Intention

CHAPTER 4Becoming Main Characters

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”

—Oscar Wilde

In the 2021 movie Free Guy, Ryan Reynolds is an NPC—a non-playable character—in a video game. One day, he becomes self-aware, shown by him making the ultimate self-affirming choice: asking for a cappuccino instead of drip coffee.

Seeing the stunned looks of the barista and the other clients in the cafe, he quickly goes back to his regular order, but the damage has been done. He has, in a moment of awakening, realized that he doesn't need to follow the script. He has free will. He can choose what to do. As he asks for his cappuccino, Ryan Reynolds starts to become a Main Character, able to make decisions. As he leaves the coffee shop, we see a confused awakening on the face of the barista, who is maybe discovering that freedom is also possible for her.

But there is much more to this event in the movie's plot development than meets the eye. Reynolds’ insight isn't only that he doesn't have to follow the script, it's that he has been following a script. When we make choices, we usually believe that we're deciding for ourselves. It can be jarring to acknowledge how strongly we're influenced by others, whether it be parents, social media, or marketing.

If asked whether we'd like to live as NPCs or Main Characters, most of us would claim to prefer building our own destinies. This makes sense. Research by Roy ...