Zoolander (2001) - by Faro

As with many films coming out of Hollywood Zoolander appears to be one-dimensional. Nothing but a frothy comedy based on an all too easy satire of the fashion and modeling world. But underneath its orange mocha frappuccino exterior exists a stunning allegorical representation of the interplay of Epistemology and Ontology in forming Identity and thus providing the necessary strength of Self for ethical efficacy.

Put into crass textualization, these three terms are as follows:

Epistemology - The study and logic of how we know what we know.

Ontology - The study and logic of how we know and interact with what exists.

Identity - The image and functionality of Self that is, knows that it is, and acts accordingly.

These words transmit the basic information, but do not capture the spirit and interaction of these concepts. Fortunately, for all of us, the grandly subtle philosophical allegory played out in Zoolander does just that.

The two key characters of the film, Derek Zoolander and Hansel, are male-models that begin the story in direct competition with each other. Each is vying for the Male Model of the Year Award, something that Zoolander has won for the last three years. The framework of external validation afforded us by the Award Show prepares us for the allegory of Identity that is to follow.

Derek loses to the vibrant upstart Hansel. The allegorical importance here is that when he loses, he is not even aware of it, and makes a complete ass of himself by going up to the podium to accept the award he has just lost. His understanding of the world has assured him that what has happened before will happen again, and the actual physical reality of his surroundings changing goes unnoticed by him.

So Derek goes outside in shame, stares into a dirty puddle of water, and asks his reflection, “Who am I?”, and the reflection wisely responds, “I don’t know.” Derek Zoolander is the allegorical representation of pure Epistemology, filled with worried thoughts about who he is and uncertain as to how he can know the answer to this difficult question of identity. He ponders, but he does not act.

Hansel is the obvious foil to this question of knowing, as he is far more concerned with questions of existence... or more specifically, in acting on questions of existence. As he says in his award show montage, “I wasn’t like every other kid, who dreams of being an astronaut... I was always more interested in what bark was made out of on a tree.” Hansel is active Ontology, a living discourse on existence, saying, “Do I know what I’m doing today? No... but I’m here, and I’m gonna give it my best shot.”

But neither is complete in their separate approaches and the story eventually brings them together. In their reconciliation we learn that the idea and images of Derek are what inspired to Hansel to model in the first place, and we catch a glimpse of the synthesis that is possible when the Idea and the Action are married.

Together they are stronger, and are able to overcome the manipulations of Jacobim Mugatu, whose allegorical position is that of the False Identity, the Self that Lies to Itself and to Others. We learn this from a journalist in the film, who reveals to us that Mugatu was originally named Jacob Moogberg. In Mugatu, we see how Epistemology and Ontology can be perverted by a Lie, and how falsehoods, destruction, and socio-economic dominations are the sad result.

But our heroes now together, and therefore more self-aware and stronger, overcome the dangers arrayed against them by their enemies. Their interaction with each other even results in a triumphant moment where knowing and existence are so perfectly blended in Derek that he is able to stop the action of a physical object by the sheer force of his Will. Nietzsche would be proud.

Yet, prefect cohesion is rarely more than a momentary thing, and not to be expected at all times. We eventually slip back into our most unconscious Identity, which is why it is wise to keep our friends that challenge us near at hand to keep us from stagnation and boredom. And this brilliant allegorical film ends with a happy understanding of that, as we see that Derek and Hansel have used their newly balanced identities to pursue more ethical actions.

Unsurprisingly our epistemologically-themed Zoolander has done so by instituting the “Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can’t Read Good and Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too”. And our ontologically-themed Hansel has done so by adding a class on base-jumping to the curriculum... “I’m gonna take these kids over the George Washington Bridge... give them a little lesson in base jumping... Last one to the helicopter’s a rotten egg! Let’s go!”

... and you have to wonder, is Zoolander thinking as the movie ends... “can a child really become a rotten egg?”