Overthink

Why are Aztecs often considered pessimists from a philosophical perspective? In episode 150 of Overthink, Ellie and David chat with philosopher Sebastian Purcell about his book The Outward Path: The Wisdom of the Aztecs. They discuss how the Aztecs urge us to take an “outside-in” approach to the self, how their understanding of happiness differs from much of Western philosophy, and how their view of the mind as inherently chaotic shapes their moral outlook. Why did the Aztecs think happiness was not an important goal? How can the Aztec notion of ‘right speech’ help us gain control over the internal chaos of the mind? And why did the Aztecs reject the possibility of redemption? In the Substack bonus segment, your hosts dive deeper into the pessimism of the Aztecs and the claustrophobia of the Spanish conquest. Works Discussed: Sebastian Purcell, The Outward Path: The Wisdom of the Aztecs Jacques Soustelle, Daily Life of the Aztecs on the Eve of the Spanish Conquest Enjoy our work? Support Overthink via tax-deductible donation: https://www.givecampus.com/fj0w3v Join our Substack for ad-free versions of both audio and video episodes, extended episodes, exclusive live chats, and more: https://overthinkpod.substack.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hang loose! In episode 149 of Overthink, Ellie and David talk about all things surfing. They explore the long history of wave-riding across the globe, from Peru to West Africa, and consider how surfing helps us to reimagine social issues and what surfing reveals about the connection between flow and freedom. Is surfing the pinnacle of human life? How has the sportification of surfing directly contravened surfing’s anti-capitalist ethos? Why is the average surfer an image of white masculinity? And how is this image tied to indigenous erasure? In the Substack bonus segment, your hosts discuss the similarities between surfing and skating, surfing as an art, and the existential risk of surfing. Works Discussed Daniel Brennan, Surfing and the Philosophy of Sport Kevin Dawson, Undercurrents of Power: Aquatic Culture in the African Diaspora William Finnegan, Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life Aaron James, Surfing with Sartre: An Aquatic Inquiry Into a Life of Meaning Peter Kreeft, I Surf, Therefore I Am: A Philosophy of Surfing Aileen Moreton Robinson, “Bodies That Matter: Performing White Possession on the Beach” Peter J. Westwick and Peter Neushul, The World in the Curl: An Unconventional History of Surfing Wade in the Water: A Journey Into Black Surfing and Aquatic Culture (2023) Enjoy our work? Support Overthink via tax-deductible donation: https://www.givecampus.com/fj0w3v Join our Substack for ad-free versions of both audio and video episodes, extended episodes, exclusive live chats, and more: https://overthinkpod.substack.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How can we explain the rise of loneliness in our world? In episode 148 of Overthink, Ellie and David discuss the difference between loneliness and solitude, how loneliness could help explain the rise of fascism in the US, and the public health implications of loneliness. What is the male loneliness epidemic, and does it truly exist? Does the state have a moral obligation to address the loneliness of its citizens? And do we have a fundamental human right to connection? In the Substack bonus segment, your hosts get into the etymology of loneliness and discuss the type of companionship that animals offer humans. Works Discussed: Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism Kimberley Brownlee, Being Sure of Each Other: An Essay on Social Rights and Freedoms Bouke de Vries and Sarah A. Rezaieh. “Political Philosophy and Loneliness” Bouke de Vries, “State Responsibilities to Protect us from Loneliness During Lockdown” Samantha Rose Hill, "Where loneliness can lead" Zohar Lederman, “Loneliness as Lack of Solidarity: The Case of Palestinians Standing Alone” Emmanuel Levinas, Otherwise than Being David M. Peña-Guzmán and Rebekah Spera, Professional Philosophy and Its Myths Friedrich Nietzsche, The Gay Science  Jill Stauffer, Ethical Loneliness: The Injustice of Not Being Heard Lars Svendsen, A Philosophy of Loneliness Enjoy our work? Support Overthink via tax-deductible donation: https://www.givecampus.com/fj0w3v Join our Substack for ad-free versions of both audio and video episodes, extended episodes, exclusive live chats, and more: https://overthinkpod.substack.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Don’t shy away from this one! In episode 147 of Overthink, Ellie and David discuss confidence. Modernity has created a crisis of confidence, leading to the demand that we all maximize our confidence. But what is confidence? Is it a personality trait or a relational concept? What causes under- and over-confidence? And is instilling confidence an equity issue? Your hosts think through Charles Pépin’s pillars of confidence, Don A. Moore's formula for calibrating your confidence, and the gendered nature of confidence through bodily expressions. In the Substack bonus segment, Ellie tells an embarrassing story which reveals the situational nature of confidence, and they discuss the relationship between confidence and nature. Works discussed: Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance” Don A. Moore, Perfectly Confident: How to Calibrate Your Decisions Wisely Charles Pépin, Self-Confidence: A Philosophy Iris Marion Young, “Throwing Like a Girl: A Phenomenology of Feminine Body” Enjoy our work? Support Overthink via tax-deductible donation: https://www.givecampus.com/fj0w3v Join our Substack for ad-free versions of both audio and video episodes, extended episodes, exclusive live chats, and more: https://overthinkpod.substack.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can we ever be truly alone? In episode 146 of Overthink, Ellie and David talk with philosopher Dan Zahavi about his book, Being We: Phenomenological Contributions to Social Ontology. They discuss how the increase in communication through screens has shifted what it means to be together, the decline of social bonds in political life, and what phenomenological understandings of empathy tell us about being together. How do dyadic relationships such as romantic love and friendship shape our identities? Does there need to be a conception of the self that precedes sociality? What are the different types of "we"? In the Substack bonus segment, Ellie and David get into some juicy stories about their own experiences of togetherness in the beautiful city of Madrid.   Works discussed: Alison Gopnik, The Philosophical Baby: What Children's Minds Tell Us About Truth, Love, and the Meaning of Life Ivan Leudar and Philip Thomas, Voices of Reason, Voices of Insanity Sherry Turkle, Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other Gerda Walther, Toward an Ontology of Social Communities Dan Zahavi, Being We: Phenomenological Contributions to Social Ontology Enjoy our work? Support Overthink via tax-deductible donation: https://www.givecampus.com/fj0w3v Join our Substack for ad-free versions of both audio and video episodes, extended episodes, exclusive live chats, and more: https://overthinkpod.substack.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.