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talkPOPc's Podcast
talkPOPc or the Philosophers' Ontological Party club, is a public philosophy + socially engaged art practice non-profit founded by Dr. Dena Shottenkirk, who is both a philosopher and an artist. talkPOPc sponsors one-to-one conversations between a participant and a philosopher (who always dons our amazing gold African king hat!) Various philosophers participate and these conversations happen in various places. For example, we go into bars and have one-to-one conversations. Various bars, both dives and fancy. We go to Grand Central Station in New York City. We set up shop on the sidewalk outside of City Hall in Philly. We go into bodegas all over Brooklyn. 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 city parks or down dead end streets and set up the talkPOPc's tent. We listen. Here are some of those conversations.
talkPOPc's Podcast
Episode #125 R.P. Dena talks with talkPOPc participant Joshua about art, expression, and censorship
1:00 They discuss the significance of the arts in facilitating free speech and expression.
5:00 They delve into the complexities of humor and artistic expression in navigating sensitive topics.
8:00 They ponder the concept of censorship in theater, admitting uncertainty about its bounds as they haven't experienced it firsthand. However, they suggest that modern theater may offer more freedom for marginalized voices to share their stories.
10:00 They discuss how individuals edit the information they consume, choosing which ideas to allow themselves to engage with. This selective intake of information, influenced by the online dialogue regarding the validity of certain facts and perspectives, is seen as a form of censorship in the modern era.
13:00 Dena suggests that this lack of recognition of what it takes to acquire knowledge contributes to the difficulty in establishing facts. Despite these challenges, she finds value in engaging people in conversation to collate diverse opinions and perspectives on topics like censorship.
16:00 They highlight the value of collective engagement in fostering a sense of unity and collaboration, whether in a theatrical performance or an educational setting.
19:00 They draw parallels between engaging in conversation and sharing an experience in theater, both involving the idea of coming together to exchange viewpoints and connect on a deeper level.
22:00 They explore the difference between being involved in an experience versus merely observing it, and highlight the freedom and lack of defense associated with being a viewer rather than an active participant.