Hartwick college

Interview with Wisnewski about The Office and Philosophy

Review of Family Guy and Philosophy

There's an interesting relationship between philosophy and popular culture. Historically, the two have often been at odds. There has been a tendency on the part of philosophers to disdain things in direct proportion to the extent to which those same things are liked by the masses. Indeed, on occasion, philosophers even give arguments like this:

1. PC (some piece of pop culture) is very popular
2. What is very popular must appeal to the masses
3. The masses have no real aesthetic sense
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4. PC can't be that good.

Whatever you think of this kind of argument, its form is interesting: the very popularity of an item is taken as evidence against the worth of the item. Interestingly, the laity often use "I've never heard of it" as evidence that a thing isn't worth hearing about. (I had a very disturbing conversation about phenomenology that involved just this kind of reasoning...I have barely recovered).

Now, I'm not willing to say that the masses get things right--but I am willing to defend myself (as someone who writes occasional pieces on popular philosophy and culture). I think it's probably true that a lot of mass culture isn't very good. What mass culture has going for it is popularity. Philosophy that engages popular artifacts is trying to elevate the minds of the masses to the level of the philosophical. (and maybe tell a few jokes a long the way). To put it in a pompous way (I cannot do otherwise), philosophy that engages popular culture descends back into Plato's cave, and tries to use the objects of our cultural landscape as tools for getting people to see more than what they currently see.

I make no real claims to success. My hope is perhaps my naivety. But regardless, I think the attempt to get ordinary, intelligent folks to engage in philosophy is a laudable goal, and we (as philosophers and students of philosophy) should not lament the marriage of (some) philosophy to items in the popular imagination.

Now buy my books!