Episode 133: On Weirding, and the Virtues of Unknowing Everything

Weird Studies

Phil Ford and J. F. Martel

Society & Culture, Arts, Philosophy

4.8 • 688 Ratings

🗓️ 19 October 2022

⏱️ 72 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

With the term "weird studies" gaining currency inside and outside academia, Phil and JF thought it was time to discuss the philosophical method they've been developing on the podcast since 2018. Borrowing a term from Erik Davis, they call it weirding, and here set about trying to understand what it is, and what it means. David Lynch's fondness for crying, the practice of queering in cultural theory, the all-too-real phenomenon of "global weirding,"the spooky agency of artworks, and the tragic death of E.T. at the hands of Damien Hirst are just a few of the subjects touched on in the conversation. "Weirding" also happens to be the working title of the book your hosts are writing for Strange Attractor Press, as well as an eight-week series of lectures and discussions starting October 25th, 2022, on the Nura Learning platform. Header image: David Lynch, Mulholland Drive Link to the upcoming course: Weirding: An 8-Week Course With the Hosts of the Weird Studies Podcast SHOW NOTES Ludwig van Beethoven, 9th Symphony James Elkins, Pictures and Tears Eugenie Brinkema, The Form of the Affects David Lynch (dir.), Mulholland Drive Gilkes Deleuze and Felix Guattari, What is Philosophy? Weird Studies, Episode 121 on “Mandy” Erik Davis and Timothy Morton, “Uncanny Objects” episode of Expanding Minds Coen brothers (dir.), Hail Caesar Esther Williams, American swimmer Weird Studies, Episode 120 on Radical Mystery Douglas Rushkoff, Survival of the Richest William Shakespeare, Macbeth Erik Davis, “Weird Shit” Pete Docter and Bob Peterson (dir.), Up Steven Spielberg (dir.), E.T. Alejandro Jodorowsky, Psychomagic Martin Buber, I and Thou Gilbert Simondon, Imagination and Invention Weird Studies, Episode 106 the Wanderer Charles Ludlam, “On Camp” in Ridiculous Theater Weird Studies, Episodes 14 and 15 on “Stalker Weird Studies, Episode 35 on M. C. Richards’ “Centering” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Spectrevision Radio
0:03.3	Welcome to Weird Studies, an arts and philosophy podcast with hosts Phil Ford and J.F. Martel.
0:20.8	For more episodes or to support the podcast,
0:23.3	go to weirdst. This is Phil.
0:52.8	If you've been listening to this show for any length of time, you will have noticed that
0:57.1	J.F. and I tend to pursue our thoughts along two paths. Along one path, we discuss things that
1:03.1	almost anyone would agree are weird. Spooky magical tomes or the short stories of Thomas
1:08.3	Legati, stuff like that. Along the other path, we discuss things that at first blush don't seem that weird at all.
1:15.4	Raiders of the Lost Ark, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band, Walking,
1:20.1	things whose weirdness is latent, even hidden, and needs to be drawn out through
1:25.1	philosophical practice.
1:27.2	Such a practice might be called weirding,
1:29.6	a word I first heard used by Eric Davis in an interview with Timothy Morton.
1:34.4	This week's episode is on weirding,
1:36.7	a method of perception, analogous to queering,
1:39.3	by which the mystery that lies at the root of all things becomes manifest.
1:45.8	Today's show could be compared to episode 120 on Radical Mystery, and episode 106, The Wanderer, which likewise find J.F. and
1:53.1	me thinking about thinking. As weird studies has grown, we have been reflecting more and more
1:58.9	on what kind of intellectual project it represents,
2:01.9	and what kinds of thinking are proper to it. And the practice of weirding is the beating heart
2:07.7	of weird studies. So last year, when we were considering how to frame the book we wanted to
2:13.6	write, it quickly became clear that we wanted to write a book on weirding. Thus,
	...

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