Philosophy? WTF??

Ok, it’s the last cast of the year, you all know the drill, I’m not sure I can be bothered this week so I’m just going to phone this one in if that’s ok with the rest of you? Right, so welcome, it’s Danny and Mike, listen to us talk about stuff. Sit in amazed silence as this happens, then that, then some other stuff, possibly about social construction, possibly about Luce Irigaray, to be honest I can’t rightly remember, we are just on the other side of Christmas here, cut us some slack for pity sake. I think Danny mentions menstruation and hysteria - one of us says something meaningful about gender… yeah, pretty sure that was this cast. All this plus what, exactly, does it mean to be “non-binary”? Don’t look at us, how should we know? But, as luck would have it we have with us Sorren, the non-binary archeologist, who was prepared to share her own experiences with us for the promise of a free meal. Who are we to turn down such an offer in these difficult times?

This week, as we approach that festive time of the year, join Mike and Danny as they invite a few friends over for drinks and nibbles. Listen in as de Beauvoir tries to bogart all the vol-au-vents while arguing that she is free to range with absolutely liberty across the entire buffet and who are we to try to constrain her with our fascist party hosting ideologies.  Well, there is always at least one guest like that, right? They bring the cheap ass supermarket larger and drink all your Prosecco. Across the room you might just make out Jacques Lacan checking himself out in the mirror - I bet he thinks this cast is about him. Don’t worry, Foucault is right there taking the piss and telling him there is something caught in his teeth that he can see - that guy, anything for a laugh. Yes, it’s a party in your brain and everyone is invited but I’m not cleaning up in the morning and don’t come crying to me if you wake up with your own ID, what happens at the WTF Christmas party, stays at the WTF Christmas party.

This week, join Mike and Danny here in our bodies where we feel safest of all, we can lock all the doors, it’s the only way to live in bodies… or is it? Certainly Merleau Ponty would agree. Yes, it’s time for the physical body to not only take centre stage but to actually become the stage upon which we strut and fret and access the world. Bet you wish you’d kept it in better shape now don’t you? But don’t worry, Mike and Danny are on hand to socially reconstruct your entire reality. Gather round as they sensibly put on their philosophical hard hats and high-vis vests and set about knocking through that unsightly personal identity considered sooooo essential back in the day to create a whole new self with a lighter, airer feel to it that you will just love to invite people back to. I mean, we aren’t saying it won’t run into money and any thing we say up front is just an estimate, but totally worth it, right?

This week Mike confuses Danny with someone else, after all, how is Danny to be distinguished from anyone else? One needs to be tolerant of each other, right? Or perhaps, as Popper tells us, the tolerant society can only be tolerant by not tolerating the intolerant. To secure the essence of humanity what must we deny? How do we police our fundamental identity? What are we prepared to go to the stake for? Human dignity? Human freedom? Gender distinctions? Pineapple on pizza?? Where do we draw the line and what do we draw it in? - indelible pen? Pencil?? Chalk??? But what is this creeping up behind us smelling all sweaty and making odd noises? Yes, it’s the physical body preparing to make a reappearance and stake it’s claim to being an essential component in the quest for human identity. Watch it as it lumbers up on stage, takes the mic and starts to sing “Who You Are” by Jessie J. Yes, we are all down with the banging tunes on the WTF dance floor. All this and a retro reference to Paul McCartney and Wings for no good reason, watch out for it.

This week Mike and Danny get down to essentials but where do they take us? What is a good Danny? Who is it that decides on the “Danniness” of a thing?  Yes we are coming after you Plato, we have a guzungada and we are not afraid to use it. Also, in todays cast, beer - what is it? Is there an essential beer or is it simply a label we hang on a particular beverage? To be honest, who cares as long as it's Wittgenstein’s round, right? But who have we here traveling towards us at a reckless pace? Why I do believe it’s Aristotle… he’s traveling awfully fast… I don’t think he’s going to be able to stop…he’s going to run into Plato and  there is going to be an accident if I’m any judge you just wait and see. Yes it’s essence and accidents at WTF and who is to say which is more significant?

This week join Mike and Danny in the Philosopher’s Kitchen as they seek to impress the judges with their philo-culinary delights. Will the guest diners enjoy Danny’s Wittgenstein soufflé or will it collapse at the last minute proving to be insubstantial and nothing more than hot air? Will Mike’s Platonic pie flavoured with 'essence of human form' and served with a side of totalitarian taurine pique palates or send people scurrying to the toilet? As our conceptual cooks round off the evening with a desert constructed from leftover suspicion, a smidgin of Karl Popper sprinkled with nuts, the whole sorry mess is capped off with a nightcap of Mike over-sharing about his restaurant habits. Yes, this is where it starts guys, a feast for your minds - but remember, chew your food, enjoy it, you aren’t animals…

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