Overthink

Ellie Anderson, Ph.D. and David Peña-Guzmán, Ph.D.

The best of all possible podcasts, Leibniz would say. Putting big ideas in dialogue with the everyday, Overthink offers accessible and fresh takes on philosophy from enthusiastic experts.

Hosted by professors Ellie Anderson (Pomona College) and David M. Peña-Guzmán (San Francisco State University).

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180 episodes
Updated Tuesday

Episodes180

Newest first

Dec 7, 2021 · 54 min
Christmas-Industrial Complex
Happy holidays! As Christmas approaches, the average American prepares to spend nearly $1,000 on presents, decorations, and family feasting. How did an originally religious festival become so caught up in capitalist consumption? What really defines Christmas in an increasingly secular America? This holiday season, David and Ellie try not to be scrooges as they explore the Christmas Industrial Complex. From Hallmark movies to Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the stories we tell around Christmas can be incredibly varied. In looking at these narratives and more, Ellie and David discuss whether Christmas can be separated from the often heavily capitalist rituals around it. Episode 40. Works Discussed NewSong, “The Christmas Shoes” Megan Garber, “The Cheesy Endurance of the Made-for-TV Holiday Movie” A New York Christmas Wedding Daniel J. Boorstin, The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol History.com, “Saturnalia” Mari Ruti, Penis Envy and Other Bad Feelings Jim Probasco, “Average Cost of American Holiday Spending” Jonathan Berr, “Hallmark’s Christmas Movies Are Predictably Popular With Viewers” Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Nov 23, 2021 · 59 min
Secrets
What’s this episode about? Shh, it’s a secret. Just kidding! In episode 39, Ellie and David take a deep dive into the concepts of secrets and secrecy. Some thinkers have argued that keeping secrets is destructive for the self, while others say that keeping secrets lets us feel like we have something (alt: a space?) for ourselves, that isn’t shared with other people. Moreover, the telling of secrets is often a key to creating a sense of trust and intimacy between BFFs or romantic partners. However, keeping secrets also often raises an ethical question — is it ever morally right to disclose another person’s secret, and if so, when? Ellie and David conclude with a discussion of government secrecy and its implications for public trust; how much transparency is too much? Works Discussed Kwame Anthony Appiah, “Should I Tell My Friend’s Husband She’s Having an Affair?” Sissela Bok, Secrets James Edwin Mahon, “Secrets vs. Lies: Is There a Moral Asymmetry?” Anne Dufourmontelle, In Defense of Secrets Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, A Thousand Plateaus Jacques Derrida, “Répondre — du secret, 1991-2 seminar” Georg Simmel, “The Sociology of Secrecy and Secret Societies” Giovanna Borradori, “Between transparency and surveillance: Politics of the secret" C. Thi Nguyễn, “Transparency is Surveillance” Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Nov 9, 2021 · 59 min
Disgust
Disgust is often assumed to be biological, but in what ways do cultural norms and personal preferences influence what disgusts us? Can we shape what we’re disgusted by over time? Ellie and David explore how disgust colors our interactions with food, art, and even sex, in episode 38. Given how disgust has helped enforce racism and homophobia, does it have any place in morality? And how does modern art's use of excrement, vomit, and blood change how we think about aesthetics? Works Discussed Sianne Ngai, Ugly Feelings Charles Darwin, The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals John Garcia, Donald J. Kimeldorf, and Robert A. Koelling, "Conditioned aversion to saccharin resulting from exposure to gamma radiation" Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments Georges Bataille, Documents Georges Bataille, L’érotisme Downton Abbey, S3 E7 Immanuel Kant, Critique of Judgement Christopher Ofili, The Holy Virgin Mary Julia Kristeva, Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Oct 26, 2021 · 59 min
Living Your Truth (feat. Tamsin Kimoto)
Are you #LivingYourTruth? This buzzy catchphrase is all over Instagram, but might it actually justify selfish or irresponsible behavior? Alternatively, can it be a way of affirming marginalized identities--and perhaps even reveal the extent to which our lives are ultimately of our own making? Ellie and David speak with Dr. Tamsin Kimoto in episode 37 about how "living your truth" relates to transgender identity formation, "born this way" narratives of sexuality, and the idea of an authentic self. After the interview, David and Ellie suggest that existential authenticity is a way of "living your truth" without buying into the metaphysical idea of an inner self. Works Discussed Tamsin Kimoto, "Merleau-Ponty, Fanon, and Phenomenological Forays in Trans Life" Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality Talia Mae Bettcher, “Trapped in the Wrong Theory: Rethinking Trans Oppression and Resistance” Maurice Merleau-Ponty, The Phenomenology of Perception Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak and Elizabeth Grosz, “Criticism, feminism and the institution: An interview with Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak” Friedrich Nietzsche, “Schopenhauer as Educator” Martin Heidegger, Being and Time Theodor Adorno, The Jargon of Authenticity Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Oct 12, 2021 · 57 min
Art as Commodity
Today's art world is driven by multimillion-dollar auctions and fancy art fairs inaccessible to most Americans — Art Basel Miami, anyone? Those who do view art spend an average of just eight seconds per work, so it's not clear that we're even meaningfully experiencing those Monet water lilies. In episode 36, Ellie and David explore the way capitalism has turned art into a commodity. From Basquiat to Banksy, even street art seems to have been devoured by capitalism’s endless hunger for monetary exchange, selling aesthetics of revolution for millions of dollars at auction. How might intricate Tibetan sand paintings and even macaroni necklaces help us envision a future for art outside of commodification? Works Discussed John Dewey, Art as Experience Walter Benjamin, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” Hito Steyerl, Duty Free Art Theodor Adorno, The Culture Industry Michael Baxandall, Painting and Experience Diana Crane, “Reflections on the Global Art Market” Cynthia Freeland, What is Art? McKenzie Wark, “Digital Provenance and the Artwork as Derivative” Sianne Ngai, Our Aesthetic Categories: Zany, Cute, Interesting Banksy, Love is in the Bin Karl Marx, 1844 Manuscripts Christo and Jeanne-Claude, The Pont Neuf Wrapped Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Sep 28, 2021 · 59 min
Hooking Up
Hooking up: sexual liberation or unethical exploitation? With the rise of dating apps, sexual gratification seems like a few taps (or swipes) away at any given moment. What implications does this have for sexual ethics around consent, fantasy, and using other people merely for pleasure? In episode 35, Ellie and David dive into the history, theory, and criticisms of hookup culture. Is there a way to hook up ethically? Some argue that the power imbalances fundamental to hooking up prevent it from ever being on equal grounds, yet others claim that the shift to hooking up generates potential for queer exploration and for sexual discretion in ways that were previously unavailable. Let’s find out! Works Discussed F Boy Island (TV Show) James Rocha, The Ethics of Hooking Up Danielle M. Currier, “Strategic Ambiguity: Protecting Emphasized Femininity and Hegemonic Masculinity in the Hookup Culture” Lisa Wade, American Hookup Lisa Wade and Joseph Padgett, “Hookup Culture and Higher Education” Lisa Rudd, “Beyond the Closet” Lee Edelman, No Future Slavoj Žižek, A&F Quarterly, Back to School Issue 2003 Leo Bersani, Is the Rectum a Grave? Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Sep 14, 2021 · 55 min
Paradox
Ever want to have your cake and eat it too? Maybe you can! In episode 34, join Ellie and David (and the Olsen twins) in an investigation into paradox. Paradox refers to a self-contradictory statement that nonetheless rests on seemingly logically sound premises. From Meno to Zeno and his tortoises and arrows, from Christian theologians trying to uncover the nature of God and faith to Zen Buddhists exploring the origins of consciousness, paradox has a long history of keeping people stumped, but also of driving human innovation and creativity to new heights. However, we often still wonder: can paradoxes ever truly be solved, or are they just doomed as contradictions? Let’s find out! Works Discussed Zeno, Fragments David M. Peña-Guzman, “Bergson’s philosophical method: At the edge of phenomenology and mathematics” Kierkegaard, Concluding Unscientific Postscript; Philosophical Fragments; Fear and Trembling Sartre, Being and Nothingness Jacques Derrida, Of Hospitality and “Faith and Knowledge” Plato, Meno David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding Marcel Mauss, “The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic Societies” Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Holiday in the Sun Aristotle, Metaphysics Diamond Sutra Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Aug 31, 2021 · 53 min
Synesthesia
Have you ever tasted music or experienced numbers as having genders? If so, you might be a synesthete! Synesthesia refers to subjective experiences in which a stimulus associated with one sensory modality (e.g., vision) is experienced as having properties associated with an entirely different modality (e.g. sound, texture, or smell). This “mixing” of the senses raises fascinating questions about human experience and the life of the mind. In episode 33, Ellie and David discuss the science and philosophy of synesthesia while poking fun at people who brag about being synesthetes at parties. Are synesthetes born or made? What forms of synesthesia exist? And how might one go about cultivating synesthetic perception? Works Discussed Donielle Johnson, Carrie Allison, and Simon Baron-Cohen, “The Prevalence of Synesthesia: The Consistency Revolution” Simon Baron-Cohen, “Is There a Normal Phase of Synaesthesia in Development?” David Abram, The Spell of the Sensuous Kenneth Peacock, “Instruments to Perform Color-Music: Two Centuries of Technological Experimentation” Anina Rich, interview in "Synesthesia" episode of All in the Mind podcast Jamie Ward and Peter Meijer. “Visual Experiences in the Blind Induced by an Auditory Sensory Substitution Device” Jerry Fodor, The Modularity of Mind Adam Wager, “The Extra Qualia Problem: Synaesthesia and Representationism” John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Aug 17, 2021 · 57 min
Astrology
Astrology. Dangerous pseudoscience? Comforting salve in a cold capitalist world? Subjugated knowledge? It's all fun and games when you're looking up your Co-Star horoscope, but according to philosopher Theodor Adorno, even a playful belief in astrology encourages submission to the status quo--and promotes fascist thinking. In this can't-miss episode 32, Ellie and David discuss the psychological appeal of astrology, which is experiencing a huge resurgence today. They also dive deep into the history and science behind the practice. Did you know Johannes Kepler was an astrologer? Or that your star sign is...probably not actually your sign? The episode also gets into the Barnum Effect, and some surprising similarities between astrology, weather forecasts, and personality tests. Works discussed: Theodor Adorno, The Stars Down to Earth Nicholas Campion, History of Western Astrology Roger Beck, A Brief History of Ancient Astrology Thomas Kuhn, The Copernican Revolution Alexander Boxer, A Scheme of Heaven: The History of Astrology and the Search for our Destiny in Data Silvia Federici, Caliban and the Witch Colin Koopman, How We Became Our Data Bertram Forer, "The fallacy of personal validation: A classroom demonstration of gullibility" Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Aug 3, 2021 · 58 min
Genomics (feat. Joel Michael Reynolds)
From 23andMe to prenatal testing, genetic testing is everywhere these days! The use of these tests raises important concerns about "velvet eugenics" and the value of human life. In episode 31, Ellie and David address the ethics and politics of genomics. They talk with ethicist Dr. Joel Michael Reynolds, an expert on disability studies and genomics, about why your zip code is a much better indicator of health outcomes than your genome. Plus, Joel unpacks why genetic sequencing can cause anxiety for new parents and further social inequities. Works discussed: Joel Michael Reynolds, "Health for Whom? Bioethics and the Challenge of Justice for Genomic Medicine" Joel Michael Reynolds, "Genopower: On Genomics, Disability, and Impairment" Sivan Tamir, "Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing: Ethical-Legal Perspectives and Practical Considerations" Jenny Reardon, The Postgenomic Condition Rosemarie Garland Thomson, "Welcoming The Unexpected," in Human Flourishing in an Age of Gene Editing, ed. Erik Parens and Josephine Johnson National Human Genome Research Institute, "Human Genome Project FAQ" Guy Standing, The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jul 20, 2021 · 52 min
Brain in a Vat
Have you considered that you might be a brain in a vat of liquid floating in a laboratory somewhere? How can you know that the world around you is real, not just a simulation being piped directly to your brain? In episode 30, Ellie and David unpack one of philosophy's favorite thought experiments: the brain in a vat. They also analyze our cultural obsession with the brain, common criticisms of this thought experiment from consciousness studies, and precursors in Descartes and science fiction. Also--what's with the Italian neuroscientist who keeps trying to do head transplants? Works discussed: Daniel Dennett, "Where Am I?" Gilbert Harman, Thought Alva Noë, Out of Our Heads: Why You Are Not Your Brain Evan Thompson and Diego Cosmelli, "Brain in a Vat or Body in a World? Brainbound Versus Enactive Views of Experience" Shaun Gallagher and Dan Zahavi, The Phenomenological Mind Bronwyn Parry, "Technologies of Immortality: The Brain on Ice" John Desmond Bernal, The World, the Flesh and the Devil Raymond Roussel, Locus Solus John Tresch, "In a solitary place: Raymond Roussel’s brain and the French cult of unreason" Harry Smit and Peter M. S. Hacker, "Seven Misconceptions About the Mereological Fallacy: A Compilation for the Perplexed" Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jul 6, 2021 · 52 min
Alienation
Do you fear the Sunday Scaries and Thank God It's Friday? You might be suffering from a case of what Karl Marx called "alienation." In episode 29 of Overthink, David and Ellie break down this key but often misunderstood concept for the modern workplace. After explaining Marx's four forms of alienation using the example of making Teva sandals, they discuss the gig economy and "bullshit jobs." Plus: in today's society, are even poets and Netflix viewers alienated? Or does Marx's concept only apply to an outdated model of industrial work under capitalism? Works discussed: Karl Marx, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 Rahel Jaeggi, Alienation David Graeber, Bullshit Jobs Byung-Chul Han, In the swarm: Digital prospects Herbert Marcuse, One Dimensional Man Guy Debord, Society of the Spectacle Emmanuel Renault, From Fordism to Post-Fordism: Beyond or Back to Alienation Louis Althusser, Reading Capital Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jun 22, 2021 · 56 min
Cancel Culture
In episode 28 of Overthink, Ellie and David explore cancel culture. Is it a thing--and if so, what are its merits and dangers? They unpack the origins of cancel culture in Black Twitter and debate whether "canceling" people is a tactic of neoliberalism. Should we be canceling Chrissy Teigen, J.K. Rowling, Nick Cannon, and Matt and Rachel from The Bachelor? Also discussed: carceral logic, restorative justice, and forgiveness. Works discussed: Meredith D. Clark, "DRAG THEM: A brief etymology of so-called 'cancel culture'" Kimberly Foster of For Harriett, "We Can't Cancel Everyone" (YouTube) Wendy Brown, Undoing the Demos: Neoliberalism's Stealth Revolution Zygmunt Bauman, Liquid Life Ellie Anderson, Cynthia Willett, and Diana Meyers, "Feminist Perspectives on the Self" in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Patricia Hill Collins, Black Feminist Thought Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jun 8, 2021 · 59 min
Body Positivity to Fat Feminism (feat. Dr. Amelia Hruby)
In episode 27 of Overthink, Ellie and David speak with feminist philosopher and author Dr. Amelia Hruby about fat feminism, intersectionality, alternatives to the male gaze, and her project #selfiesforselflove. Before the interview, Ellie and David discuss their issues with the "body positivity" movement using phenomenology, and suggest why Sonya Renee Taylor's account of radical self-love is a better alternative. The episode closes with a deep dive into the racist history of the thin ideal using the work of Sabrina Strings. Works discussed: Sabrina Strings, Fearing the Black Body Virgie Tovar, You Have the Right to Remain Fat Sonya Renee Taylor, The Body is Not an Apology Alexandra Sastre, "Towards a radical body positive: Reading the online 'body positive movement'" Amelia Hruby, Fifty Feminist Mantras Maurice Merleau-Ponty, The Phenomenology of Perception Kimberlé Crenshaw, "Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color" Patricia Hill Collins, "Controlling Images" John Berger, Ways of Seeing Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 25, 2021 · 52 min
Living Together During Covid
In episode 26 of Overthink, Ellie and David explore cohabitation during Covid. They use philosopher Henri Bergson's theory of rhythm and the Africana philosophy concept of Ubuntu to better understand how we have had to re-negotiate and re-engage with space this year. Also discussed: Ellie's early Covid board games, David's living room, moving during covid, and lots more! Works Discussed: Taylor Trudon, Teenage Angst, Revisited in Isolation Julius Gathogo, African Philosophy as Expressed in the Concepts of Hospitality and Ubuntu Bhekizizwe Peterson, The Art of Personhood: Kinship and Its Social Challenges Kai Kresse, Philosophizing in Mombasa Hannah Arendt, Origins of Totalitarianism Henri Bergson, Matter and Memory Immanuel Kant, The Critique of Pure Reason Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 11, 2021 · 55 min
Dating During Covid
In episode 25 of Overthink, Ellie and David discuss dating during Covid--including their own experiences! With so many Americans getting vaccinated, the dating scene may be heating up again--but what philosophical lessons can we learn from the past year of pandemic dating? Ellie gives a sociological history of dating, and David wonders about how socially distant dating changes class dynamics. Then the two talk about how pandemic dating involves a "phenomenology of acceleration" and a "phenomenology of failure," as well as what attachment theory shows about dating in social isolation. Also discussed: going on a "first date" many months into dating, mental health, and David's support of "impurity culture." Works Discussed: Eva Illouz, Consuming the Romantic Utopia Jean-Paul Sartre, No Exit Lawrence L. Levine, Highbrow/Lowbrow Beth L. Bailey, From Front Porch to Back Seat: Courtship in Twentieth-Century America Moira Weigel, Labor of Love John Bowlby, The Making and Breaking of Affectional Bonds Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller, Attached Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Apr 27, 2021 · 57 min
Friendship During Covid (feat. Anna Koppelman)
On episode 24 of Overthink, Ellie and David tackle friendship during Covid. They begin by discussing their dream day with friends, which includes: brunch, thrift store shopping, and team sports, all of which have been impossible to do during the pandemic. What has social distancing meant for friendship? They bring on special guest, undergraduate Anna Koppelman (Overthink's production assistant and social media coordinator!), to discuss how Covid has impacted college students' social lives. The three talk Heidegger, Aristotle, and how sad it is to have no fun gossip anymore! Finally, David and Ellie analyze how gender has affected Covid friendships, Epicurus supporting "pods" before it was cool, and more! Works Discussed: Lydia Denworth, Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond Beverley Fehr, Friendship Processes Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics Immanuel Kant, Metaphysical Principles of Virtue Octavio Paz, The Labyrinth of Solitude Samantha Schmidt, The Washington Post, Men find new ways to Bond During the Pandemic Jeffrey A. Hall, How many hours does it take to make a friend? Martin Heidegger, What Is Metaphysics? Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Apr 13, 2021 · 54 min
Games and Gamification (feat. C. Thi Nguyen)
In episode 23 of Overthink, Ellie, and David sit down with philosopher Dr. C. Thi Nguyen to discuss his work on games and gamification. They begin by their love for The Sims and the out-of-body experiences video games can trigger. From there, they get into the works of thinkers including Ortega y Gasset, Nietzsche, Mill, Gadamer, discussing their theories on games and motivation. The trio also jumps into the function of games in community, how British and American drinking games differ, motivational states, Thi’s epic game nights, and more. Works Discussed: C. Thi Nguyen, Games: Agency as Art Roger Callois, Man, Play and Games Hans-Georg Gadamer, Truth and Method Friedrich Nietzsche, The Birth of Tragedy José Ortega y Gasset, Meditations on Hunting Gordon Burghardt, The Genesis of Animal Play Matthew Broersma, “US Military Recruits Gamers To Fly Killer Drones” Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mar 30, 2021 · 57 min
Free Britney! Conservatorship and Disability
In episode 22 of Overthink, Ellie and David discuss the new Britney Spears documentary exposing her legal conservatorship. After bonding over their tween obsession with Britney, they dive into the laws around conservatorship and cultural narratives around mental health. The two argue that disability has been largely ignored in the conversation around Britney Spears, even though people with disabilities and the elderly are most affected by conservatorships. They show how disability studies and feminist theories of care illuminate the conversation. Also mentioned: translating toxic to Spanish, early 2000's choreographed dances, Grace and Frankie, and more. Works Discussed: Aristotle, Politics Erica F. Wood, State Level Adult Guardianship Data: An Exploratory Survey Giorgio Agamben, State of Exception Grace and Frankie (TV series) Jan Baars, Aging and the Art of Living Joe Coscarelli, What is a Conservatorship? John Locke, Two Treatises of Government Jonathan Blakeson, I Care a Lot (Film) Sara Luterman, The Darker Story Just Outside the Lens of “Framing Britney Spears” Seneca, On Old Age Simone de Beauvoir, The Coming of Age The New York Times, Framing Britney Spears (Documentary) Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mar 16, 2021 · 47 min
Gaslighting
Ellie and David discuss the term "gaslighting" in episode 21. They begin by jumping into the origin of the term in the 1940s and its entrance into mainstream discourse today. Then the two go onto explore how gaslighting works, and whether it needs to be deliberate (spoiler alert: no!). Finally, David and Ellie think about structural and cultural gaslighting in systems of oppression. Also discussed in the episode: The Chicks, epistemic injustice, the medical establishment, and...is Socrates a gaslighter? Gaslit? Neither? Works discussed: George Cukor, Gaslight (film) Veronica Ivy, “Allies Behaving Badly: Gaslighting as Epistemic Injustice” Cynthia A. Stark, “Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Psychological Oppression” Nora Berenstain, “White Feminist Gaslighting” Elena Ruíz, “Cultural Gaslighting” Shelley Tremain, “Structural Gaslighting, Epistemic Injustice, and Ableism in Philosophy” Lauren Duca, “Donald Trump is Gaslighting America” Karen C. Adkins, “Gaslighting by Crowd” Elinor Greenberg, “Are You Being "Gaslighted" By the Narcissist in Your Life?” Diane E. Hoffmann and Anita J. Tarzian, “The Girl Who Cried Pain: A Bias Against Women in the Treatment of Pain" Ashley Fetters, “The Doctor Doesn’t Listen to Her. But the Media Is Starting To” Support the show Substack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.com Instagram & Twitter | @overthink_pod Email | dearoverthink@gmail.com YouTube | Overthink podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Overthink

Christmas-Industrial Complex

Secrets

Disgust

Living Your Truth (feat. Tamsin Kimoto)

Art as Commodity

Hooking Up

Paradox

Synesthesia

Astrology

Genomics (feat. Joel Michael Reynolds)

Brain in a Vat

Alienation

Cancel Culture

Body Positivity to Fat Feminism (feat. Dr. Amelia Hruby)

Living Together During Covid

Dating During Covid

Friendship During Covid (feat. Anna Koppelman)

Games and Gamification (feat. C. Thi Nguyen)

Free Britney! Conservatorship and Disability

Gaslighting