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All Things Interrogated: Why I Love Trauma (And You Should, Too!)

I have a vivid image in my mind of the first image that scared me. A little girl shambling towards the camera. A white nightgown contrasted against blood. At the time I was under ten and was flipping between channels. News, sports, sitcoms and a zombie pacing methodically pacing towards a mother. A mother froze by the realization that her daughter was something more than dead, and that she was not on the menu. At the time, I hadn't begun watching scary movies and was not able to place the film. Years later I stumbled on the remake of Night of the Living Dead (1990).  The scene which once froze my little mind was not a cause for cheering. The undead proletariat proved the fallacy of the self-preservation basement logic. A cause for celebration! Transformation! Transubstantiation! But what changed? The obvious answer is that between the 10 years between the two viewings I ingested a whole library of film and philosophy.  The sensation changed from what I remember. Terror wa
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Philosophizing The Walking Dead S3E16: Welcome to the Tombs and the Violence of Nonviolence

Welcome to our journey into the guts of The  Walking Dead . What kind of journey? A philosophical, psychoanalytical and political kind. What I would like to do over the next couple months is dig through the  Walking Dead  episode by episode to see what it can teach us. Thank you for following me on this journey. I look forward to reading your comments. Be forewarned:  There are spoilers everywhere.  Don’t forget to check out my previous post in the Philosophizing TWD series:  Philosophizing TWD S3E15 This Sorrowful Life | Who Is Morally Superior - Rick Or Merle? I never liked Andrea. From the start, she represented the senseless do-gooder. The only character positioning herself in the center of needed violence and calling for peace. On the opposite of the spectrum is Milton. The cowardly scientist. Both characters present the same obstacle. Andrea and Milton’s desire to avoid violence results not only in their own demise but escalates the bloodshed between the rival factions.

Open Letter to President Trump - An Offer You Shouldn't Refuse

Open Letter to President Trump, You represent the worst society has to offer. Not only has the democratic process been destroyed beyond all recognition but you have inspired a hate not seen since Hitler. You've given the country's idiots permission to let lose the full brunt of their bigotry. You've turned back the clock on women, LGBTQ, and human rights. And you did so haphazardly, for the lulz. But I am hopeful, I'd like to think you'd agree, preventing Hitler-like behavior is a good idea. I'd like to make you an offer. But first, let me tell you how you broke my heart today.

Flashback Weekend Chicago 2016 Review: Screw You Neve Cambell!

I went into Flashback Weekend giddy as a zombie cheerleader at homecoming. My giddiness rotted quickly by a serious of events that I should have seen coming. 15 dollars for parking at an event I paid 100+ to attend. Overcrowded and under-entertained I left the convention early. Bored, disgusted and with the feeling that my time would have been spent better on my couch watching movies. Between ruthless consumerism and overpriced merchandise, a couple moments stood out to me. Below are my experiences with Flashback Weekend 2016. 2 pm – 3 pm Since moving to Chicago I have been hesitant to attend Flashback Weekend. Flashback Weekend is a long running Horror Movie convention. This is my first convention so I do not know what to expect. On the one hand, I am a horror fan and excited at the idea of surrounding myself with all things creepy. On the other hand, I am also a veteran with PTSD and cringe at the thought of entering crowded spaces full of strangers. This twinge gidd

Philosophizing The Walking Dead S3E15 This Sorrowful Life | Who Is Morally Superior - Rick Or Merle?

Welcome to our journey into the guts of The  Walking Dead . What kind of journey? A philosophical, psychoanalytical and political kind. What I would like to do over the next couple months is dig through the  Walking Dead  episode by episode to see what it can teach us. Thank you for following me on this journey. I look forward to reading your comments. Be forewarned:  There are spoilers everywhere.  Don’t forget to check out my previous post in the Philosophizing TWD series:   Philosophizing TWD S3E14 Prey Or Suffer Not A Liberal To Live Merle shares many traits with my favorite character from Game of Thrones. The Hound. Merle and The Hound are wild cards. They are characters freed from social contracts and internal consistency. This freedom allows Merle l a wider ethical berth than most of the characters on the show. Rick, unlike Merle, is trapped in his need to maintain moral consistency in his sense of self and political persona. While Merle’s freedom allows him to do great evi

Philosophizing The Walking Dead S3E14 Prey Or Suffer Not A Liberal To Live

Welcome to our journey into the guts of The Walking Dead. What kind of journey? A philosophical, psychoanalytical and political kind. What I would like to do over the next couple months is dig through the Walking Dead episode by episode to see what it can teach us. Thank you for following me on this journey. I look forward to reading your comments. Be forewarned: There are spoilers everywhere. Don’t forget to check out my previous post in the Philosophizing TWD series: Philosophizing The Walking Dead S3E13 Arrow On The Doorpost Or How do Survivor Groups Go To War? Andrea was provided with many opportunities to kill the Governor but she failed to shot, stab or bash his face in. This begs the question, is Andrea a coward? Is she afraid to kill the Governor because she fears the repercussions that Woodbury will sentence her to death? Or is Andrea’s fear is rooted in something subtle? The democratic misconception that everyone’s perspective are worthy of existence?

Philosophizing The Walking Dead S3E13 Arrow On The Doorpost Or How do Survivor Groups Go To War?

Welcome to our journey into the guts of The  Walking Dead . What kind of journey? A philosophical, psychoanalytical and political kind. What I would like to do over the next couple months is dig through the  Walking Dead  episode by episode to see what it can teach us. Thank you for following me on this journey. I look forward to reading your comments. Be forewarned:  There are spoilers everywhere.  Don’t forget to check out my previous post in the Philosophizing TWD series: Philosophizing The Walking Dead S3E12 Clear and Unpresent Danger In Arrow on the Doorpost, Rick and the governor meet to discuss terms for peace. Until this episode, the Ricktatorship and the town of Woodbury had not formally recognized each other as equal political entities. As viewers, we get a large perspective of the organizational structure of the two survivor groups. Both share similar qualities; autocratic governance, leadership willing go against popular, and minimal midlevel leadership.