Kylie and Dani end the Friendship series with reflections and philosophies necessarily missing in the discussion in our initial go with this format. We know there are holes left to explore and we hope to build a community that helps us builds on these ideas. Hear more about what we're hoping you might get out of these episodes and From What We Gathered.

Communitarianism is fairly new in the philosophy world. Really getting going in the 1980's by political philosophers who view social development as a group work rather than an individual accomplishment. In Marilyn Friedman's article, "Feminism and Modern Friendship: Dislocating the Community', she discusses how our chosen communities, our friends, have taken the place of historic relationships that shape our world. Family, neighbors, school teachers, coworkers and religious contacts made up the entirety of our relationships. Modern life has made sub-cultures the norm and are reshaping the value we place on who our closes influences are. Jump into the discussion with us on From What We've Gathered.

Leap into the 20th century with us for coffee and metaphorical cigarettes as we explore the ideas and friendships of Existential philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. We'll attempt to be our most authentic selves as we look at the positives and negatives of trying to live life in a genuine way.

Mary Wollstonecraft was a British philosopher and feminist who lived her life as a testament to her ideas of equality. This included an abundance of friendships with men whether society was ready for such progress or not. Within these friendships, she discovers the only kind of marriage she might agree too, that of being wedded to a friend. Find out more on From What We've Gathered with Dani Nelson and Kylie Shahar.

Episode 5 of From What We Gathered introduces the listeners to Mary Astell. A brilliant wit from the 17th century who is often viewed as England's first feminist. Her ideas presented women as capable of the deepest friendships because of shared experience, which could be greatly enriched by their mutual education and would be most beneficial in a monastery where student and teacher alike were female. While we're not circulating a pamphlet on the topic, you can listen now as Kylie & Dani ponder over her dream of an educational monastery that never happened.

Michele de Montaigne is added to the mix in Episode 4 of From What We Gathered. Montaigne gives us a perspective on why only men are capable of friendship...at least in the 16th century. To no ones' surprise, Kylie and I do not agree even if Montaigne seems witty, charming and super smart. He also takes a stance that true friendship is a bond akin to soulmates, stressing unconditional love. Have you had a friend that meant more to you than romantic interests or family or societal expectations?

From What We Gathered episode three has arrived! This round, we turn to ancient Eastern Philosophy to consider types of people who might be looking to befriend us. Confucius may have an approved list, but we're discussing those he explicitly says for us to avoid least we shame ourselves and everyone we know. Are you surrounded by two-faced flatterers looking to con you out of your virtue? You may not have even realized, until now, on From What We Gathered.

On Episode 2 of From What We Gathered, we present the Stoic ideal of friendship through the teachings of Epictetus. In Stoicism, living a life of virtue means maintaining focus on wisdom, temperance, courage and justice at all times to live a life of true flourishing, whether this includes friends or not. We'll spend a good chunk of the episode contrasting Aristotle's teachings so you too can muse over which ideas resonate most with you. Both, one-or-the-other, neither? It's part of the fun of considering various philosophies!

For the first series of From What We Gathered, we've picked friendship as our primary subject to massage our brains with philosophical consideration. Kicking off the whole thing is a discussion of Hellenistic powerhouse, Aristotle, and his friendship species. By identifying the types of friendships we invest our time in, we might be able to redirect our attentions to deeper and more fulfilling relationships, but we can also enjoy a couple of mental moments of tossing our friends in the sorting hat and see if they shake out as friends of pleasure, utility or virtue.

Want to skip the pressure of listening but want to enjoy a vague after episode 'assignment'? Text/call a friend of virtue and let them know they are more than just a bff, they make you a better person. 🥰