Episode 113: Awkwardness with Alexandra Plakias
Awkward moments are everywhere you look. In episode 113 of Overthink, Ellie and David invite philosopher Alexandra Plakias to talk through her research on awkwardness. They discuss from oversharing online to uncomfortable silences, power, morality, and the core scripts of our social expectations.
Episode 97: Cities
From Plato’s spotless Republic to Saudi Arabia’s futuristic The Line, they talk the foul and the vibrant of what it means to live in a city. Why are there so few public plazas in Brasilia? Why did David lose his wallet in Mexico City? How do gridded street layouts reflect colonial fantasies?
Episode 88: Food with Shanti Chu
In episode 88, we explore the philosophy of food, discussing everything from Glaucon’s speech in Plato’s Republic, to the link between cultural identity and culinary taste. They welcome food critic and philosophy professor Shanti Chu for conversation on the gendering of meals, the ethics of food systems (lab-grown meat, anyone?), the future of restaurants, and much more. Bon appetit!
Episode 77: Orgasm
Orgasm. Fireworks, a gushing waterfall, little death. In episode 77 of Overthink, Ellie and David discuss how philosophy, phenomenology, evolutionary biology, and psychoanalysis interpret the experience of orgasm. They tackle what the orgasm gap says about the state of gender and sex in our society.
Episode 71: Emotional Labor
Emotional labor is a term that many use in popular discourse without really understanding. Two experts explain the concept as originally defined by Arlie Hochschild and in terms of the exploitation of women under patriarchy, including Ellie Anderson’s concept of hermeneutic labor.
Episode 60: Influencers
Influencers have taken over the online world, promoting everything from brands to lifestyle changes. But, what does it mean to exert influence over somebody and how has the rise of social media created a whole new category of the influencer?
Episode 58: Feminism (feat. Carol Hay)
What’s the status of feminism today in the wake of #metoo, Dobbs, and more? How does feminist philosophy shed light on the nature of sexism and patriarchy? We interview Carol Hay, author of Think Like a Feminist.
Episode 49: Gossip
Overthink spills the tea on why gossip is a crucial form of social bonding, especially for the oppressed.
Episode 44: Heteropessimism
Are straight people OK? Why are women so rampantly dissatisfied in heterosexual relationships with men, and so often expressing feelings of regret about being straight? Feminist philosophy has some clues.
Episode 35: Hooking Up
Professors Ellie and David discuss the ethics and gender politics of hookup culture on college campuses and beyond.
Episode 21: Gaslighting
Look no further for a deep dive into what "gaslighting” means. Can someone gaslight unintentionally? How is gaslighting used as a tool of oppression? And how do we distinguish gaslighting from simple disagreement?
Episode 19: Genius
Why did Kant think women—and scientists—couldn’t be geniuses? Is genius innate? How is the concept of genius structured by sociological conditions, and what does this say about our views of art?