talkPOPc's Podcast
talkPOPc (Philosophers' Ontological Party club), is public philosophy + cognitively-engaged art nonprofit founded by Dr. Dena Shottenkirk, who is both a philosopher and an artist. As a topic-based project (we are now on our fourth) talkPOPc sponsors one-to-one conversations between a participant and a philosopher (who always dons our amazing gold African king hat, along with our mascot Puppet!) These conversations are consensus-building conversations and feed back into Shottenkirk's related artworks and published philosophy. The conversations become collaborative acts of making both philosophy and art. Thus, each topic - #1. nominalism, #2. censorship, #3. art as cognition, and #4 power - has three "pillars" the associated artworks, the published philosophy book, and podcast conversations. Various philosophers participate (see our website talkpopc.org for the list of philosophers) and these conversations happen in various places. For example, we go into bars and have one-to-one conversations. We sit down next to the deli counter and hold a conversation with someone who has walked in to get a ham sandwich and walked out knowing so much more about their own thoughts. We go into the MDC prison in Brooklyn and have conversations. We set up in galleries where the artworks and the philosophy are also displayed. And we listen. Here are some of those conversations.
Change happens when people talk.
talkPOPc's Podcast
Episode #130 R.P. Tyler Olds talks with talkPOPc participant Christopher about social power, community dynamics, and obligation
Timestamps:
00:10 intros
01:20 setting the stage and outfit talk
01:55 What is philosophy? The thought about thought // Power is ability, the ability to do things and influence
03:15 Power and influence, the connection to trust. Influence is capital
04:40 The power that worries us, the things out of our control. But is power control, or is it influence?
05:55 Social power and raw radical power, the power of ideas
08:00 Policy vs culture as they relate to power
09:10 Dictatorial influence and cult of personality
11:25 Tapping into conservative rage, the idea of America and change
12:40 Confidence that shifts towards hatred as an example of power
13:40 Positive power in the community, bodega comedy that brings Atlantic Avenue together
15:15 How should we measure power? Is it based on the end effects?
16:10 Negative power as a "what could happen?" vs Positive power and seeing the beauty
17:00 Does everyone have access to power as influence? If you have a role in society, you have power
18:20 The power of infants, powerful and tiny tyrants, intention is not 100% necessary
19:20 Power vs Obligation. Do others have power over us, or are we obligated to care for someone?
21:30 When power is deemed unworthy, we decide to fight against it
22:45 Babies are the in-between of influence and nature, but is intention necessary?