The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
A Philosophy Podcast and Philosophy Blog
Continuing on Albert Camus’s 1947 novel, covering the old functionary Grand, the criminal (or just paranoid?) Cottard, and more of our narrators Dr. Rieux and his doomed friend Tarrou, plus more on the overall message of the book and how it might relate to our current situation.
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End song: “You Will Kill the One You Love” by Jack Hues, as interviewed on Nakedly Examined Music #122.
Mary Jo was a writer/performer on Mystery Science Theater 3000 and has gone on to make jokes during movies for Rifftrax Presents and Cinematic Titanic. She joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to talk about the joke-writing process, riffing styles, what kinds of films make for good riffing, the MST3K legacy, and more.
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This podcast is part of the Partially Examined Life network and is curated by openculture.com.
The passing of nature seems to provide an immediate therapy, “a self-forgetful pleasure in the sheer alien pointless independent existence of animals, birds, stones and trees.” I’ve found this to be true during my attempts to wade through high grass near my house. The fact that the birds have no idea what’s going on in my mind has been reassuring; their indifference to our condition provides what Murdoch describes as “unselfing,” as I reposition my concerns in the wider world.
On Albert Camus’s existentialist novel The Plague. How shall we face adversity? Camus gives us colorful characters that embody various approaches. Yes, the plague is an extreme situation, but we’re all dying all the time anyway, right?
Join Mark, Wes, Dylan and Seth to tease out Camus’s positions from this bleak yet colorful text.
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The recently memified NBC Montana reporter joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to discuss news as entertainment, local news consumption, its uses and abuses, reality vs. media portrayals of reporters, and more.
For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.
This podcast is part of the Partially Examined Life network and is curated by openculture.com.
Jack fronted Wang Chung for five albums in the ’80s, left the limelight to produce, and got a jazz combo going by 2000 which he’s released five albums with, reformed Wang Chung, and only now is having a debut solo release, the double album Primitif.
We discuss “Whitstable Beach” from that album, “Class War and Sex War” by Jack Hues and the Quartet from A Thesis on the Ballad (2015), and “Brahms Blues” by The-Quartet from Illuminated. (2006) We conclude by listening to “To Live and Die in L.A.” by Wang Chung from Ochesography (2019).
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Continuing on the Poetics from around 335 BCE, on the structure of plot (every element must be essential!), the moral status of the heroes, Homeric poetry, the difference between tragedy and history, and how Aristotle’s formula may or may not apply to modern media.
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End song: “Structure of a Tragedy” by Mark Lint. Read about it.
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Parasite, K-Pop, and K-Dramas have reached the U.S. as part of Hallyu, an official Korean effort to expand cultural influence. Suzie Hyun-jung Oh joins Mark, Erica, and Brian to decode the zeitgeist in hopes of understanding films like Snowpiercer, A Train to Busan, The Burning, A Taxi Driver, etc.
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This podcast is part of the Partially Examined Life network and is curated by openculture.com.
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These notes from 335 BCE are still used in screenwriting classes. Aristotle presents a formula for what will move us, derived from Sophocles’s tragedies.
What is art? The text describes it as memesis (imitation), and tragedy imitates human action in a way that shows us what it is to be human. Aristotle has lots of advice about how to structure a plot optimized to our sensibilities. Join Mark, Wes, Dylan, and Seth to see if you think he’s right.
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In light of Star Trek: Picard, Brian, Erica, Mark, and Drew Jackson discuss our most philosophical sci-fi franchise. What makes a Trek story? How do you world-build over generations? How did Picard measure up? Plus Trek vs. Wars and step-children like The Orville and Galaxy Quest.
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This podcast is part of the Partially Examined Life network and is curated by openculture.com.
https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/partiallyexaminedlife/Structure_of_Tragedy_5-8-20m.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:11 — 9.6MB)This is my first song written in quite a while, and the most essay-like. In case you wanted to actually read the essay, here it is: The structure of a tragedy is firm, and there will be no change You need some grievable lives, bigger than life, but still relatable Continue Reading …
K.C. has created seven releases of confessional folk (sometimes gospel, sometimes country) since 2000. We discuss “No More Living Small” and listen to “You Couldn’t Stay” from her 2020 self-titled album, then talk about “Broken Things” from Orchid (2010) and “Find My Way Home” from Teeth-Marks on My Tongue (2004). Intro: “Emily” from Times Like These (2000). For more see kcclifford.com.
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Continuing on Cavell’s essay “The Avoidance of Love: A Reading of King Lear” (1969), shifting away from Lear in particular to a more general discussion of tragedy and Cavell’s psychological insights.
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End song: “Out of Your Hands” by Gretchen’s Wheel, i.e., Lindsay Murray, as interviewed for Nakedly Examined Music #81.
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Why are we now seeing a resurgence of musical TV shows? Craig has created musicals for many TV shows (like Glow, Shrill, and Wet Hot American Summer) and joins Mark, Erica, and Brian due to his work on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.
We talk about narrative excuses for breaking into song, musicals on TV vs. film vs. stage, musical episodes on non-musical shows, and more. Watch Craig’s daily Sabbath Sessions at facebook.com/craigwedrenmusic.
For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.
This podcast is part of the Partially Examined Life network and is curated by openculture.com.
On Cavell’s essay “The Avoidance of Love: A Reading of King Lear” (1969).
Can money buy you love? What is tragedy? With guest Erin O’Luanaigh.
To get the most out of this, check out some performance of King Lear or just read the plot summary.
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Heavily watched media like Bombshell, The Morning Show, Unbelievable, and 13 Reasons Why attempt to cover sexual assault and harassment while still entertaining. Does that work? Erica, Mark, and Brian consider what makes for a sensitive as opposed to a sensationalized portrayal.
For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.
This podcast is part of the Partially Examined Life network and is curated by openculture.com.
Steve started fronting Cockney Rebel in the early ’70s and has released a dozen albums of of narrative-driven, tuneful songs.
We discuss “Compared with You (Your Eyes Don’t Seem to Age)” and listen to “Only You,” his two originals from his new solo album Uncovered (2020) then look back to “Faith & Virtue” from Stranger Comes to Town (2010) and Cockney Rebel’s “Bed in the Corner”/”Sling It” from The Psychomodo (1974). Intro: “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)” by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel from The Best Years of Our Lives (1975). Learn more at steveharley.com.
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How should we think politically about the current global crisis? Do extreme circumstances reveal truths of political philosophy or do they reinforce whatever it is we already believe? Mark, Wes, Seth, and Dylan talk about applying philosophical insights to real-life situations rife with unknowns, John Rawls’s veil of ignorance and Adam Smith on our interconnectedness, utilitarianism, libertarianism, and more. A source we used was “How Coronavirus Is Shaking Up the Moral Universe” by John Authers.
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End song: “Date of Grace” by Rob Picott, as discussed on Nakedly Examined Music #80.
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A discussion of what to watch during lockdown is what happens when you’re busy making plans about what to include in a hypothetical discussion of what to watch during lockdown.
Join Mark, Erica, and Brian to talk Tiger King, Star Trek, Parks & Recreation, Devs, Zoey’s, 13 Reasons Why, Ozark, Westworld, Larry David, endless tributes to the dead, anthology shows, unreleased pilots, and circus arts. Plus Tyler returns to talk Buffy, video games, and more.
For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content for this episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.
This podcast is part of the Partially Examined Life network and is curated by openculture.com.
http://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/partiallyexaminedlife/PMP_038_3-24-20.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:17 — 50.1MB) How does clothing mesh with set design, cinematography, sound design, etc. to create the mood in a film? Whitney designed for and dressed leads and crowds on The Great Gatsby, the Happy Death Day films and several indie flicks. She joins Erica, Mark and Brian to discuss how clothes Continue Reading …
