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The Philosophy of Popular Culture
The Philosophy of the Western
The western is arguably the most iconic and influential genre in American cinema. The solitude of the lone rider, the loyalty of his horse, and the unspoken code of the West render the genre popular yet lead it to offer a view of America's history that is sometimes inaccurate. For many, the western embodies America and its values. In recent years, scholars had declared the western genre dead, but a steady resurgence of western themes in literature, film, and television has reestablished the genre as one of the most important. In The Philosophy of the Western, editors Jennifer L. McMahon and B. Steve Csaki examine philosophical themes in the western genre. Investigating subjects of nature, ethics, identity, gender, environmentalism, and animal rights, the essays draw from a wide range of westerns including the recent popular and critical successes Unforgiven (1992), All the Pretty Horses (2000), 3:10 to Yuma (2007), and No Country for Old Men (2007), as well as literature and television serials such as Deadwood. The Philosophy of the Western reveals the influence of the western on the American psyche, filling a void in the current scholarship of the genre.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 24, 2018
Very insightful take on the Western Genre and the conventions that make it what it is.
February 9, 2026
A book composed of various philosophical essays on North American Western culture. A pleasure to read, with good philosophical interpretations of several classics of the genre.
May 2, 2015
The Philosophy of the Western is a misleading title on an interesting book. For one, it's more like several philosophies instead of just one, as it consists of essays by a variety of authors that reflect on Western movies in light of different philosophical concepts. For another, although there are several characteristics that many Western movies share, they have enough differences that it's tough to pin down "the" philosophy that they rest on.
That being said, the book, edited by Jennifer L.McMahon and B. Steve Csaki and part of "The Philosophy of Popular Culture" series, still provides a lot of food for thought. The best art is about the human condition, and philosophy has as one of its primary tasks reflection upon just that subject. The different authors use some of the better and better-known Westerns as the touchpoints for their work and focus on movies. Television Westerns and books are, with one exception, left out.
Chances are pretty good that the moviemakers involved with these particular titles didn't necessarily think in terms of philosophical schools of thought. But that doesn't mean that some of what they did doesn't fall within those schools. One essay examining the essence of the Western hero uses the way that the two different versions of 3:10 to Yuma describe masculinity and in so doing, show the influence of John Locke on American thought up until the middle of the 20th century. Another uses three iconic John Wayne movies to discuss pragmatism, and others explore the idea of how a society orders itself using the TV series Deadwood and the Sam Peckinpah classic The Wild Bunch.
Not every essay's a hit. Some consume themselves with identity politics and drown in silly deconstructionist verbiage. Western depictions of women and of Native Americans offer a lot of room for reflection, but none of the essays covering those areas actually bothers to reflect. Or if they do, they've thrown in so much postmodern jargon that it's a very dull reflection indeed. An essay about revisionist Westerns by Deborah Knight and George McKnight isn't much more than a name-check of Westerns and philosophical writers.
But enough of the book is interesting to make it worth the read for people who like to 1) Watch movies, especially Westerns and 2) Think about the stuff that they watch.
Original available here.
That being said, the book, edited by Jennifer L.McMahon and B. Steve Csaki and part of "The Philosophy of Popular Culture" series, still provides a lot of food for thought. The best art is about the human condition, and philosophy has as one of its primary tasks reflection upon just that subject. The different authors use some of the better and better-known Westerns as the touchpoints for their work and focus on movies. Television Westerns and books are, with one exception, left out.
Chances are pretty good that the moviemakers involved with these particular titles didn't necessarily think in terms of philosophical schools of thought. But that doesn't mean that some of what they did doesn't fall within those schools. One essay examining the essence of the Western hero uses the way that the two different versions of 3:10 to Yuma describe masculinity and in so doing, show the influence of John Locke on American thought up until the middle of the 20th century. Another uses three iconic John Wayne movies to discuss pragmatism, and others explore the idea of how a society orders itself using the TV series Deadwood and the Sam Peckinpah classic The Wild Bunch.
Not every essay's a hit. Some consume themselves with identity politics and drown in silly deconstructionist verbiage. Western depictions of women and of Native Americans offer a lot of room for reflection, but none of the essays covering those areas actually bothers to reflect. Or if they do, they've thrown in so much postmodern jargon that it's a very dull reflection indeed. An essay about revisionist Westerns by Deborah Knight and George McKnight isn't much more than a name-check of Westerns and philosophical writers.
But enough of the book is interesting to make it worth the read for people who like to 1) Watch movies, especially Westerns and 2) Think about the stuff that they watch.
Original available here.
April 18, 2012
Most of these pop-culture philosophy books are a mixed bag, and so is this one. But the majority of these essays are excellent, especially:
Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling: Loneliness and Solitude in Westerns
Civilization and Its Discontents: The Self-Sufficient Western Hero
Two Ways to Yuma: Locke, Liberalism, and Western Masculinity in 3:10 to Yuma
Order Out of the Mud: Deadwood and the State of Nature
The Duty of Reason: Kantian Ethics in High Noon
Back Off to What? The Search for Meaning in The Wild Bunch
No Country for Old Men: The Decline of Ethics and the West(ern)
The Northwestern: McCabe & Mrs. Miller
If you love philosophy and/or Westerns, pick this one up.
Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling: Loneliness and Solitude in Westerns
Civilization and Its Discontents: The Self-Sufficient Western Hero
Two Ways to Yuma: Locke, Liberalism, and Western Masculinity in 3:10 to Yuma
Order Out of the Mud: Deadwood and the State of Nature
The Duty of Reason: Kantian Ethics in High Noon
Back Off to What? The Search for Meaning in The Wild Bunch
No Country for Old Men: The Decline of Ethics and the West(ern)
The Northwestern: McCabe & Mrs. Miller
If you love philosophy and/or Westerns, pick this one up.
June 14, 2012
I enjoyed reading about the philosophy of the Western. It raised many points that I hadn't considered before. Recommended reading for anyone who loves Westerns.
January 29, 2015
Too much philosophy, not enough western.
August 2, 2020
Interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews