South Park and Philosophy: Bigger, Longer, and More Penetrating
Encyclopedia
South Park and Philosophy: Bigger, Longer, and More Penetrating is a non-fiction
book analyzing the philosophy
and popular culture
effects of South Park
, published by Open Court. The book is edited by Richard Hanley
.
In an interview about the book, Richard Hanley explained why he chose the topic of South Park for philosophical analysis: "South Park is like the Simpsons, but with a lot less restrictions, and almost every episode pushes the envelope." In addition to editing the work, Hanley also wrote fourteen out of the twenty-two essays in the book.
The title is a reference to the film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
. Both titles are also double entendre
s that can also refer to a penis
.
philosophy professor Dr. Randall Auxier
, entitled: "Killing Kenny: Our Daily Dose of Death." Professor Auxier also gave a talk on his contribution to the work, at Green Mountain College
. South Park and Philosophy: Bigger, Longer, and More Penetrating also addresses issues of applied ethics
, such as stem-cell research, euthanasia
, drugs in sports
, religion
, blasphemy
, human evolution
, environment
, and gay marriage. The book is organized into five sections by topic, which include "Religion and Other Disabilities," "Politics and Other Sacred Cows," "Morality and Other Urges," "Science, Logic and Other Really, Really Clever Stuff" and "Humor and Other Insertable Devices."
's UDaily that Hanley's work celebrates the ability of South Park to confront issues that make most viewers uncomfortable. Victor Greto wrote in The News Journal, that though some of the humor in the book "falls flat", most readers will laugh out loud, but also squirm a bit. Greto went on to note the book's proclivity towards certain racial epithets and language, as well as a critique of religion. Religions analyzed in the work include Scientology
and the Xenu
mythology, as presented in the South Park episode, Trapped in the Closet, which Hanley discusses in comparison to elements of Christianity
and the virgin birth.
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
book analyzing the philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
effects of South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
, published by Open Court. The book is edited by Richard Hanley
Richard Hanley
Richard Hanley was born in Zambia and later moved to Australia as a small child. He studied at the University of Sydney, and completed his PhD at University of Maryland. He is now an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Delaware. Philosophically, he is a perdurantist following in...
.
In an interview about the book, Richard Hanley explained why he chose the topic of South Park for philosophical analysis: "South Park is like the Simpsons, but with a lot less restrictions, and almost every episode pushes the envelope." In addition to editing the work, Hanley also wrote fourteen out of the twenty-two essays in the book.
The title is a reference to the film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is a 1999 animated musical comedy film based on the animated television series South Park, created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker. The film was directed by Parker, who also stars along with the rest of the regular voice cast from the series, including Stone, Mary...
. Both titles are also double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
s that can also refer to a penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
.
Synopsis
The book includes an article about the character Kenny, by Southern Illinois UniversitySouthern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...
philosophy professor Dr. Randall Auxier
Randall Auxier
Randall E. Auxier is a professor of philosophy at Southern Illinois University.Born in Leitchfield, Kentucky, Auxier, the younger of two children, is the son of a veterinarian and a professional church musician...
, entitled: "Killing Kenny: Our Daily Dose of Death." Professor Auxier also gave a talk on his contribution to the work, at Green Mountain College
Green Mountain College
Green Mountain College is a coeducational private environmental liberal arts college located in Poultney, Vermont, in the USA.Green Mountain is located in the Vermont countryside, at the foot of the Taconic Mountains between the Green Mountains and Adirondacks.The College has a core set of courses...
. South Park and Philosophy: Bigger, Longer, and More Penetrating also addresses issues of applied ethics
Applied ethics
Applied ethics is, in the words of Brenda Almond, co-founder of the Society for Applied Philosophy, "the philosophical examination, from a moral standpoint, of particular issues in private and public life that are matters of moral judgment"...
, such as stem-cell research, euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
, drugs in sports
Doping (sport)
The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, blasphemy
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
, human evolution
Human evolution
Human evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
, environment
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, and gay marriage. The book is organized into five sections by topic, which include "Religion and Other Disabilities," "Politics and Other Sacred Cows," "Morality and Other Urges," "Science, Logic and Other Really, Really Clever Stuff" and "Humor and Other Insertable Devices."
Reception
Jerry Rhodes noted in an interview published in the University of DelawareUniversity of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
's UDaily that Hanley's work celebrates the ability of South Park to confront issues that make most viewers uncomfortable. Victor Greto wrote in The News Journal, that though some of the humor in the book "falls flat", most readers will laugh out loud, but also squirm a bit. Greto went on to note the book's proclivity towards certain racial epithets and language, as well as a critique of religion. Religions analyzed in the work include Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
and the Xenu
Xenu
Xenu ,also spelled Xemu, was, according to the founder of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of his people to Earth in a DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and killed them using hydrogen bombs...
mythology, as presented in the South Park episode, Trapped in the Closet, which Hanley discusses in comparison to elements of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and the virgin birth.