Theories of the Good Life in TV

Virtue Ethics: Game of Thrones:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljGAEZKrhPs

Tyrion, a nobleman, or dwarf, responds to Jon Snow’s question as to why he reads so much. For Tyrion, he must hold up the honor of his family. For his brother Jaime, that means being an exceptional soldier. But for him, his virtue is his intellectual capacity. Both Jaime and Tyrion exercise their activities in accordance with virtue. If Tyrion is to live a good life, and be “blessed”, he must continually hone his intellectual skills, thus, which is why the mind needs books, like a sword needs a wetstone.

Stoicism: Game of Thrones:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7St9TtLzoLk

starts 0:18

Here is another exchange between Tyrion and Jon Snow (Tyrion’s character constantly spills philosophical nuggets). Tyrion accidentally offends Jon by calling him a bastard (which he is). But for Tyrion, he did not mean any harm, because that is just what Jon is in fact. He tells him to wear his title of bastard like armor, a very stoic analogy. It’s heavily reminiscent of Epictetus’ advice #1, that not everything is up to us. What isn’t under our control, shouldn’t be held in the highest regard. If Jon just changes his perspective, and realizes what isn’t in his control, such as being a bastard, it will significantly help him, which was the goal of the stoics, to help in life.

Utilitarianism: The Good Place:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut0ai4s4mjU

to 1:07 in particular

Here we are in The Good Place, the afterlife, where when you die, all of your action on Earth are added up in positives or negatives based on how much “good” it did. It reminds myself of utilitarian calculations, but actually in a way that is measurable for us mortals. Basically, a good life, depends on how much good you have put into the world. However, for us humans, there is always plenty of question as to how good or bad certain actions are. While of the course the good place is supposed to be a philosophically charged comedy, it does show how we have no actual idea as to how real utilitarian calculations are actually measured, a major critique of the theory.

Nozick and Nietszche: Disenchantment:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmeIxbowgiE

1:05-2:05

For me this scene slams of both Nozick AND Nietzche. A little background: Elfo lives in a magical forest populated by elves but has no way for anyone else to get in, and it is forbidden to leave. The Elfs spend their time singing, and making candy, a seemingly pleasant and non stressful life. However, Elfo rejects this, and in his monologue both rejects the seemingly experience machine life world of Elfwood, where everything is good and nice, and also rejects traditional herd morality, the Jolly Code, to the major shock of the other elves. His rejection of the Code as well as the elves covering their eyes when Elfo opens the door reminds me of the line “God is dead”. While not God in this example, Elfo proclaiming that the elves’ moral code was wrong, is not something they were ready or wanted to hear, much like the parable of a crazy man telling the world of a few hundred years ago that God is dead. Lastly, Elfo’s declaration that “I would rather die a big death, than live a small life”, is incredibly Nietszche-esque. For it is a declaration of self, and taking control of one’s life, and becoming the person they were meant to be.