Tell us who you pity and we’ll tell you who you are! In episode 93 of Overthink, Ellie and David guide you through the philosophy behind this “well-meaning” emotion. From Aristotle’s account of pity in theater, to problematic portrayals of disability in British charity telethons, pity has had an outsized role our social and cultural worlds. But who is the object of our pity, and why? Your hosts dissect various archetypes of pity, such as Father Mackenzie (a character in Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles) and the elusive Corn Man (a figure invented by Ellie while in Greece!). Where is the line between pity and compassion? How does pity interact with our social responsibilities and power structures? And, is pity a meaningful part of the good life, or is it an emotion we would all be better off without?Check out the episode's extended cut here!

Works DiscussedAristotle, Poetics & RhetoricThe Beatles, Eleanor RigbyDavid Hume, A Treatise of Human NatureKristján Kristjánsson, “Pity: A Mitigated Defense”Martha Nussbaum, “Tragedy and Self-Sufficiency: Plato and Aristotle on Fear and Pity”Jean-Paul Sartre, Anti-Semite and JewAdam Smith, The Theory of Moral SentimentsJoseph Stramondo, “How an Ideology of Pity is a Social Harm for People With Disabilities”Bernard Whitley, Mary Kite, and Lisa Wagner, Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination

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YouTube | Overthink podcastSpecial thanks to Alexandra Peabody for her support in researching this episode!

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