Wisnewski - The Office and Philosophy: Scenes from the Unexamined Life

The Blackwell Philosophy and PopCulture Series

Series editor William Irwin

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, and a healthy helping of popular culture clears the cobwebs from Kant. Philosophy has had a public relations problem for a few centuries now. This series aims to change that, showing that philosophy is relevant to your lifeand not just for answering the big questions like To be or not to be? but for answering the little questions: To watch or not to watch South Park? Thinking deeply about TV, movies, and music doesnt make you a complete idiot. In fact it might make you a philosopher, someone who believes the unexamined life is not worth living and the unexamined cartoon is not worth watching.

South Park and Philosophy: You Know, I Learned Something Today

Edited by Robert Arp

Metallica and Philosophy: A Crash Course in Brain Surgery

Edited by William Irwin

Family Guy and Philosophy: A Cure for the Petarded

Edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski

The Daily Show and Philosophy: Moments of Zen in the Art of Fake News

Edited by Jason Holt

Lost and Philosophy: The Island Has Its Reasons

Edited by Sharon M. Kaye

24 and Philosophy: The World According to Jack

Edited by Jennifer Hart Weed, Richard Davis, and Ronald Weed

Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy: Knowledge Here Begins Out There

Edited by Jason T. Eberl

The Office and Philosophy: Scenes from the Unexamined Life

Edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski

2008 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd

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The right of J. Jeremy Wisnewski to be identified as the author of the editorial material in this work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988.

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This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

First published 2008 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd

1 2008

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The office and philosophy: scenes from the unexamined life/edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski.
p. cm. (The Blackwell philosophy and popculture series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4051-7555-5 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Office (Television program: United States)
2. Office (Television program: Great Britain) 3. Philosophy. I. Wisnewski, Jeremy.
PN1992.77.O34O34 2008
791.4575dc22
2007046026

A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

Set in 10.5/13pt Sabon
by Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong
Printed and bound in The United States of America
by Sheridan Books, Inc., Chelsea, MI

The publishers policy is to use permanent paper from mills that operate a sustainable forestry policy, and which has been manufactured from pulp processed using acid-free and elementary chlorine-free practices. Furthermore, the publisher ensures that the text paper and cover board used have met acceptable environmental accreditation standards.

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Introductory Memo

A Note to Our Suppliers in the US and the UK: Support Philosophy, It Uses Lots of Paper!

To: Wernham-Hogg, UK and Dunder-Mifflin, USA

From: J. Jeremy Wisnewski, philosophy enthusiast and paper

connoisseur RE: The importance of philosophy (for paper companies)

I have a business proposition for you. From a paper production and consumption standpoint, it makes oodles of business sense, as Im sure you will see. I am part of an enterprise that requires ample use of paper: we write and revise, speak and argue, and then revise again. The only thing we actually need to complete our work is paper, something to write with, and a trash can (and some in my line of work dont even bother with the trash can). We are thinkers, and because writing is a form of thinking, we are writers. And we use paper. Paper, gentlemen.

And so we need you. But you need us too! Philosophy is important. It refuses to let us rest our minds with comfortable conclusions or flaccid, empty ideas. It acts as a constant impetus to revisit our views, and to take seriously our own fallibility. But we matter to you guys more directly, too. You see, most of what gets said in the name of philosophy is incomplete, and a lot of it is just not rightit is incredibly interesting, and it is even important, but it just isnt right. And so we keep writing and thinking, and we keep using more paper. More paper, gentleman. More paper.

Weve been doing this for two and a half millennia, and I dont envision it ending anytime soon. And that spells continuous investigation, and more paper than even you can imagine. Even when we think weve nailed something downperhaps something about the nature of knowledge, or value, or self-deceptionthere will always be clarifications that need to be made, criticisms that need to be met, and additional questions to be considered. And besides, there will always be some schmoe who will claim that what weve said is wrong, or misses the point, or doesnt go far enough, or is nonsense, or trivial, or something else.

So philosophy will always need paper. We can support your offices. I ask in return that you also support ours. In the following pages you will find some of the things we do, and I hope you will agree that, even if we arent coming up with final answers, we are nevertheless doing something of great importancewe are exercising our minds, exploring assumptions, and doing our best not to let dogma get in the way of what matters. And were using paper to do it. Paper, gentleman.

We will be there for you great paper companies. And perhaps you could even learn something about the workings of your own organizations from what we have to say here. Perhaps, Michael and David, youll even learn something about yourselves in the process. And paper will be there. Paper.

Spread the word about philosophy, boys! Its the key to the future of paper, and maybe even to the future of civilization. And if you dont buy that, at least think of all the philosophers who need employment! Are either of your guys hiring, by the way?

A Note to Bitter Brits and Confused Americans

Some of you are unhappy, and others are confused. The bitter Brits are clenching this book tightly, wondering why there are so many chapters on the