Depressive Realism and the Fiction of Agency

The provided text argues that Modernity and the Enlightenment are not actual historical phases humanity has progressed through, but rather a marketing campaign or a myth. The author posits that the archetype of the rational, autonomous individual, central to Enlightenment thought, does not accurately reflect human behaviour, even among historical intellectual figures. Through a critique of philosophical concepts, economic theories, and democratic ideals, the text suggests that society is a "cultural chimera," a blend of premodern beliefs, rationalist aspirations, and postmodern scepticism, rather than a purely rational age. The piece concludes by stating that we are defending a "ghost" of a phase that never truly existed, clinging to a simulacrum of reason that underpins our institutions.https://philosophics.blog/2025/09/13/modernity-the-phase-that-never-was/

The provided texts offer a critical analysis of science fiction and fantasy genres, particularly through the lens of Modernist thought. Bry Willis, who writes fiction as Ridley Park, express a discomfort with these genres, finding them didactic and prescriptive. Bry specifically criticises Octavia Butler's Dawn for its archetypal portrayal of its protagonist, Lilith, arguing that it reinforces rather than destabilises gender norms, a point illuminated by the theories of Simone de Beauvoir and Judith Butler. Park expands on this, suggesting that science fiction and fantasy function as political catechisms, with the former appealing to progressives and the latter to conservatives, both ultimately promoting a form of role conformity. Ultimately, both writers prefer literature that embraces ambiguity and unsettles the reader, rather than providing reassuring answers.https://philosophics.blog/2025/09/10/butler-versus-butler-on-a-bed-of-beauvoir/https://ridleypark.blog/2025/09/10/sci-fi-fantasy-and-the-politics-of-imagination/

Bry Willis shares an essay from "Philosophics" titled "The Lie That Invented Whiteness," that argues that race, specifically "whiteness," is a modern social construct, not a biological reality. It explains that Gomes de Zurara, a Portuguese chronicler, fabricated the concept of "the Blacks" in the 15th century to justify the slave trade, effectively creating a marketing tool for a new economic model. The essay critically examines how this invention occurred at the dawn of Modernity, the Age of Reason, highlighting the hypocrisy of "Enlightenment" ideals which promoted universal equality while implicitly excluding non-white individuals. Ultimately, the text asserts that racism persists not as a misunderstanding, but as a deliberate and profitable system integral to the political economy of empire and colonialism, suggesting that dismantling it is a form of "debt repayment" rather than philanthropy.

Bry Willis explores depressive realism, a psychological concept suggesting that depressed individuals might perceive reality more accurately than their non-depressed counterparts, particularly regarding a lack of control. It examines Colin Feltham's book, Keeping Ourselves in the Dark, which challenges optimistic views of progress and agency, proposing these are self-deceptions that mask life's inherent suffering and incoherence. The text then compares Feltham's pessimistic stance with other philosophical perspectives on agency and free will, including those of Octavia Butler, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Howard Zinn. Ultimately, it presents a "dis-integrationist" view, which argues that the collapse of myths surrounding agency isn't a disaster but rather an opportunity to accept life's natural flux without resorting to either hope or despair. The source critically analyses how various thinkers, including Feltham, might inadvertently reintroduce new forms of judgement when questioning the nature of human agency.https://philosophics.blog/2025/09/08/keeping-ourselves-in-the-dark-depressive-realism-and-the-fiction-of-agency/

NB: The volume at the start of this audio is low. Apologies in advance. The provided text critiques the concept of the "reasonable person" within legal and political discourse, arguing that it is often a subjective and biased standard disguised as objectivity. The author uses the United States Supreme Court and Judge Judy as examples to illustrate how this concept is employed to justify pre-existing prejudices rather than uphold impartial justice. Drawing on Iain McGilchrist's distinction between rationality and reasonableness, the article suggests that while pure rationality can be absurd without context, "reasonableness," when applied by legal authorities, often devolves into what the decision-maker personally deems obvious. Ultimately, the text argues that this imagined "reasonable person" serves as a mirror reflecting the speaker's own biases, leading to a form of legal and political theatre that prioritises curated consensus over genuine impartiality.https://philosophics.blog/2025/09/03/the-reasonable-person-from-judge-judy-to-scotus/

The provided text from "Philosophics" offers a comparative analysis of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis and Irvine Welsh's short story The Granton Star Cause. It examines how both narratives portray alienation and metamorphosis, but highlights key differences in their depiction of agency. While Kafka's character, Gregor Samsa, experiences a transformation that leads to inertia and deeper alienation, Welsh's Boab Coyle develops a "god" of vengeance that represents his latent agency and repressed desires. The article uses Critical Theory lenses from thinkers like Marx, Nietzsche, Foucault, Bataille, and Kristeva to contrast their respective explorations of power, abjection, and social marginalisation, ultimately concluding that both works illustrate the tragedy of alienation, albeit through distinct paths of stasis versus destructive spite.https://philosophics.blog/2025/08/29/boabs-god-latent-agency-in-welshs-kafkaesque-metamorphosis/

The Philosophics blog post critically examines Irvine Welsh's novel Trainspotting, specifically focusing on Mark Renton's perspective regarding the death of his friend Billy, a soldier killed in Northern Ireland. The author highlights Renton's unflinching honesty and cynicism in dissecting the circumstances of Billy's death, exposing the hypocrisy of the establishment and the illusion of heroism. Renton views Billy as a victim of imperialism, manipulated by the ruling class, and dismisses the sanitised narrative presented by media and politicians. The piece argues that Trainspotting is more than a story about drug use; it's a profound social commentary that strips away societal pretences and challenges conventional notions of allegiance and rebellion, valuing subversion over conformity.https://philosophics.blog/2025/08/28/trainspotting/

The provided text from "Philosophics" critiques the widely held belief in democracy as the optimal form of government. The author challenges conventional wisdom, arguing that foundational concepts like Karl Popper's Paradox of Intolerance and the Enlightenment's faith in reason are insufficient to address the complexities of modern political discourse. Furthermore, the piece highlights the mathematical flaws of democracy through Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem, suggesting that even with an ideal populace, a truly fair system is unachievable. Ultimately, the article disputes the efficacy of democracy in its current form, proposing that its enduring appeal might stem from its ability to manage societal chaos rather than its inherent merit or intelligence-based design, and even suggests considering alternatives like a disinterested AI for governance.https://philosophics.blog/2025/08/27/democracy-the-worst-form-of-government-and-other-bedtime-stories/

The provided text from "Pinpointing the Messiness of Language – Philosophics" explores the philosophical implications of language diversity, using LinkedIn's "match percentage" feature as a central example. It highlights how different languages, when translating a simple concept like "match," reveal fundamentally varied understandings of truth and connection. The author demonstrates that while Romance languages often imply a scholarly "correspondence" to truth, Spanish leans into "coincidence," and German refers to a "hit" or score. Meanwhile, Indonesian focuses on "suitability," and English offers a broad, somewhat ambiguous interpretation. This divergence illustrates that even a seemingly straightforward metric becomes a "polyglot mess" in translation, underscoring the inherent parochialism and metaphorical nature of language in shaping our perception of reality and truth.https://philosophics.blog/2025/08/25/pinpointing-the-messiness-of-language/

The provided text from "Philosophics" presents a polemic that uses the biological behaviour of male flatworms to metaphorically analyse human gender dynamics and power structures. The article, titled "Becoming a Woman with Penetration Politics," argues that human society, despite its advancements, still reflects a fundamental "penetration politics" akin to the flatworms' aggressive mating ritual, where penetration symbolises conquest and the imposition of reproductive burden. It directly links this concept to feminist critiques of patriarchy, suggesting that the male role is intrinsically tied to a form of subjugation through penetration. Ultimately, the text posits that humanity is hypocritical in its perceived civility, masking an underlying reality of power struggles defined by this "penetration politics."https://philosophics.blog/2025/08/21/becoming-a-woman-with-penetration-politics/