RMWMTMBM Archive

How It Will Go, Episode 4: Teaching Marx

This is the fourth installment of my series How It Will Go, documenting the regularity of students’ responses to certain figures/texts and, in the occasional rare instance that it happens, noting whatever variations I witness. Today’s episode: Karl Marx on “Estranged Labor” from the Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 Context in which I teach this…

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The Academy Doesn’t Need a Civility Code. It Needs a Hostility Code.

Fair warning: what follows will assume the arguments I’ve already made against the advisability of “civility/collegiality” codes in academia here and here. Read those first.  Second fair warning:  there’s a lot to read herein before you get to my advocacy of a “hostility code.” Be patient, grasshoppers. My general blogging habit inclines me toward what…

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#JoyfulJoyfulOdetoMemphis Project (The Backstory)

I’ve never before posted about one of my rando (and, if you happen to be keeping score at home, only inconsistently successful) projects in advance of it actually being finished, *unless* I was relatively positive that said project would see itself to some non-embarrassing completion. (See: American Values Project and/or WORKING IN MEMPHIS: The Documentary for…

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Three Non-Softball Questions for Charles Mills: Marxism, Racial Liberalism and Being “Lost in Rawlsland”

I want to state for the record, right here at the start, that there is quite simply no other LIVING philosopher who has been more influential on my own work or thinking than Charles Mills.  (I emphasize “living” as a perfunctory caveat, only because both Derrida and Rawls died during my lifetime as a professional Philosopher.)  Over the last decade, I’ve…

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We’ll Get By With A Little Help From Our Friends: Dr. J’s 2015 Signal-Boosts

Just a few months ago, in September, I somewhat unceremoniously celebrated my 8th year at the helm of this still-imperfect, though incrementally improving, work-in-progress blog.  My first couple of years were an experiment, to be sure, but I found my stride here at RMWMTMBM around 2008 or so, and it’s been mostly gravy since. I’m…

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Philosophy 2014 Year in Review: The M&M Report

Each December since 2010, I’ve dedicated a few posts to subject-specific “Year in Review” lists. (You can view my previous years’ lists here.)  In the past, these lists have customarily appraised the highs and lows of politics, music, film, literature or pop culture for whatever year was drawing to its end.  That is to say,…

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#JoyfulJoyfulOdetoMemphis

We did it!  From start to finish, the #JoyfulJoyfulOdetoMemphis project was completed in less than a week. In fact, the studio recording and video editing were done in less than 48 hours!  To get some idea of what an undertaking this was, read the backstory here.  One of my favorite quotes about Memphis (from Robert…

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Grading War Letters to Home, Winter 2014 (Day Four)

These are the letters from the second day of the 2014 Grading War.  If you landed here by accident and don’t know what you’re reading, click here for the backstory. Day Four, 11:22am Dear Charles,  I post this report on my station during a brief tho welcome respite. Forgive my wretched penmanship. I write quickly &…

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Grading War Letters to Home, Winter 2014 (Day Three)

These are the letters from the second day of the 2014 Grading War.  If you landed here by accident and don’t know what you’re reading, click here for the backstory. Day Three, 9:33am My Dear Friend Charles,  Your letter from yesterday was rec’d in due time, and would have been answered ere now, but for the…

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Grading War Letters to Home, Winter 2014 (Day Two)

These are the letters from the second day of the 2014 Grading War.  If you landed here by accident and don’t know what you’re reading, click here for the backstory. Day Two, 3:05am My Dearest Leigh, You cannot imagine my joy upon receiving your letter! I worked ceaselessly to fend off any and all of…

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