Philobrosophy: turn your tl;dr into se;ri

June 20, 2011 2:46 PM

Philosophy Bro: Philosophy is hard - I read and summarize, so you don't have to, man. Nietzsche, Rand, Plato, Mills, etc.
posted by not_on_display (28 comments total)

YO DAWG, I HEARD YOU LIKE BEING
posted by brain_drain at 2:54 PM on June 20, 2011 [5 favorites]

Ouch. I don't think philosophy should be made accessible to the kind of people who are happy to read it that way. Better to be ignorant and get a tan or whatever.
posted by tumid dahlia at 3:55 PM on June 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

I am eagerly awaiting the sequel site to this, Philosophy Brony who will read the great philosophers in a style accessible to the characters of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and where young people acquire a Philo Mark signifying the philosophical school which is most suited to them.
posted by localroger at 4:19 PM on June 20, 2011 [6 favorites]

I don't know, I like philosophy and all, but I also am amused when high-brow subjects are expressed with low-brow language and also the other way around. Therefore I found this amusing.
posted by bleep at 4:20 PM on June 20, 2011 [5 favorites]

Having R a few of TFA I have to say this presentation actually works for Nietzsche and Rand. For Plato and Lao-Tze, not so much.

I would love to see him do de Sade's Yet Another Effort.
posted by localroger at 4:27 PM on June 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

I don't think philosophy should be made accessible to the kind of people who are happy to read it that way.

Why?
posted by grouse at 4:29 PM on June 20, 2011 [10 favorites]

There's a guy who built a thing that lets you fly through the sky in an air conditioned room. Of course he's rich, because flying is fucking awesome and people will pay him to do it.

Heh.

For more fun pop regurgitation of philosophical canon, see the Action Philosophers comics series.
posted by cortex at 4:30 PM on June 20, 2011 [6 favorites]

There is almost certainly not a single cell left in your body that was around for your third birthday, unless you're ten, in which case - do your parents know what sort of filthy, sweary blogs you're reading, kid?

That's awesome.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 4:31 PM on June 20, 2011 [2 favorites]

I must agree with grouse. Philosophers are often known for being great thinkers and lousy writers (exhibit A being Kant).
posted by HeroZero at 4:37 PM on June 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

Pretty good, but it's no Myths RETOLD.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 4:38 PM on June 20, 2011 [9 favorites]

Sorry, the correct title for this FPP was Philosbrophy. Minus two.
posted by adamdschneider at 5:06 PM on June 20, 2011

Pretty good, but it's no Myths RETOLD.

Oh man oh man.

and the stepmother gets the invitation
and she's like should i go
it might be awkward
seeing as I tried to kill this chick four times
and one of those times I ACTUALLY SUCCEEDED
but whatever
a party's a party
so she shows up
and everyone's like SURPRISE
WE MADE YOU SOME SHOES OUT OF BURNING HOT IRON
PUT THEM ON AND DANCE UNTIL YOU DIE
and so that happens and everyone is very pleased with themselves forever

Yes.
posted by cortex at 5:25 PM on June 20, 2011 [4 favorites]

I work with a few philosophy majors at my low paying retail job. I make more than they do.
posted by jonmc at 5:43 PM on June 20, 2011 [2 favorites]

So this blog thing, really, is kind of: read these short pieces, figure out which one jibes with how you actually relate to the world or how you aspire to relate to the world, and BOOM here's your own personal philosopher. Go check him or (unfortunately, very unlikely) her out.

If, say, ten people who otherwise wouldn't, actually internalize Hume or Nagarjuna because of this, then it does what it says on the tin. People understanding why they act the way the do in the world is never a bad thing, especially if they can help like minded souls come to peace with who they are or want to be.
posted by digitalprimate at 6:22 PM on June 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

I work with a few philosophy majors at my low paying retail job. I make more than they do.

How wonderful for you.
posted by kenko at 6:53 PM on June 20, 2011 [7 favorites]

I work with a few philosophy majors at my low paying retail job. I make more than they do.

But they get it, man. Bummer for you.
posted by arveale at 7:21 PM on June 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

Better to be ignorant and get a tan or whatever.

I think the question here is if it's better to be a pig tanned or Socrates untanned.

I would love to see him do de Sade's Yet Another Effort.

Doesn't Sasha Grey claim to be a big philosophy buff? She should totally make this movie.
posted by octobersurprise at 7:24 PM on June 20, 2011

This made me lol. Because my partner is a philoso-prof online with people who need this sort of low-brow to pass the classes.

Actually, this is too smart for them. Oh dear.
posted by RedEmma at 7:53 PM on June 20, 2011

Nietzsche, Rand, Plato, Mills

One of these things is not like the others.
posted by slogger at 8:27 PM on June 20, 2011 [4 favorites]

Seriously, Dana Plato's philosophical work is amateurish at best.
posted by cortex at 8:28 PM on June 20, 2011 [3 favorites]

whatchoo talkin' bout cortex
posted by not_on_display at 8:50 PM on June 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

Myths RETOLD is pap. This is probably pap too, and insulting to boot.
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 9:48 PM on June 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

Myths RETOLD is pap. This is probably pap too, and insulting to boot.

You shut your mouth. You shut your stupid mouth right now.

Myths RETOLD is the greatest thing ever posted on MetaFilter, and that includes all my posts and whatever combination of cats and dancing is your favorite.

This site seems to be more rigorous than Myths RETOLD, though, and the 'bro' stuff is just a thin veneer over straight philosophy.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 12:56 AM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

I love this. I have been voluntarily (!!! why?!) attempting to read philosophy stuff lately, and dear god, it's a slog at times. This gets the point and gives me a laugh. What's not to love?
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:19 AM on June 21, 2011

Myths RETOLD is pap.

And Drunk History has a troubling attitude toward alcohol!

Don't consume these things and laugh and have a good time, they are problematic at a fundamental level as serious analyses of historical/literary artifacts!
posted by cortex at 7:33 AM on June 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

Ouch. I don't think philosophy should be made accessible to the kind of people who are happy to read it that way. Better to be ignorant and get a tan or whatever.

I think that on the contrary philosophy is not only a kind of highly intellectual entertainment, but also a way of thinking that directly affects one's daily activities and choices. It would be at least beneficial for the society to make it available to as many people as possible. Also, there are quite a lot of natural born philosophers among bros who have read a book or two in their life.
posted by victorclebens at 8:12 AM on June 21, 2011 [2 favorites]

Excellent. The bro-titude doesn't replace the core of the philosophies; it's just a little sugar mixed in with the roughage.

I laughed out loud at "Just the other day I took some bitch to the opera. Bitches love opera.". That joke will fade fast as the "bitches love ...." concept disappears, but for this meme-season it's funny.

And "Action Philosophers" goes immediately on my "to-buy" list.
posted by benito.strauss at 9:45 AM on June 21, 2011

This is good.
posted by uni verse at 7:10 PM on June 21, 2011