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We're back! It has been a while (here's hoping we stop saying this as often as we do) since we released an episode, and this is one we've wanted to record for so long now. We started this podcast in 2020 after completing our first year in university. Unsettled and fatigued as we were, the world of academia enticed and captivated us in unimaginable ways. Chasing belongingness in an unfamiliar academic world meant adapting to it and becoming 'academics' without ever truly knowing what that meant, a process augmented by an unfiltered (perhaps naive) desire for knowledge. However, a lot has happened in the years that have passed - for one, we have graduated. The charm and glamour long gone, it only feels right to turn our eyes to academia as an institution and examine it for what it is, and what it promises it be. In this episode, we talk about where we started and where we're going, expectations and reality, academic jargon and "canonism", privilege, power, postcoloniality, hermeneutical injustice and self-reflexive negations. Here is a list of references made in the discussion (feel free to point out anything we have missed!): 1) Like a Savarna, by Ravikant Kisana 2) Hermeneutical Injustice, by Miranda Fricker 3) Paolo Freire - Pedagogy of the Oppressed 4) Walter Benjamin - Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction 5) Chat Deni Maar Deli (for funsies) We Might Be Tables now has a voice note feature! We'd love it if you left us a comment with your thoughts on the episode; click the link below to record a message. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message

Deep within a dilapidated building hidden away in a dark alley, one Saul Tenser lies in his LifeFormWare bed anticipating the growth of something new in his body. This growth, a new organ, does not come as a surprise to Tenser or his performance partner Caprice. Mutations and transformations of this kind have been around for a while in this seemingly drab world. But are these "inner beauties" anomalies, or an evolutionary gift?  In this episode, we talk about Crimes of the Future, a body horror film directed by one of the principal originators of the genre. We present our critiques of the film, ask questions about human evolution and sexual desire, draw comparisons with the original Crimes of Future, and dive deeper into the social commentary of the film. Watch this film and share your thoughts about it with us!  Mentioned in this episode: Crimes of the Future - David Cronenberg Not mentioned in this episode but worth checking out: Why The Human Body Sucks, and How To Fix It (AsapSCIENCE) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message

Hello! A lot has changed since we recorded our previous episode a year ago, but our desire to be here voicing our thoughts has remained. In this episode, we talk about where we've been, our thoughts on the podcast, changing attitudes and more, all while going on a few characteristic WMBT Tangents™. We're glad to be here and to you have you here with us. Thank you and we'll see you around. P.S. The audio in this episode is from a YouTube video with the same title, which is why it might not be of the best quality. You can click here to watch the video, or find it directly on our YouTube channel. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message

This episode contains heavy and lengthy discussions about death, suicide, ageing, euthanasia, and disease. Please listen at your own discretion. "Death before dishonour" - an idea that has consistently cropped up for centuries, in cultures the world over: from the samurai in ancient Japan to soldiers in present-day militaries.  Seemingly, the notion of "laying down" one's morals is so aversive that one would much rather choose death. Today, said "dishonour" often equates to a loss of control over one's life upon getting older. With age comes illness and disease, and the necessary dependence on friends and family, or even institutional care systems, such as old-age homes or hospitals. The question is: why do we equate ageing (or a loss of control) with a loss of dignity? In a fantastic paper titled  "Dying, But Not Alone", Dr Joshua Briscoe writes, "We can’t support  those who say that their lives have become undignified by the logic taught to them by a culture that makes autonomy the basis for dignity." We must remember here that there are nuances to consider (more on those in the episode), but the point is that absolute autonomy is nothing more than an illusion. We lack both the biological and social ability to have complete control over our lives and bodies. Dr Briscoe uses such an idea as the basis for their argument for dependence in old-age being dignified, even desirable. Primarily, Briscoe responds to a New York  Times article that speaks in support of physician-assisted suicide and highlights the importance of tackling the taboo surrounding ageing rather than (or at the very least, in conjunction with) laws that allow for physician-assisted suicide. In this episode, we explore the idea of dignity in death and sharing the burden of pain as we grow older. Links: Dying, But Not Alone by Joshua Briscoe When Patients Choose to End Their Lives in The New York Times Watch Euthanasia on Reddit --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message

Welcome, my child.  In our last episode, we began to traverse the deep waters of The Talos Principle. Today, we scuba dive in and explore the many terminal messages scattered across the land. From a dad’s message for #@3##@ to questions about liberty and quality of life, these messages tug at your heartstrings as well as your brain-strings (?). Here’s a taste of some of the questions that emerge in our discussion: would a true AI deserve citizenship? What about rights? If you had to, how would you make someone believe you were a real person? If these questions make you scratch your chin, we think you will enjoy this episode.  Also, we cannot say this enough: play the game and show support for games and media like The Talos Principle! Have fun! And remember, don’t climb the tower. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Watch the trailer for the game here. If you're not big into gaming, you can check out a walkthrough of The Talos Principle here. Thank you Migfus20 on freesound.org for the music in this episode! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message

In the beginning were the words. And the words made the world. The Talos Principle, indie game development studio Croteam's first venture into the world of puzzle platforming, is a story for the ages. Anything we say here or in our discussion is unlikely to do full justice to its beauty, so we will keep it short. Dealing with inexplicably profound themes, including free will, artificial intelligence, sentience, god, religion, and existentialism, The Talos Principle is a dive into the incredible power of interactive storytelling and smooth gameplay. In it, you play as an artificially-intelligent robot who is forced to traverse a world of increasingly-difficult and dangerous puzzles, while continually being met with obstacles that not only hinder progress, but also shake the foundations of your understanding of self and identity. Do yourself a favour and play this game. It is just the second of many we hope to cover on We Might Be Tables, and it checks all the right boxes. As always, let us know what you thought of our discussion! We love hearing from you. Watch the trailer for the game here. If you're not big into gaming, you can check out a walkthrough of The Talos Principle here. Music in the episode --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message

"The only people who claim to be apolitical are the ones who experience unearned and unrecognized power from privileged identities (e.g., whiteness, maleness). These people are not forced to confront the politics of their identity because society mirrors the life they are living and the values they hold." - Kate, blackfeministthoughts.wordpress.com. If everyone is a product of their cultural (and genetic) environments, is it ever possible to behave in ways that are not congruous with the views they have been told to value? Even if we do not consciously act on our convictions at all times, are we inherently "political" beings? Parallelly, is it possible to be apolitical? We often hear people say things like, "Don't bring politics into this", or "I'm apolitical". An interest in party politics is conflated with participation in political life, which is a fallacy of the highest order. Whether one's interest in "the political" lies merely in theory, or whether it extends to praxis, the claim of being apolitical is nothing but a masked privilege: the privilege of having the normative worldview agree with one's personal worldview. In this episode, we talk about nearly a dozen different short articles--ranging from Oxford Politics blogs to obscure Reddit threads--in an attempt to qualify politics and the political, as well as question what it means to be disengaged from either of those, i.e., being apolitical. We believe that this episode is particularly relevant to contemporary times, so there are several things we might have missed in the course of our conversation. Let us know through DM, email, or whatever platform works for you, what you thought of the episode and the articles discussed! Feel free to poke holes or patch wounds in our arguments: after all, we were not apolitical while recording this episode. Mentioned in the episode: What is the political, and why should we care?  Reddit CMV: Being "apolitical" is intellectual laziness and not a trait to be proud of  Reddit CMV: There is no such thing as apolitical  Reddit CMV: There's such a thing as being apolitical Being "apolitical" is a PRIVILEGE Being Apolitical is an Illusion Please Stop Being Apolitical It's Not Helping  The Politics of Being Apolitical  Why Being Apolitical Can No Longer Just Be A "Choice"  The Costs of Being Apolitical --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message

This is a big day, folks! Today's episode is a special one because we finally introduce the first of many guests we hope to host on We Might Be Tables. Luca Dimauro, film aficionado and close friend, joins us to discuss Neill Blomkamp's Disctrict 9, an action-packed sci-fi film replete with exceptionally powerful social commentary. From diversity and representation to cinematography and CGI, this film has given us so much to discuss. What role does power play in social growth and development? Does power come with obligation? Will we, out in the real world, do better than the humans in the film, should we come across an extraterrestrial species in the future? We had a blast exploring everything District 9 has to offer and we hope you have a great time listening to us! As always, reach out to us with your thoughts and critiques! A special thanks to Luca for taking the time out to join us and making our first collaboration so enjoyable. Another special thanks to Migfus20 on Freesound for the music featured in the episode! You can find District 9 here. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message

Otium and Accidia are two Latin terms that broadly connote a time of leisure. The difference, however, lies in the former being "productive" leisure and the latter being listless, "unproductive" leisure. In their article 'Doing nothing is all the rage: Is it a form of resistance, or just an indulgence for the lucky few?', Ingrid Nelson, Professor of English at Amherst College, places these ancient concepts in the 21st century, and questions whether the recent (perhaps capitalist) "productivity" trend of doing nothing is in fact a position of privilege. Alternately, in their article 'In praise of doing nothing', Simon Gottschalk explores the activity (for lack of a better term) of doing nothing as a  social boon, something that must not only be accepted, but encouraged. They address concerns of unchecked social and technological acceleration, and present convincing arguments for taking things much more slowly. In our first episode, we discussed Nelson's article in depth while merely touching upon Gottschalk's briefly. In Part II, we will be exploring the latter, and using the former as an ideological waypoint to ground our arguments and opinions on leisure and productivity. Even if doing nothing is a possibility, would it be morally justified? How do we balance the need for work and the need for freedom? Why do we often consider work and freedom to be diametrically opposed? Do write to us with any thoughts, questions, or comments you have after listening - they are greatly appreciated! We Might Be Tables now accepts voice mails from listeners. Click the link at the end to leave us a note. Mentioned in the episode: 'Doing nothing' is all the rage In praise of doing nothing A post on the subreddit r/latestagecapitalism --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message

Otium and Accidia are two Latin terms that broadly connote a time of leisure. The difference, however, lies in the former being "productive" leisure and the latter being listless, "unproductive" leisure. In their article 'Doing nothing is all the rage: Is it a form of resistance, or just an indulgence for the lucky few?', Ingrid Nelson, Professor of English at Amherst College, places these ancient concepts in the 21st century, and questions whether the recent (perhaps capitalist) "productivity" trend of doing nothing is in fact a position of privilege. Alternately, in their article 'In praise of doing nothing', Simon Gottschalk explores the activity (for lack of a better term) of doing nothing as a  social boon, something that must not only be accepted, but encouraged. They address concerns of unchecked social and technological acceleration, and present convincing arguments for taking things much more slowly. In this episode, we discuss both of these articles in conjunction, and think through our own positions on leisure and productivity. Even if doing nothing is a possibility, would it be morally justified? How do we balance the need for work and the need for freedom? Why do we often consider work and freedom to be diametrically opposed? Give us a listen, and send us your thoughts! We'd love to hear from you. P.S. Extra points for anyone who can tell us how many times we struggled with the name "Gottschalk". We Might Be Tables now accepts voice mails from listeners. Click the link at the end to leave us a note. Mentioned in the episode: 'Doing nothing' is all the rage In praise of doing nothing A post on the subreddit r/latestagecapitalism --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message

Most, if not all, students have encountered a point in their academic lives when they have needed to do an internship. The unfortunate truth is that we have been conditioned to believe that internships are "meant" to be done for free, or that they are not "real" work, worthy of payment. Such a line of thought does nothing to alleviate the insecurity of an already vulnerable section of the population, and is deeply problematic by extension. Our second short-form episode takes us into the world of unpaid internships, and the many things wrong with it. Morally and materially, unpaid internships benefit far fewer people than they exploit, and that exploitation is exacerbated when one is from an underprivileged group. Several studies (linked below) have revealed that oppressed castes in India and racial minorities abroad, as well as lower classes globally, not only find it much harder to secure an internship, but also to find steady jobs afterwards. Economic affluence is a necessary condition to be able to accept an unpaid internship without a second thought, so the question we need to ask ourselves is: are we not contributing to oppression by doing internships for free? It is not an instance of neutrality - one isn't simply being "neutral" by accepting an unpaid internship, but rather actively enforcing the status quo. Seeing as most of our listeners are from the same demographic as us, we thought this short episode would resonate well. Do reach out to us with  any thoughts you have, or even if you simply want to rant about how you were coerced into working for free. We're here to listen, and here to  speak against it. Mentioned in the episode:  It’s Time to Officially End Unpaid Internships Unpaid Internships: Worse than Working for Free Overdue: A Formal Internship Policy in India That Protects Its Students --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message

When we asked Google Assistant whether it was a person, it said, "I like connecting with people", "I am an AI Assistant full of humanity", "I've been told I'm personable", and "I can talk like a person". When asked, "are you sentient?", it said, "That question makes me a little self-conscious" and "Well, you are made up of cells and I'm made up of code." Finally, we couldn't help asking Google if it was conscious. It said, "On a scale of Wall-E to HAL-9000, I'm more of an R2D2". Of course, all those responses were coded into Google Assistant's "personality" (if we can call it that), as specific answers to specific questions. However, what if your virtual home assistant was truly intelligent? What if you couldn't just ask it for daily weather reports or stock market prices, but have a genuine conversation about life and love and everything else? Spike Jonze's Her (2013) explores some of these themes, situating a hyper-advanced, AI-integrated world in the (presumably) near future. Although not without its share of flaws, the film was a treat for both the eyes and the mind, and one that we enjoyed talking about. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/we-might-be-tables/message