Fanaticism of the Will

While reading Nevan Sesardic's ruminations on Gattaca in Routledge Companion to Philosophy and Film, I found his thoughts on Vincent's motivation interesting.

In his paragraph on fanaticism of the will, Sesardic remarks on how Vincent's motivations were uncertain. While Vincent makes mention of his goals and deliberations in the film to Jerome and Irene, there is never any exposition that explains how he believes he will overcome his genetic limitations, which are made starkly apparent in the opening scene. Despite Vincent's reveries of success, no valid reason is presented which would warrant his relentless optimism.

With the foreknowledge of his future and ultimate trajectory, one would believe that Vincent's motivation is driven by some hidden access to information, or strategy, or strength, as mentioned by Sesardic, yet by the film's end, we find that none of this is the case.

And indeed, what we see is that Vincent is not driven by some cerebral perspicacity, but by an unknown, unwarranted, and wholly selfish drive. One that ultimately succeeds not because of skill or ability, but through luck.