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Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale (Popular Culture and Philosophy #4)
Twenty-three essays by young professional philosophers examine crucial ethical and metaphysical aspects of the Buffyverse (the world of Buffy). Though the show already attracted much scholarly attention, this is the first book to fully disinter the intellectual issues. Designed by Whedon as a multilevel story with most of its meanings deeply buried in heaps of heavy irony,
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I was going to give this book a four star rating. Up until the very last article, Feeling For Buffy: The Girl Next Door, I thoroughly enjoyed each argument, even if I had some qualms with them, primarily because, whether or not I agreed, each writer clearly loved both Buffy the character and Buffy the show. Thoroughly loved it. Even when chapter 6's Balderdash and Chicanery: Science and Beyond bored me to the point of, well, not getting the point, it was well-written and loving of the source mat
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Okay, here's the thing...
I'm a total Buffy geek. It's true, I'm way dumb for the whole thing. I think it's an amazing show, some of the best television ever made. Maybe it caught me at the right time, maybe the themes explored just really float my boat, both of these things are probably true. Do I buy merchandise? Well, I have the calendar because my Mom buys it for me every year, and I've got the series. And I've got this book. (And a few other Buffy textbooks -- yes, textbooks, you read that ...more
I'm a total Buffy geek. It's true, I'm way dumb for the whole thing. I think it's an amazing show, some of the best television ever made. Maybe it caught me at the right time, maybe the themes explored just really float my boat, both of these things are probably true. Do I buy merchandise? Well, I have the calendar because my Mom buys it for me every year, and I've got the series. And I've got this book. (And a few other Buffy textbooks -- yes, textbooks, you read that ...more
A mixed bag of essays. Some of the standouts, in my opinion:
BtVS as Feminist Noir (Thomas Hibbs)
Feminism and the Ethics of Violence (Mimi Marinucci)
Balderdash and Chicanery: Science and Beyond (Andrew Aberdein)
"My God, It's Like a Greek Tragedy": Willow Rosenberg and Human Irrationality (James South)
Passion and Action: In and Out of Control (Carolyn Korsmeyer)
Brownskirts: Fascism, Christianity, and The Eternal Demon (Neal King) (A very provocative reading of BtVS as embodying fascist ideology.)
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BtVS as Feminist Noir (Thomas Hibbs)
Feminism and the Ethics of Violence (Mimi Marinucci)
Balderdash and Chicanery: Science and Beyond (Andrew Aberdein)
"My God, It's Like a Greek Tragedy": Willow Rosenberg and Human Irrationality (James South)
Passion and Action: In and Out of Control (Carolyn Korsmeyer)
Brownskirts: Fascism, Christianity, and The Eternal Demon (Neal King) (A very provocative reading of BtVS as embodying fascist ideology.)
N ...more
An academic collection of essays and articles which applies philosophical theory to the popular television show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
This book is not for the casual fan. The concepts and themes are on a high intellectual level. Discussions are in-depth and not terribly enjoyable to read, but those looking for a deeper understanding of the show will be rewarded. Some essays will cause you to question your enjoyment of the show and some will challenge you to re-think your conception of your ...more
This book is not for the casual fan. The concepts and themes are on a high intellectual level. Discussions are in-depth and not terribly enjoyable to read, but those looking for a deeper understanding of the show will be rewarded. Some essays will cause you to question your enjoyment of the show and some will challenge you to re-think your conception of your ...more
This was a great collection, and a lot deeper than I had expected it to be. There's something for everyone in this tome. Some essays were less good than others but they were, mostly, greatly written and erudite.
For me "My God it's like a Greek tragedy" - the piece on Willow and irrationality, "Buffy in the Buff", "Between Heavens and Hells: The Multidimensional Universe in Kant and BtVS", "Prophecy girl and the Powers that Be" and "Feminism and the Ethics of violence", really stood out to me. ( ...more
For me "My God it's like a Greek tragedy" - the piece on Willow and irrationality, "Buffy in the Buff", "Between Heavens and Hells: The Multidimensional Universe in Kant and BtVS", "Prophecy girl and the Powers that Be" and "Feminism and the Ethics of violence", really stood out to me. ( ...more
Is Buffy a good role model? How about a feminist figure? Perhaps she's a proto-fascist icon? And how about Faith - does she prove or disprove the nihilist philosophy of Nietzsche? Why is Spike a better human being than Xander? And what does the tragedy of Willow Rosenberg tell us about the irrationality of the human mind? Or is all of this just so much spitting in the wind, reading too much into what just amounts to a hijacking of base Freudian impulses?
It's a fascinating book, especially for Bu ...more
It's a fascinating book, especially for Bu ...more
Sep 12, 2008
Alicia
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Buffy Fans
Shelves:
history-philosophy,
pop-culture
I read this book on the L train, to and from my first professional Costuming job at the Goodman theatre in Chicago. I loved it. I was an immediate fan of the show after watching the very first episode. I'll never forget the vivid memory of rehashing every detail with my lab partner in Ms. Shaw's chemistry class the next day. I followed it all the way through to the end, which is a rarity in my life as I seem to loose interest or excitement for most shows after a few seasons.
This book justified ...more
This book justified ...more
I'm no philosophy expert or anything, but I know my Buffy. I've seen the whole series multiple times (yeah, I'm one of those people). When I saw a book that combined Buffy with philosophy (especially given that I was taking a philosophy course in college at the time), I obviously had to buy it.
It's a really interesting book, mostly just expanding on things that I had thought about while watching the show. The thing is, an intelligent show like Buffy (which yes, I believe it is an intelligent sho ...more
It's a really interesting book, mostly just expanding on things that I had thought about while watching the show. The thing is, an intelligent show like Buffy (which yes, I believe it is an intelligent sho ...more
I have only read a few selected essays and portions of essays so far. I found there were too many spoilers and I had not yet seen all the episodes when I received this book as a gift.
I came into the Buffy series originally in the middle of Season 5, watched through the end of Season 8, and saw scattered portions of Seasons 1 through 5 when it was syndicated, in no particular order. Since the DVDs came out, I have been working my way through the entire 7 seasons sequentially (mid-Season 6 now)an ...more
I came into the Buffy series originally in the middle of Season 5, watched through the end of Season 8, and saw scattered portions of Seasons 1 through 5 when it was syndicated, in no particular order. Since the DVDs came out, I have been working my way through the entire 7 seasons sequentially (mid-Season 6 now)an ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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This books functions both as entertainment and intellectual exercise for BtVS fans, as well as a useful intro for philosophy novices. I knew essentially zilch about philosophy when starting this book, and I could still follow along without trouble. I don't know whether or not someone with more philosophy knowledge might find themselves frustrated.
While I didn't find any of the essays to be works of incredible genius, most of them are solid and interesting. I was especially fond of the two Faith ...more
While I didn't find any of the essays to be works of incredible genius, most of them are solid and interesting. I was especially fond of the two Faith ...more
My book blog/project site ---> http://allthebookblognamesaretaken.bl...
Firstly, I think this would have been better had it been written after the show ended. Leaving out season 7 was kind of huge. Joss made it pretty clear that 7 was the magic number, so we knew that was likely when the show would end.
As I said in a recent review of another Buffy-related book, I'm way stupid in love with this show, though it's been off the air some 10 years. It's even kind of awkward typing that sentence, but ...more
Firstly, I think this would have been better had it been written after the show ended. Leaving out season 7 was kind of huge. Joss made it pretty clear that 7 was the magic number, so we knew that was likely when the show would end.
As I said in a recent review of another Buffy-related book, I'm way stupid in love with this show, though it's been off the air some 10 years. It's even kind of awkward typing that sentence, but ...more
So, I'm all for a psychological view into a series such as Buffy that I love. But honestly, I didn't need to read four different people's views on the same character, in which all four reference the same psychological theories, beliefs, etc.
While I enjoyed most of the essays, this collection would have greatly benefited if it had been published after Season 7 of Buffy.
The last article was complete crap though, as obviously shown in the authors' (Michael P. Levine & Steven Jay Schneider) use of Freud (and his Oedipus theory, no less, which has been widely discredited and was made up in a moment of desperation by Freud) to make their point that Buffy is a sex object, and that's why people watch BtVS. Seriously??? There are way l ...more
The last article was complete crap though, as obviously shown in the authors' (Michael P. Levine & Steven Jay Schneider) use of Freud (and his Oedipus theory, no less, which has been widely discredited and was made up in a moment of desperation by Freud) to make their point that Buffy is a sex object, and that's why people watch BtVS. Seriously??? There are way l ...more
Hugely informative book that uses Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a tool to examine various schools of philosophical thought. Other than knowing the names of famous philosophers I was largely ignorant of what their various theories entailed, so found this volume of essays incredibly useful in getting the gist.
Some of the essays and points within I agreed with, others not so much, but most were entertaining nonetheless - particular favourites included a look at Nietzschean morality through the charac ...more
Some of the essays and points within I agreed with, others not so much, but most were entertaining nonetheless - particular favourites included a look at Nietzschean morality through the charac ...more
I am one of those fans who has watched the entire series through about 8 times, while also watching individual episodes countless times outside the series arc. I know A LOT about Buffy. I also hate philosophy, but I couldn't pass up on this book, I just thought the idea was so interesting. And I wasn't disappointed. It was incredibly gratifying to see that there are other people out there who have put as much thought into Buffy as I have.
There were essays that I really liked, essays that I didn ...more
There were essays that I really liked, essays that I didn ...more
From 1997 to 2003, a tv show about a blonde high school girl fighting the forces of darkness gripped a nation. Week after week, teenagers and adults alike found themselves glued to the television, riveted by one girl’s neverending struggle to keep evil at bay. It was one swell ride.
Philosophy isn’t for everybody. Even though these essays revolve around one of the most popular television shows ever to emerge from the 20th century on into the 21st, the text can get a little dense at times. Referen ...more
Philosophy isn’t for everybody. Even though these essays revolve around one of the most popular television shows ever to emerge from the 20th century on into the 21st, the text can get a little dense at times. Referen ...more
Feb 12, 2009
Tessa
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
fans of BtVS (who can stomach philosophy)
Shelves:
philosophy,
pop-culture
I got this book as a lark, because it combines (quite literally in the title) two very near & dear loves of mine: both of which contain the secret of life. But pop culture philosophy? HOW DO YOU TURN THAT DOWN? The larkiness compels me.
I read this mostly in the bathtub with a glass of wine and a lot of bubbles. At the same time i was working through my second viewing of the series in its entirety (after getting the special boxed set off Amazon for a sale price) nearly achieving total immersi ...more
I read this mostly in the bathtub with a glass of wine and a lot of bubbles. At the same time i was working through my second viewing of the series in its entirety (after getting the special boxed set off Amazon for a sale price) nearly achieving total immersi ...more
When you think philosophy, you normally don't think Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but clearly someone did, because this volume of essays exists. What it purports to do is look at Joss Whedon's creation, looking at its philosophical underpinnings.
What really happens is that various academic writers use Buffy to explore their favourite philosophical strand. Or a specific element of the series is twisted and contorted to fit the particular philosophical world view of the papers author. And then there a ...more
What really happens is that various academic writers use Buffy to explore their favourite philosophical strand. Or a specific element of the series is twisted and contorted to fit the particular philosophical world view of the papers author. And then there a ...more
The essays in this collection can seem a bit repetitive, but their riffs on similar topics serves the purpose of academic debate and, taken together, they form a solid collection of Buffy scholarship that raises important and intriguing philosophical issues. Most interesting are essays concerning Buffy as moral guide ("Should We Do What Buffy Would Do?" by Jason Kawal and "Justifying the Means: Punishment in the Buffyverse" by Jacob M. Held), religion and rationality ("Prophecy Girl and the Powe
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My last thought upon finishing this book was "WTF?". The last article was literally one scholar who was thumbing his nose at all the other scholars on the playground because he, being the awesome person that he is, knew the true reason why Buffy was such a cult classic and all the other scholars out there were just simpering morons who couldn't count. While it made for an enjoyable article, and an interesting close to the book, it made me sad that no one once addressed what could possibly be the
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IMPRESSION
This book turns out to be a nice "primer" on philosophy-stuff for me because it was really helpful to relate concepts to specific things from Buffy, like how I can easily comprehend retributive punishment by thinking of vengeance/justice demons, and utilitarian punishment by thinking of Giles when he had to kill Ben/Glory. I like that a lot, makes it easier to consider myself in these positions. A lot of things in here to think about: eudaimonism in Faith's pleasure-seeking tendencies ...more
This book turns out to be a nice "primer" on philosophy-stuff for me because it was really helpful to relate concepts to specific things from Buffy, like how I can easily comprehend retributive punishment by thinking of vengeance/justice demons, and utilitarian punishment by thinking of Giles when he had to kill Ben/Glory. I like that a lot, makes it easier to consider myself in these positions. A lot of things in here to think about: eudaimonism in Faith's pleasure-seeking tendencies ...more
I originally bought this book for a paper I had to write a few semesters ago for an ethics class. If you can take your favorite television show and look at it from a literary and academic standpoint, this book is for you. The book takes Buffy and compares it to numerous things (including feminist ethics my personal favorite).
The only reason I marked it as four stars instead of five is at times the language is too academic for the average fan of the show. Some of the things would be much easier ...more
The only reason I marked it as four stars instead of five is at times the language is too academic for the average fan of the show. Some of the things would be much easier ...more
Out of the 22 essays in the book, I felt that perhaps six, at most, were well-written and solid in their arguments. While the first "Codex", which dealt with Buffy and feminism in a fairly atrocious and patronising manner, nearly made me give up on the book altogether, Codex 3 (Buffy and Ethics) and Codex 4 (Religion and Politics in Buffyverse) saved quite a lot by taking a clear and concise look into the morals of Buffyverse.
Kudos to the editor for including the somewhat subversive final essay, ...more
Kudos to the editor for including the somewhat subversive final essay, ...more
As a typical rule, I don't like philosophy much, but I LOVE Buffy. It made the philosophy so much more interesting and relatable when it was wrapped in a context I like. Not all the essays were created equal, but overall, I enjoyed the book.
The essays in this volume tended toward the uneven, both in entertainment and scholarship. Some showed real insight, others made made some more minor, but provocative, points and yet others said very little of anything. There is a bit too much padding and the more eloquent and evocative passages are too few and far between. Drawing from its subject, I also think it could stand to borrow more humour.
If you are just vaguely familiar with philosophy, this book may impart some history, but for those ...more
If you are just vaguely familiar with philosophy, this book may impart some history, but for those ...more
The idea behind these 'pop culture and philosophy' books is so cool, and then I remember that I HATED philosophy classes. I think what I really want is more like 'literary analysis and discussion of pop culture' books. Of course with any sort of anthology it's a mixed bag. Some essays were more interesting than others, and I'm sure if I remembered more about my philosophy 101 I would have been able to follow some better.
If you're a big nerdy Buffy fan and are willing to skim the stuff you don't ...more
If you're a big nerdy Buffy fan and are willing to skim the stuff you don't ...more
A couple of these essays are excellent; provacative and well-written and entertaining. Some of them are not so excellent, and are either boring or are barely more than a fan's senior thesis wherein the Buffyverse is merely a convenient and cheeky sandbox in which to hash out barely relevant philosophical theories. I particularly like the essay “Faith and Plato: 'You’re nothing! Disgusting, Murderous Bitch!'” by Greg Forster, wherein he asks whether or not the story of Faith is an example of Plat
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I never really cared much for this show, but I stumbled across this book and said, Why not, the concept is hilarious. Previously I'd enjoyed Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the Soul, but the essays here mostly seemed dull or too far out there. (Disclaimer: I didn't attempt to read all of them.)
These essays illustrate just how disjointed and inconsistent Buffy as a series became over the course of its run. Many of the essays in this book try to follow the behaviors of a character or two throughout the seven years of the show and rationalize through a philosophical theory these actions. It doesn't work except to create a rather dull book. For a better primer to philosophy that also uses a television series as its central theme, read Philosophy and the Simpsons: The D'Oh of Homer.
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