OVERTHINK

In episode 156 of Overthink, Ellie and David take a deep dive into Herbert Marcuse’s, One-Dimensional Man. They discuss Marcuse’s critique of analytic philosophy, how private space is getting crushed by new forms of social control, and how an affluent society leads to the absence of critical thinking. How does our society of one-dimensionality turn us into one-dimensional beings? Why does analytic philosophy’s obsession with formal logic prevent us from subversive modes of thinking? And how do the seeming alternatives to the status quo often end up adhering to it instead?

In episode 155 of Overthink, Ellie and David talk about treason. They look at the changes in the legal definition of treason over time, the famous treasonous acts of  Benedict Arnold, Aaron Burr, and John Brown, the political value of treason, and how the very celebration of America's founding is a celebration of treason. Who is capable of committing a treasonous act? How might treason be understood as a transgression of law itself? And is treason ever morally permissible?

In episode 154 of Overthink, Ellie and David talk to philosopher Manon Garcia about her book,  Living with Men: Reflections on the Pelicot Trial. They discuss the rape case of Gisèle Pelicot and how the subsequent trial of her husband and fifty additional men sheds light on the normalization and acceptance of sexual violence in what is known as 'rape culture.' In what ways is the current understanding of consent as ‘permission giving’ harmful?  How is heterosexual love is often tied to objectification? Why does the ‘boys will be boys’ mentality make it difficult for us to rely on the criminal justice system? And how do we live with men knowing that cases such as these are incredibly common? In the Substack bonus segment, your hosts discuss the politics of language and the risk of eroticization in recounting stories of sexual violence, and they think through where we should go from here in terms of sexual and romantic attachments to men.