Angst!

Philosophy and the text generation.

by Michael Bruce

A Banker-Philosopher’s Request for a Second Date

Yes, you might say things that hurt me, but my feelings are already hurt. Sending me an email response (instead of talking on the phone) would better than no response at all, but I think it would be better to talk on the phone. Email communication has too much potential for misinterpretation, etc. Read More

A Meditation on Criticism

What I think most people fail to realize, and something youth can benefits from, is the tacit assumption underlying all criticism. For something to be critiqued, it has to be taken seriously. Read More

Realities of Studying Philosophy at a Non-elite School

Outside of trying to get into the "best" or highest ranked school you can get into (or can afford), many philosophy undergraduates find themselves thrown into a philosophy department, agnostic to its reputation. It is this reputation that will be a resource or liability for future schooling. Read More

Friendship After College

Have you noticed that the older you get, the harder it is to make friends? That your once large, and expanding circle of confidants has ceased growing and even shrunk? Read More

Arguments That Change Your Life

Change your philosophy, change your life? Read More

Everything I Say Is False

Can nonsense still be meaningful? Can it get the fly out of the bottle? Read More

Honesty and the Hidden Commands We Give Youth

"Beneath the appearance of a choice is a much more severe order. Not only must you visit grandma but you must want to and like it. I had such a father, which is why I hate him." Read More

Break-up Ethics

It's summer! It's hot out. It's break-up season! But do you have a plan? Read More

Netflix My Life: A Culture of Non-ownership

"Buying into the relationship" is a phrase people use when referring to ones commitment level in a relationship. Are we now streaming relationships? Are people paying their monthly dues in order to have access to an increased selection of partners and experiences without having to own [up to] anything? Read More

Smeared Makeup and Stiletto Heels

...she was not terribly concerned about the appearance of looking like a slut, so much as she was concerned about looking like an attractive slut... Read More

Marriage: Right person or right time?

"Men, typically, more often than not, have a time in their life when they are ready to get married than a person they are with... While women, more often than not, judge on who they are with." Read More

Culinary Sins and a Philosophical Confession

The argument for vegetarian is strong, but yet, I eat meat. And I love to eat meat. I'm not sure I'm quite as fanatical about delicious, perfectly cooked and sauced meat as Anthony "Pork is the answer to all problems" Bourdain, but I'm pretty damned close. Read More

Interpretations Over Time, Or, I Didn't See That Coming

Have you thought something would be a great blessing but it turned out to be an incredible headache? Have you been dragged into doing something and ended up having a fantastic time? Read More

That Will Get You Slapped! An Excerpt From College Sex

Technology gives the illusion of bringing people together, when often it is doing the exact opposite. Read More

The GRE Becomes Relevant

The GRE has changed! Antonyms and analogies have been removed from the test, so there are no questions that test vocabulary out of context. What does it all mean? Read More

Maybe your ex-boyfriend really was a Psycho

We want to believe that "deep down" everyone has a moral conscience and the capacity to be empathetic; but since this is not the case, how should this influence our behavior and decision making? Read More

All Your Girlfriends Are the Same: Freud's Conditions for Love

Do you think love and attraction are more or less determined than other aspects of life? If Freud is correct that there are conditions for love, are his categorizations still apt today and would they change over time? If you find yourself falling into Freud's conditions, does it make the experience less meanginful? Read More

Don’t take the bait! Philosophy and/of power struggles

One of the important distinctions one has to make when working with youth is determining if their questions are intended to learn something (facts), or if they are trying to draw you into a power struggle. Read More

Existentialism 2.0

Yet, have we endured the kind of circumstances that will produce a new kind of existentialism? What will be the great philosophical work that articulates our current zeitgeist? What mood will best describe us? Read More

The Internet Will Not Forget Your Birthday, Or Anything Else About You

But how can we attempt to forget when our pasts have a life of their own online? How can we change and grow when we do not have control over what is put online or how long it stays there? Read More

You [Do Not] Complete Me: Fighting Off "Soul Mates"

In an effort to praise and understand love, Aristophanes tells a tale in Plato's Symposium of how there were originally three sexes: man, woman, and a union of the two. These primeval creatures were round and had twin sets of arms and legs, and could essentially cart-wheel around. They grew strong and attacked the gods, attempting to scale heaven itself. Read More

Michael Bruce works with at-risk youth and is the editor of College Sex - Philosophy for Everyone: Philosophers With Benefits (Wiley-Blackwell).

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About Angst!

This is a blog about young people. I’m exploring the assumptions, values, and motivations in youth culture. I’ll pay particular attention to sex, love, and technology. I’ll also be touching on: science, rationality, philosophy students, life after a philosophy degree, and working with youth.