CALEB ACTON, MA is an adjunct professor at Hope International University. His interests include process philosophy and ecology.
This is what Caleb did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
Closing a book by Simon Weil with the word “journey” on his mind, Caleb decided it was time to take a trek across the US without planned transportation. Ridding himself of cell phone, credit card, and everything but some books, water, and $50, he left the East Coast, flying westward. Detractors said it was too dangerous, it would take too long, and it was pointless if he had the means to fly, but Caleb felt justified by his innate desire for experience and adventure. Plus, he figured that if he died he’d at least get out of his student loans.
ROBERT ARP, PHD works as a researcher for the US Government. He has written and edited numerous books and articles in philosophy, ontology in the information-science sense, and other areas.
This is what Rob did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
There have been times when someone knowingly leaves their cart at the register, or their plates on a table of a restaurant where you’re supposed to bus your own table—like a fast food place or a Panera’s—and Rob is present and has made a comment to the person along the lines of, “Oh, I think you forgot something” as they’re getting ready to leave. They then get red faced and complete the task appropriately. He feels justified in doing this because it’s like, “What the heck? Put stuff back where you found it, or clean up after yourself, gosh darn it!” It just so happens that Rob has done this kind of thing in front of his wife, and she doesn’t like it, as it makes her feel a little embarrassed. She told me that she’s embarrassed because the person gets embarrassed. “Who made you the morality police?” she asks. To which Rob always responds, “As a follower of Kant, I recognize the moral law as self-legislated by rational minds—of which I am a part—so the answer to your question is that I made myself the morality police, that’s who.” She smirks and says, “Uh huh. Okay, Dr. PHD . . . Piled Higher and Deeper.” (She’s actually more legalistic about things than I am. She’s a wonderful person, and I love her to pieces.)
ADAM BARKMAN, PHD is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Redeemer University College. He has authored and edited more than half a dozen books, most recently The Culture and Philosophy of Ridley Scott.
This is what Adam does sometimes that is controversial (and some people don’t like it), but he feels justified and does it anyway:
Having four young kids at home, Barkman feels justified having the occasional drink before noon (especially when doing Play-Doh).
GERALD BROWNING is the Program Director of English at Baker College of Muskegon. He has written and published several short stories and his first novel, Demon in My Head, was published two years ago. He regularly keeps two blogs, writes comic book non-fiction, and writes essays. He’s working towards finishing his PhD while training in three separate martial arts systems.
This is what Gerald did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
Gerald is not a controversial person. He seeks to stay in the crowd and draw very little attention to himself. However, he found that in graduate work the genres of mystery and detective fiction were marginalized by his peers and at a cocktail party for the English faculty, he defended the scholastic merits of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. His last words at the party were “If you’d take your head out of your ass long enough, you would see the social constructivism in Mickey Spillane rather than go to the obvious authors that you can find! Dumb ass!” To this day, he’s still getting email regarding that “social faux pas.”
ROD CARVETH, PHD is Graduate Program Director in the School of Global Journalism and Communication at Morgan State University in Baltimore.
This is what Rod did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
One night, Rod talked a friend of his into going rowing with him. The problem was that the rowboat was on top of a seafood restaurant in his hometown (which was noted for its fishing). Though Rod and his friend had a great time, the owners were not pleased. Neither were the police, who felt compelled to have him and his friend visit their place of business for several hours. A firm believer in carpe diem, Rod felt justified.
CHRISTIAN COTTON, PHD teaches courses in philosophy and religion at Piedmont College in Northeast Georgia. His interests lie mainly in moral philosophy and moral psychology, especially the role of emotions in moral action.
What Christian did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
Once, he was driving along a busy section of Interstate 20 through Louisiana, having a good time, listening to tunes, cruising along, when behind him he saw this car approaching . . . fast! The driver could easily have gotten over in the other lane, but no! He came barreling up on Christian’s ass . . . so, he let him get right up on Christian, then Christian slammed on the brakes real quick and made the guy get over in the other lane. The guy shot by Christian cursing and flipped him off, but dammit, he felt good about it! Serves that guy right!
JON COTTON, MA works as a duck captain at Boston Duck Tours. He entertains and educates people about Boston by land and on the Charles River.
This is what Jon did one time that was controversial (but everyone liked it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
Once when Jon was giving a trolley tour to a tour group, a young lady was talking very loudly on the phone making it difficult for people to hear and focus on Jon’s narrative. Jon politely asked if the lady might be willing to speak a little more quietly, and she shook her head “No” and smiled. Jon then politely inquired about location at which she might be disembarking, and she told him. Jon then cut the route short and drove directly to her stop and with utmost courtesy informed the young lady that this was her stop. Shocked, the young lady said “It can’t be! Already?” And Jon with utmost courtesy referred her to the brochure and pointed out the window to corroborate, indeed, that this was the very location she had specified. The woman arose, confused, and Jon thanked her sincerely and spoke gracious words to her, then headed back to the right place in the schedule to restore order. And everyone enjoyed themselves, and no one told his boss.
JOANNA CROSBY, PHD is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Morgan State University. Her areas of specialization include Critical Social Thought, Issues of Gender, Race, and Class, Michel Foucault, and Confucian Philosophy.
This is what Joanna did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but she felt justified and did it anyway:
Joanna and her husband Michael had gone to see a movie at an old movie palace in walking distance from their house. The Senator Theatre is a fabulous place to see a film, if you are ever in Baltimore. Gorgeous architecture. Big, cushy seats that recline. Cup holders on both arms. Michael, who used to own a snobby video rental store, thought of the movie theatre as a sacred space. Nothing pissed him off more or faster than someone talking in a theatre. Even if the movie was Con Air. A few minutes into the movie, a gentleman in the row behind them and a few seats off to the right, asked his wife, several times, about what was going on in the movie. Again, Con Air—not a difficult plot to follow. Joanna could feel the waves of anger coming off of Michael, and was not surprised when leaned back in his seat and asked the couple to be quiet. Of course, Michael’s opening salvo was “Shut the fuck up.” Yes, Joanna married a diplomat. At the end of the movie, the couple in question at the end of the isle waiting for Michael and Joanna. The man with the hearing problem and Michael begin arguing with one another. Joanna inserted herself between the two men, not taking seriously the escalating tension, and the woman said to Joanna, “Don’t you touch my husband, missy!” Joanna responded, “That’s Dr. Missy to you!” The woman snorted. “Doctor of what?” she asked, incredulously. Proud as punch, Joanna declared “Doctor of Philosophy!” Shortly thereafter, both couples were encouraged to leave the theater by different exits. Walking home, Joanna knew she had been justified.
ALEXANDER DICK, PHD is Associate Professor of English at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. His latest book is Romanticism and the Gold Standard: Money, Literature, and Economic Debate in Britain 1790–1830 (2013). He has also published several articles on literature, philosophy, and political economy.
This is what Alex did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
Alex used to be a rock drummer and played in lots of bands—some good, some not so much. One time he was playing in a pretty big club with one of the not-so-good bands and interrupted a song to play an awesome fifteen-minute drum solo. The rest of the band was annoyed but he got a standing ovation anyway. The band broke up soon after.
LINDA ENGLISH, PHD is Associate Professor of History at the University of Texas–Pan American and an American historian who focuses on region, gender, race, and class in her research and publications.
See Cynthia Jones’s bio below.
JOHN FITZPATRICK, PHD is a lecturer in philosophy at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. He’s the author of John Stuart Mill’s Political Philosophy: Balancing Freedom and the Collective Good (2006), and Starting with Mill (2010). He’s also a contributor to several Popular Culture and Philosophy books.
This is what John does sometimes that is controversial (and some people don’t like it), but he feels justified and does it anyway:
The conventional wisdom is that you should never give cash to homeless people, because they will spend it on drugs or alcohol; buy them some food instead. But John routinely violates this principle, reasoning as follows: If I’m willing to help, I see no reason not to supply cash money. First, there is some fairly reliable empirical evidence that people in these situations (where they are reduced to begging) normally tell the truth about what they need. Secondly, if one has the general skepticism about Ronald Reagan’s Cadillac driving welfare queens, and find the distinction between deserving and undeserving poor often unhelpful, then the idea that some poor people enjoy getting intoxicated and might want to do so is less than shocking. And since I find myself now and then in the situation where I have nothing better to do than knock back a few cold beers, why should I not think poor people find themselves in similar situations? If anything, it would seem easier to argue that someone in my situation could almost always find something more productive to do.
PETER S. FOSL, PHD is a Kentucky Colonel (HOKC), Professor of Philosophy at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, and a David Hume Fellow with the IASH at the University of Edinburgh. Co-author of The Philosopher’s Toolkit and editor of The Big Lebowski and Philosophy, Fosl’s interests include skepticism and bourbon. See: www.PeterFosl.us.
What Peter did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
When Peter was a kid he saw a boy from up the block named Todd steal the batteries from the enormous, laser-sound-emitting, ribbon-streaming headlight he had mounted on the handlebars of his pride and joy—his banana-seated-sissy-bar-sporting bicycle. Peter chased Todd home and marched up to the front door, demanding from Todd’s mother that the batteries be returned, posthaste. Todd’s mom responded with the indignant rebuke that her “little angel” would never have done such a thing. After the screen door slammed shut, Peter, mouth gaping, stomped off. But rather than return home, Peter took the law into his own hands and found a baseball bat in Todd’s garage—fatefully, a Louisville, Kentucky, Slugger. That Slugger became Peter’s favorite bat. Todd didn’t much like it, but the Slugger swung with gusto every time Peter played ball against Todd’s team.
SANDRA HANSMANN, PHD is Associate Professor in Rehabilitation and the Director of International Programs at the University of Texas-Pan American.
See Cynthia Jones’s bio below.
MICHAEL JAWORSKI, PHD is a lecturer in the Philosophy Department at the University of Texas–Pan American. Current research projects include studies of animal morality and God of the Gaps reasoning.
What Mike did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
Mike was asked to write a brief account for a book he was contributing to about something controversial he had done, but then he looked at a stack of 250 final essays waiting to be graded, and felt totally justified in sending back a really short, smart-ass response that referred to itself as the example.
CYNTHIA JONES, PHD is Associate Professor of Philosophy and the Director of the Ethics Center and the Campus Violence Prevention Project at the University of Texas–Pan American.
Cynthia, Sandy, Linda, and Anne were asked to write a brief account of a controversial action they had taken, but disobligingly they decided not to do it. They felt justified in not writing the recollections because they had already co-authored several pieces for the Popular Culture and Philosophy series, and Cynthia had even contributed two chapters to the present volume! Although some disagreed with their actions, most especially one of the editors, who continued to send them emails all summer, they remained resolute in their decision. For more biographical information about these professors, come on down to the pool, and bring a damn margarita.
CLINT JONES, PHD is currently Visiting Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. He has published several articles on popular culture and philosophy and his second book is being published soon on the individual and utopia.
This is what Clint did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
As an undergrad, Clint found himself displeased by the academic environment fostered by the administration, so he decided to make his graduation a platform for criticism and protest. His friends and family, and some of his professors, were whole-heartedly supportive of his actions, but many weren’t, especially because it was graduation. But Clint felt justified because something needed to be done to draw attention to the waning academic climate.
JULIA M. MASON, PHD is Associate Professor of Women and Gender Studies at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. She has written articles and chapters about the representation of women in popular culture.
What Julia did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but she felt justified and did it anyway:
Julia was the co-narrator for the GVSU production of The Vagina Monologues. The play is controversial for its use of language and bold discussion of women’s sexuality (and some people didn’t like it), but Julia feels justified because the V-Day movement is about ending gender-based violence.
ANTHONY PALAZZO is a licensed professional counselor/renegade mystic/freelance malcontent/adventurer in private practice. His interests are primarily in the realm of folklore, myth, primordial spiritual traditions, alternative psychotherapies, wilderness wandering, maintaining a state of preparedness for catastrophic social collapses, and anarcho-primitivism. He currently lives on the forested and rugged coast of Maine.
What Anthony did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
While still an intern, Anthony had a client, a thirteen year-old girl in foster care. A good girl, but naive and reckless. She was one of the first clients he forged a real therapeutic bond with. She allowed some shady thirty-year-old man from Texas to talk her into “running away with him” to get married. She slipped away from her foster mother’s home late one night, and was kidnapped, taken down to the Mexico-Texas border. In the multi-department and multi-agency panic that followed, Anthony was instructed to take no action, and let “the other authorities” handle the situation. Feeling that perhaps other important persons (and their agencies) were not willing to risk getting in trouble over this girl, especially since it seemed likely she’d be found floating face-down in the Rio Grande, Anthony researched her Facebook contacts until he discovered the man that seemed like a likely candidate to be her husband—and he was right. Contacting him through a number he had left on his wall for another friend, Anthony began a long text conversation—seven hours long—with him and her. In the end, Anthony convinced him to come out of hiding and surrender himself and her to the police down on the border. She’s seventeen and happy now; he’s in jail for a long time yet.
ROBERTO SIRVENT, PHD is Associate Professor of Political and Social Ethics at Hope International University. His interests include political theory, existentialist thought, and philosophy of religion.
This is what Roberto did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
One day in college he was playing Scattergories with a large group of friends. Halfway through the game, the letter B was rolled so everyone was expected to name an object within five different categories beginning with that letter. One of these categories was “State.” While everyone failed miserably because they couldn’t think of a state in our country that began with B, Roberto and his genius teammate (and fellow Kierkegaard admirer) Tony went another route. They wrote down the word “boredom.” After reading their answer proudly, Roberto was shocked to see the entire group reject this answer and vote not to award him any points! No matter how hard he tried, Roberto couldn’t stop his elitist and condescending side from coming out. “Are you serious??” he yelled. “What the hell did we do wrong? Isn’t the whole point of the game to be this creative and this brilliant??” Roberto quit playing that night. And he vowed never to play that game ever again.
ANNE MARIE STACHURA, PHD is Assistant Professor of Spanish and the Interim Director of Medical Spanish at the University of Texas-Pan American.
See Cynthia Jones’s bio above.
NATHAN VERBAAN is currently pursuing a graduate degree in philosophy with an interest in logic and metaphysics.
This is what Nathan has done that is controversial (and some people don’t like it), but he feels justified and does it anyway:
Nathan feels himself justified performing a number of controversial activities, but few he savors more than preventing cross-country runners who cheat from placing.
PAUL ZINDER is Senior Lecturer in Film Production at the University of Gloucestershire. He is co-editor of the anthology The Multiple Worlds of Fringe: Essays on the J.J. Abrams Science Fiction Series (2014), and his writing on genre and cult television appears in the volumes Contemporary Westerns: Film and Television Since 1990 (2013), The Last Western: Deadwood and the End of American Empire (2012), Investigating Veronica Mars: Essays on the Teen Detective Series (2011), and Investigating Alias: Secrets and Spies (2007). He’s also an award-winning filmmaker whose work can be seen at www.paulzinder.com.
This is what Paul did one time that was controversial (and some people didn’t like it), but he felt justified and did it anyway:
When the gorgeous new administrator arrived at Paul’s former institution, he was immediately enamored with her. Although he quickly learned that she was unavailable, he regularly visited her office to flirt and hang around. When the university announced her resignation due to her impending relocation to another country, Paul reasoned that it was time to tell her how he felt, inviting her out under the guise of a “thank you” drink. Nine happy years and two beautiful children later, Paul feels like she was justified in her decision to leave that guy.