Philosophy After Hours

In this episode we talk about the philosophy of the alpha male and his relationship to the wider society? Is this an issue of toxic masculinity? If so, how do we redress it? What conditions lead someone to seek a position atop the socio-sexual hierarchy? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more episodes. Text: JP Cohan, "The Many Centers of the Soul,"  Un...

In this episode we discuss the relationship between theory and praxis. Are they in conflict? Do they work together? Are some people better positioned to devote energies to one or the other? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therlikeanzoo for more content. Text: Aaron Darrisaw, "Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3" Unpublished Notebooks , n.p. 

In this episode we discuss dreams. Are dreams a random and delirious playing out of the subconscious mind or, as Freud suggests, are dreams an intentional and ordered attempt of the subconscious to communicate with our waking consciousness? Can meaningful dream-interpretation only be found in the latter?  If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo. Apologies for the...

In this episode we discuss the different social effects of marking one's privilege. What would it look like to effectively "check" one's privilege? Is our mainstream conception of privilege adequate to frame social inequities? Has privilege discourse reached a crossroads? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content.  Text: E...

In this episode we interrogate the concept of 'the masses.' Is this term inherently pejorative, or merely descriptive? Does establishing one's authenticity necessarily create the category of the non-authentic masses? Should we ever wish to identify as or with the masses?  If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content.  Text: David E. Cartwright, Schope...

In this episode we talk about the meaning, value, and social responses to addiction. We ask how addiction should be understood, what role it plays in individual and social life, and why many contemporary attitudes about addiction are perhaps misguided or even harmful. If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content. Text: Andrea Righi, The Other Side of...

In this episode we talking about Alexander Pushkin's strange pride in his African sensuality, the difficulty of mourning, and nostalgia for sleepovers. Give a listen as we shoot the shit.  If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content. Text: George Gibian ed.,  The Portable Nineteenth-Century Russian Reader (New York, NY: Penguin, 1993), 1.

In this episode we have a loose discussion about our Christmas and Near Year's while covid-positive. Later, we share meaningful memories and rituals associated with these holidays. Happy Holidays, Friends! If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content. Text: Friedrich Nietzsche, The Gay Science, ed. Bernard Williams, trans. Josefine Nauckhoff (Cambridg...

In this episode we tease a few possible episode ideas to see if anything sticks. We talk about morality, the usefulness of debate, and social pleasantries. Hit us up if you want us to talk about any one of these ideas at greater length. If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therlikeanzoo for more content. Text: Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Decolonizing Methodologies 3rd ed. (London:...

In this episode we tease a few possible episode ideas to see if anything sticks. We talk about morality, the usefulness of debate, and social pleasantries. Hit us up if you want us to talk about any one of these ideas at greater length. If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therlikeanzoo for more content. Text: Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Decolonizing Methodologies 3rd ed. (London:...

In this episode we discuss the value of minimalism. What are the benefits of a minimalist lifestyle? Do minimalists too quickly shed themselves of things that may still hold significant value? Is the minimalist's advice for improving well-being unduly individualistic? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therlikeanzoo for more content. Text: Michael Dylan Foster, The Book o...

In this episode we discuss the relationship between capitalism/workplace culture and humanism. Is capitalist political economy fundamentally antithetical to the messiness of being human? If so, what strategies can we employ to correct this?  If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therlikeanzoo for more content.  Text: Emmanuel Levinas, Existence and Existents, trans. Alphonso...

In this episode we discuss the ethics of consent vis-à-vis posting images of people - especially children - to social media. Should parents refrain from sharing images of their children online? Should we get accustomed to asking people if they mind whether we post their image for our social network to see? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content....

In this episode we discuss the recent formation of the University of Austin, dedicated to "open debate" and "free inquiry". Will this return the university to the pursuit of truth and push against the tide of illiberalism? Are the founders of UATX responding to a serious problem in our cancel culture age? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content....

In this episode we discuss fandom and inquire into the uniqueness of the fan community relative to other kinds of community (e.g., a church, a book club, regulars at a neighborhood bar). What is the relationship between a fan-object and a fandom? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content. Text: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince, trans. Ri...

In this episode we discuss the different ways that endings are experienced. Some come too soon; others come in their proper time. Do our experiences of any end say something about our (dis)contentment with life? Further, what do certain endings say about our social order, about how we affect the episodic events in each other's lives? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/the...

In this episode we discuss the different ways that endings are experienced. Some come too soon; others come in their proper time. Do our experiences of any end say something about our (dis)contentment with life? Further, what do certain endings say about our social order, about how we affect the episodic events in each other's lives? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/the...

In this episode we discuss the category of 'attractiveness.' What social purchase does being attractive carry? Is this category something we that we should transcend, or ought we rather extend it to all persons? Main episode begins at 25:30.  If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content. Text: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,  The Sorrows of Young Werther...

In this episode we begin with a reading from Rilke's Duino Elegies and go off on a wandering discussion of time, youthfulness, imagination, and the difficulty of facing things that are not within our control. JP concludes with a lamentation on the tragedy that is Peter Pan. If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content. Text: Rainer Maria Rilke, Duino...

In this episode we discuss technological progress and its relationship to past/ancestral knowledge. How much can we learn by stretching further back to the primordial roots of human development to solve the crises and challenges we face today? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content. Text: Harvey J. Graff, Undisciplining Knowledge (Baltimore, MA:...

In this episode we discuss Confucius's idea of ritual and think about whether ritualized behavior restricts or enhances freedom. Along the way we talk about the difference between ritual and habit and ask what rituals might be practiced in a post-capitalist society. If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content. Text: Stephen Tyman, A Fool's Phenomenol...

In this episode we discuss what it might mean to be a political radical? The question is often posed: "What radicalized you?" But who cares about being a "radical"? Is a radical political position worth holding? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content. Text: C.L.R. James, Modern Politics (Oakland, CA: PM Press, 2013), 17-18.

Hello, friends! After a bit too long of a break, we are back on the mic to resume our regularly scheduled programming. We want to apologize to all of our listeners for ghosting on you like that--you didn't deserve that. We hope that you can forgive us. In this episode, Aaron and I sit down to talk about our lives over the past few months--where we were, what we've been up to, and our current proce...

In this episode we discuss what it means to belong to a space. What spaces are rightfully carved out for specific communities? What kinds of questions must we ask ourselves before entering a space that seems to exclude us? How do we determine whether or not we are welcome in a "safe space"? If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content. Text: Ecclesias...

In lieu of a main episode, we've put together a special edition of the podcast this week to (belatedly) celebrate our 50th show. We've compiled 11 excerpts from our previous episodes to give you a look back at some of our best moments. Enjoy! If you like what you hear, find us on Patreon at patreon.com/therilkeanzoo for more content. Episodes included (in order of appearance): 2, 10, 19, Last Call...