Philosophy and comedy share certain characteristics. At the most basic level, both philosophers and comedians ask the question, why? Why do we do things this way and not a different way? Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, for example, is a … Continue reading
Sad to hear of Stephen Covey’s death. Covey had a wonderful influence on the literature of self-help and business leadership. In a field full of charlatans, he was a good man and a great historian, who brought self-help back to … Continue reading
I’ve been researching philosophy clubs and the phenomenon of grassroots philosophy for an academic project I’m running called Philosophical Communities. The research has taken me in many different, interesting directions: 18th century coffeehouses, 19th century radical Corresponding Societies, the Chautauqua … Continue reading
Here’s a long essay I wrote in the New Inquiry, a US magazine, about how governments are trying to solve the problem of happiness. It begins with a quote from Aldous Huxley’s preface to Brave New World: ‘ The most important … Continue reading
There’s a very interesting cover story and editorial in this week’s Times Educational Supplement, suggesting that the Department of Education under the Coalition government is in the process of quietly ditching New Labour’s flagship children’s policy, Every Child Matters (ECM). … Continue reading
One of the interesting things about the politics of well-being is how, in the UK, it began as a movement on the Left, through figures like Geoff Mulgan (the head of Blair’s policy unit), and Richard Layard, but then managed … Continue reading
Check out this new advert for PRADA, made by Roman Polanski, starring Ben Kingsley and Helena Bonham-Carter. The implication is the therapist, once intended to free their patients from false illusions like consumerism, becomes himself seduced by the luxury experience. … Continue reading
Yesterday I went to see a talk by the CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh. Tony is famous around the world for the ‘happy culture’ he has created at his billion-dollar shoe company. He sees his work as a mission to … Continue reading
Over at the excellent Mind Hacks blog, is what appears to be the first recorded account of a psychedelic mushroom experience in Britain, from 1799. A forty year-old father of four, JS, collected wild mushrooms in London’s Green Park and cooked … Continue reading
Thomas Dixon and I are working on an AHRC-funded project called Philosophical Communities, which examines the history and contemporary rise of philosophy groups, clubs and associations. The Independent mentions the project in this piece today on the rise of philosophy … Continue reading