Class is in session — and so is happy hour.
THIS MONTH’S TOPIC:
What can reality TV teach us about being real?
Reality TV is constantly criticized for being fake: fame-hungry contestants perform for the cameras and change their personalities, while editing turns anything truly raw into a polished, screen-fit product. But why are we convinced that this is any different from ordinary life?
Philosopher Alex King uses shows like Love Is Blind, The Real Housewives, and Big Brother to explore what it means to be authentic. We all adjust ourselves for different audiences, present different sides of ourselves in different relationships, and edit our lives into stories. This talk asks whether performance is really the opposite of authenticity, or whether performance is how we make become intelligible, connected, and real.
THIS MONTH’S EXPERT:
Dr. Alex King is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Department Chair at Simon Fraser University. Her research explores questions about value, morality, art, and popular culture. She is the author of What We Ought and What We Can and is the editor-in-chief of Aesthetics for Birds, a public philosophy website devoted to aesthetics and the philosophy of art. Her public-facing work has covered everything from subtlety to emoji, cosplay, Taylor Swift, and reality TV.
EVENT DETAILS:
When: Monday, August 31st
Time: 6-9pm (ARRIVE BETWEEN 6-6:30)
Where: The Pleasant, 2434 Main St.
Tickets include one free drink/person
All sales are final.
Class is in session — and so is happy hour.
THIS MONTH’S TOPIC:
What can reality TV teach us about being real?
Reality TV is constantly criticized for being fake: fame-hungry contestants perform for the cameras and change their personalities, while editing turns anything truly raw into a polished, screen-fit product. But why are we convinced that this is any different from ordinary life?
Philosopher Alex King uses shows like Love Is Blind, The Real Housewives, and Big Brother to explore what it means to be authentic. We all adjust ourselves for different audiences, present different sides of ourselves in different relationships, and edit our lives into stories. This talk asks whether performance is really the opposite of authenticity, or whether performance is how we make become intelligible, connected, and real.
THIS MONTH’S EXPERT:
Dr. Alex King is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Department Chair at Simon Fraser University. Her research explores questions about value, morality, art, and popular culture. She is the author of What We Ought and What We Can and is the editor-in-chief of Aesthetics for Birds, a public philosophy website devoted to aesthetics and the philosophy of art. Her public-facing work has covered everything from subtlety to emoji, cosplay, Taylor Swift, and reality TV.
EVENT DETAILS:
When: Monday, August 31st
Time: 6-9pm (ARRIVE BETWEEN 6-6:30)
Where: The Pleasant, 2434 Main St.
Tickets include one free drink/person
All sales are final.
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