Chemistry is change

Whitney Tyler

Chemistry is Change
One must ask themselves when contemplating about the show Breaking Bad, what does Breaking Bad even mean. When I first thinking about it, I even wonder what it means. The main character Walter White uses this line in the first episode, he says "chemistry is change" and that is exactly what this show is about. Breaking Bad is about a catalyst of one man and the outcome and consequences of his decision and how he is changed by them.

We are first introduced to the main character in a bold way. Walter is fighting for his life naked and driving a 70's RV. You immediately wonder what is going on. Flashing back they show a man who is a chemistry teacher, working two jobs, a push over and has a mundane life, marriage and family.  He works two jobs to make ends meet and to cap this glorious plot line, he finds out he has cancer on his birthday. Filled with rage and apathy and the drive to take his life in his own hands, he is pushed to the brink and off the edge, and decides to be a person who makes meth. Properly know as Methamphetamine, this drug is one of the most popular and dangerous drugs to make and use. This drug has been around since World War II and has been wrecking havoc on its users ever since. At the point where he finds out his fate with cancer, you see an immediate change in the way he lives. You see him quit his low paying carwash job, fight for his son and become a man again. He is tired of being used and not having the finances to make his life different and decides to make Crystal Meth.

After finding out and old student of his is involved in the business, he decides to get in. The join up and decide to begin making it. The episode ends as it begins, showing how he got to the place of nakedness and panic. They are using the RV to make Meth and sell it when two men come to take his recipe (which is close to perfect based on clearness of the crystals), he kills them in defense by releasing Phosphorus, which when released in a gas form, is deadly for those around. After killing them, a fire starts and to save the operation, he must go back in and drive the RV away.

 At the final part of this episode you see him dramatically standing in the middle of the road, awaiting death, when he realizes there is another way out, and that is just looking normal, seeming like a nomad in an ugly RV, trying to figure out what is going on. He cleans up and returns to his family with this false since of accomplishment and catalyst in personality.

The philosophy, I believe in this show, is portraying Existential Nihilism, and Moral Nihilism, basically showing there is no meaning to life and morals do not exist. If the main character had a belief in morals, there would have been a conflict in doing what is considered wrong (making Meth, killing in defense etc). If the main character, cared about the meaning of life and after life it would show in his morals and decisions. He would have tried to preserve life at all costs. His decisions show that his life is meaningless and sad and move to worse and darker. The only motivation he has is his family, but his means to making a life for them is in opposition to morality, and shows he has no thoughts toward morals. There is no acknowledgement of a higher deity, goodness, kindness or even morality. It could be his way of coping, I am sure the attitude of Walter's character will have a flow and show regret, but I have not seen it yet and since we are exegeting the first episode it seems to have a very nihilistic feel. I don't believe Walter is incapable of having morals or a meaning for life. I think it is just not a way of life for him and I am interested to see how he changes throughout the season. You also see him losing control of his life and trying desperately to control his life from spiraling out of control. Which seems opposite of nihilism and gives some hope toward redemption, but we will see as the season goes on.

As someone who wants to give my life to ministry, not as in vocation but as my life, I need to pay attention to the ideas and thoughts of others. There will be watered down variations of philosophies we see in the media everyday and will be adopted unknowingly by those around me, and I need to counter these variations and show the meaning and beauty of life. If life is just means to an end, in since of just plain humanism, than life has no beauty, no morals, and no hope. I want my generation and all generations to have hope.