If you loved
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard · Book · 2004
What hooked you in Either/Or was the way it forces you to confront the tension between aesthetic indulgence and moral duty.
Films on the same thread
Ikiru
Film · 1952
Shares a thread with Either/Or: Existentialism.
If Either/Or sparked your obsession with the search for meaning, Ikiru mirrors that existential weight as a bureaucrat faces his own mortality to find a legacy worth leaving behind.
Yi Yi
Edward Yang · Film · 2000
Shares a thread with Either/Or: existentialism.
Like the dual perspectives in Either/Or, Yi Yi captures the messy intersection of personal desire and family obligation, grounding its existential inquiry in the quiet rhythms of everyday life.
Se7en
David Fincher · Film · 1995
Explores: Moral Decay, Urban Decay, Good vs Evil.
Se7en explores the dark consequences of moral absolutism, echoing the ethical anxieties found in Either/Or as characters navigate a world defined by the gravity of their own choices.
Ordet
Carl Theodor Dreyer · Film · 1955
Explores: Faith and Doubt, Religious Fanaticism, Family Conflict.
Danish cinema shares the DNA of Either/Or, and Ordet masterfully dramatizes the clash between faith and rational doubt, mirroring your interest in the internal conflict of human belief.
Series on the same thread
The Good Place
Michael Schur · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Either/Or: Existentialism.
The Good Place takes the heavy existential questions of Either/Or and translates them into a sharp, comedic exploration of what it truly means to live a good life.
Twin Peaks
Mark Frost · Series · 1990
Explores: Small Town Secrets, Doppelgangers, Good vs Evil.
Twin Peaks captures the same unsettling duality seen in Either/Or, presenting a surreal landscape where the thin line between good and evil drives the central, haunting mystery.
Evil
Michelle King · Series · 2019
Explores: Skepticism vs. Faith, Good vs. Evil, The Nature of Belief.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast engages with the same individual responsibility and existential critiques that define the transition from the aesthetic to the ethical in Either/Or.
Death Note
Series · 2006
Shares a thread with Either/Or: Existentialism.
Light Yagami embodies the dangerous aestheticism explored in Either/Or, showcasing how boredom and a god complex can lead to a total abandonment of traditional ethical constraints.
Podcasts on the same thread
Philosophize This!
Stephen West · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Existential inquiry, Critical thinking, Evolution of ideas.
Philosophize This! provides the necessary context for the thinkers who shaped Either/Or, offering an accessible survey of the existential history that makes the original text so profound.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with Either/Or: Existentialism.
If Either/Or hit, The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast shares the thread.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Either/Or written as a single narrative voice?
No, Either/Or is structured through the distinct voices of two different characters. The first part presents the perspective of the aesthetic young man known as A, while the second part features the ethical reflections of Judge Vilhelm.
What themes are explored in Either/Or?
Either/Or examines the search for a meaningful existence by contrasting aesthetic and ethical viewpoints. It covers a wide range of subjects including the nature of boredom, the significance of Mozart, drama, and the complex psychological dynamics found within the Seducer's Diary.
What happens in the Seducer's Diary section of Either/Or?
The Seducer's Diary is a specific section within Either/Or that details the cynical seduction and eventual rejection of a young woman. This narrative serves as a key component of the aesthetic perspective presented by the character known as A.
How does the structure of Either/Or reflect its philosophical content?
The structure of Either/Or utilizes two opposing characters to debate the merits of aesthetic versus ethical living. By juxtaposing the cynical observations of A with the principled stance of Judge Vilhelm, the book forces the reader to contemplate different paths toward a meaningful existence.