Hedonism in Martin Scorce’S Film the Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Syamsul Bahri; Aditya Raffa Nanda; Samuel Sihombing; Ester  Monica; Rebecha Rosevin Margaretha Silalahi

doi:10.59890/ijatss.v3i8.44

Authors

Syamsul Bahri Medan State University
Aditya Raffa Nanda Medan State University
Samuel Sihombing Medan State University
Ester Monica Medan State University
Rebecha Rosevin Margaretha Silalahi Medan State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59890/ijatss.v3i8.44

Keywords:

Hedonism, The Wolf of Wall Street, Movie

Abstract

The Wolf of Wall Street contains many hedonistic values, especially regarding the pursuit of pleasure, wealth, and excess in modern capitalist society. The lifestyle shown in this film reflects behaviors already seen today, where pleasure, material success, and status are prioritized over ethics and responsibility. These ideas inspire researchers to examine the deeper meaning of hedonism in contemporary culture, aiming to raise awareness about how unchecked indulgence can impact personal and social morality. This study aims to examine the representation of hedonism in this movie. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, this research analyzes the film’s narrative and dialogue to explore how different types of hedonism: folk hedonism, value-prudential, motivated hedonism, hedonistic normative, selfish-egoistic, and utilitarianism are portrayed through the characters, especially the main character Jordan Belfort. The results indicate that folk hedonism is the most dominant with 27%, followed by motivational hedonism 24%, egoistic hedonism 18%, utilitarian hedonism 15%, normative hedonism 9%, and value/prudential hedonism 7%. The findings show that the movie is not only a depiction of personal desire, but also a powerful critique of a society driven by pleasure, greed, and moral decay

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