Pushing Tin

Pushing Tin is one of the best movies about stress and the effects it have not only on the lives of the person undergoing the stress but also on the lives of those close to that person. The movie focuses on the life of Nick Falzone (played by John Cusack). Nick is an air traffic controller. This profession is one of the most stressful occupations in the world. A typical air traffic controller is under heavy stress throughout his work shift. The life of Nick Falzone, as presented in the movie is analyzed according to the integrated model of stress.

Moderators

Moderators are the factors that reduce or “moderate” stress. These include personality, skills, abilities, and experiences that a person has. Family history is also included in the list. In the movie the greatest moderators for Nick Falzone is his training as an air traffic controller. He is trained to handle the stress. Another factor that plays a vital role as a moderator is his family. His wife, Connie is a stabilizing factor in his otherwise hectic life. Many people would consider his friend Russell as a moderator too. However, the “friendship” is actually a source of stress is therefore not a moderator at all (Lazarus, 1950). The personality of Nick is also a moderator in this case. His dynamic personality plays an important role in shaping the profile of stress of Nick. In the movie, one of the less visible moderators is his attitude toward work. One of the best moderators a person can posses is taking his job seriously but without the additional stress that comes with taking the responsibilities.

Stressors

In the movie, the largest source of stress in Nick Falzone's life is his job. Being one of the air traffic controllers at the New York TRACON, his job ...