Drumming to the Beat of Sacrifice

The Cruel Optimism of Whiplash

Abstract

Damien Chazelle’s Dark Academia film Whiplash (2014) illustrates the concept of cruel optimism through the toxic relationship between the aspiring drummer Andrew Neiman and his university conductor Terence Fletcher, whose methods blur the line between mentorship and abuse. Drawing from Lauren Berlant's theory, cruel optimism is the attachment to the pursuit of one’s desires that ultimately becomes a self-destructive force. In Whiplash, Andrew’s ambition to become a famous drummer and Fletcher’s obsession with creating a jazz legend form a cruel optimistic cycle of expectation and suffering. This article explores how cruel optimism manifests in the pursuit of passion within contemporary academic and creative environments.