In the meantime, films like 'Hit Man' engage the public with philosophy and different ways of seeing, thinking, ways of being.
To return to Solomon, in the film he says:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0243017/ch ... /nm1100234