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“All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses, his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind.” Karl Marx might have been thinking of punk rock when he wrote these words in 1847, but he overlooked the possibility that new forms of solidity and holiness could spring into existence overnight.Punk rock was a celebration of nastiness, chaos, and defiance of convention, which quickly transcended itself and developed its own orthodoxies, shibboleths, heresies, and sectarian wars. Is punk still alive today? What has it left us with? Does punk make any artistic sense? Is punk inherently anarchist, sexist, neo-Nazi, Christian, or—perish the thought—Marxist? When all’s said and done, does punk simply suck? These obvious questions only scratch the surface of punk’s philosophical ramifications, explored in depth in this unprecedented and thoroughly nauseating volume. Thirty-two professional thinkers-for-a-living and students of rock turn their x-ray eyes on this exciting and frequently disgusting topic, and penetrate to punk’s essence, or perhaps they end up demonstrating that it has no essence. You decide. Among the nail-biting questions addressed in this book:● Can punks both reject conformity to ideals and complain that poseurs fail to confirm to the ideals of punk?● How and why can social protest take the form of arousing revulsion by displaying bodily functions and bodily abuse?● Can punk ethics be reconciled with those philosophical traditions which claim that we should strive to become the best version of ourselves?● How close is the message of Jesus of Nazareth to the message of punk?● Is punk essentially the cry of cis, white, misogynist youth culture, or is there a more wholesome appeal to irrepressibly healthy tendencies like necrophilia, coprophilia, and sadomasochism?● In its rejection of the traditional aesthetic of order and complexity, did punk point the way to “aesthetic anarchy,” based on simplicity and chaos?● By becoming commercially successful, did punk fail by its very success?● Is punk what Freddie Nietzsche was getting at in The Birth of Tragedy, when he called for Dionysian art, which venerates the raw, instinctual, and libidinous aspects of life?

Queen and Philosophy: Guaranteed to Blow Your Mind is a collection of cutting-edge philosophical essays on the rock group Queen, founded in 1970 and originally featuring lead vocalist Freddie Mercury.  Queen's reputation and fan following continue to grow in the twenty-first century. These insightful and provocative chapters include:? uncover the origins of Queen's unique style in prog rock, vulgarity, and lower versus higher Romanticism? examine Queen's view of love and friendship? draw upon three timeless Queen songs, "We Will Rock You," "We Are the Champions," and "Don't Stop Me Now" and Socrates's behavior in the Apology, to understand the "rocking" nature of philosophy? identify the connections between ancient matriarchal religion and Queen's love for strong female imagery? explore how Brian May's astrophysics brings to bear the issues of absolute versus relative spacetime and how the philosophies of Newton, Mach, and Einstein contribute to Queen's creative output? analyze the structure of Queen's sound to answer the inevitable question, How can four people make all that music?? expose what Queen's songs tell us about the contemporary theory of mental illness and therapy? scrutinize Roger Taylor's stark impressions of ordinary life and death, and their alignment to the cynical musings of Diogenes of Sinope and Seneca's blunt observations on the shortness of life? look at the movie Highlander through the music of Queen and reveal how both song and cinema convey the philosophy of bushido, the soul of the samurai

The celebrated literary critic and theorist of popular culture Paul A. Cantor predicted that the next greatest work of art in the history of world civilization will be a videogame. In the opinion of many gamers, Dark Souls is the video game that has come closest to fulfilling this prophecy. This action-adventure RPG features some of the most astounding artistry and visual imagery throughout its complex storylines. The creators' choice to intentionally direct players' focus onto individual character development through the usage of exploration, interconnecting environments, and rebirth has made Dark Souls one of the highest grossing video games of all time. Its cyclical world views make it ripe with philosophical elements and inspirations, making it truly unique and launching an unparalleled empire of gaming. Now, modern-day philosophers explore the deeper topics and issues lying within Dark Souls' lore, delving into its twists and turns to identify insightful and thoughtful discussions, idioms and thematic elements to inspire the everyday gamer. This is book #4 in our series, Pop Culture and Philosophy. -- Nicolas Michaud

Pokémon is one of the most amazing pop culture phenomena of our epoch, with deep metaphysical roots and profound philosophical implications. Pokémon and Philosophy celebrates this cultural icon while helping its readers unpack the hidden secrets of Pokémon. In this collection of essays, modern-day philosophers examine and dissect the video game extravaganza. They explore its creators' original intent to entertain audiences, as well as examine the expansion of the Pokémon empire and its various wide-reaching effects on Western popular culture. Using a collection of diverse backgrounds, cutting-edge arguments and convictions, Pokémon and Philosophy encourages its readers to stay curious and to explore the world of Pokémon a little further in our attempt to philosophically 'catch 'em all'!This is the latest edition (#6) in our series, Pop Culture and Philosophy.Nicolas Michaud has edited Batman, Superman, and Philosophy: Badass or Boyscout (2016), Discworld and Philosophy: Reality Is Not What It Seems (2016), and Frankenstein and Philosophy: The Shocking Truth (2013). He co-edited, with Jennifer Watkins, Iron Man vs. Captain America and Philosophy: Give Me Liberty or Keep Me Safe (2018).