https://www.reddit.com/r/philosophy/comments/exann3/spoilers_the_good_place_totallyspoilerific/
created by as-well on 01/02/2020 at 18:48 UTC*
88 upvotes, 14 top-level comments (showing 14)
For four seasons, the good place was one of the best shows on netflix. This week, the show has ended and aired its last episode. Reason enough for our perhaps first-ever tv show discussion thread.
And what a ride it was! From the beginning, The Good Place was a fun (and sometimes sad) showcase for the role philosophy can play in everyone's life - while also giving us hands-down the best pop culture treatment of the Trolley Problem[1].
1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWb_svTrcOg
This post is to celebrate the show and bringing it together with philosophy. Will you buy T.S. Scanlon's *What we owe to each other* now? Read up everything you can on Hypatia of Alexandria? Go to Paris to sit in the seat Simone de Beauvoir enjoyed her coffee? What was your favorite philosophy joke? Would you choose the door in the woods?
Or perhaps you have any questions you would like to have answered - where to start with existentialism? Why is the Trolley Problem important? Is there a place for philosophy on TV after The Good Place?
This post will remain stickied for a bit. Moderation will be light; unrespectful and completely off-topic comments may still be removed.
Comment by DeadRadical at 01/02/2020 at 20:55 UTC
16 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I adored the finale and the entire show, it has meant a lot to me and has given me so much to relate to.
I definitely intend on picking up T.S. Scanlon's book, something about that question really hits upon something deep in me, it heavily affected me when Michael first said it to Eleanor in season 2 before I found out the very basis of the line itself. I look forward to diving into that work further.
Comment by danhakimi at 02/02/2020 at 03:09 UTC
10 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Did anybody else get as excited as Chidi when we heard about Aquinas?
Comment by InterestingFeedback at 02/02/2020 at 00:22 UTC
7 upvotes, 3 direct replies
The finale made me really sad
Not awww, my tv favourites are gone sad, but real sad
Existentially sad.
I’m not in the good place, and I haven’t done it all, but I feel the world weariness all the same.
In a funny way, I was actually waiting for the good place to tell me how to proceed with my life. It was my introduction to philosophy in a way. I’d struck ideas from philosophy in my other reading, but this was the first concentrated hunk; and it really made me think.
Then when they reformed the system, I was so pleased. The old setup was grim, to be sure.
But in the end, the answer was effectively suicide. Hedonism followed by suicide. Have a great time and then melt back into the ocean
It was hard to watch. I’m not complaining about the writing or anything like that, I mean it was hard to watch what I had adopted as a “how to exist in a worthy way” end on suicide of the soul.
I ask myself every day what the point is in existing (my life is not awesome)
And I guess I was just hoping they’d pull something I hadn’t thought of out of the hat. Some bigger reason, some other thing to strive for. Some way for me to believe that there could be purpose or... I don’t know. Anything other than this vast impression I have that we are just a very complicated assortment of interacting particles, of no additional importance to anything
A big ask from a comedy show, to be sure lol
From a “wonderful show I’d recommend to anyone” angle, 9.8/10
Since we’re on the philosophy sub, anyone got a cure for world weariness you can throw my way? Does anyone possess that answer I was hoping TGP would give me?
😎🌈
Comment by Eternal_Revolution at 01/02/2020 at 19:59 UTC
7 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I remember about halfway through the 1st season (Having remained spoiler-free), turning to my wife and excitedly pointing out they were basically doing CS Lewis’ The Great Divorce.
Comment by as-well at 01/02/2020 at 19:17 UTC
11 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Let me start: I *loved* the last two episodes. First, bringing in Hypatia as the only philosopher to the good place was an amazing idea, and imma get back to reading about her shortly. Second, I loved how philosophical themes were woven into the ending, with the possibility to end your time in the good place. That really resonated with me.
Comment by SundayPunchOnTheCCCP at 02/02/2020 at 17:15 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
“The Good Place” was the first introduction to both the basics of moral philosophy and speculation on a more perfect afterlife. It blended moral pragmatism and post-biological life speculation that has influenced both my actions and art.
Because of the Good Place I was able to use self introspection from therapy and have a framework to become my best self. It helped shed me of a lot of self overly critical assessments.
It has had a lasting impact on me and while it’s not the height of philosophical or metaphysical debating it is a really accessible and solid framework helped by a genuinely funny show.
Although the 4th season dragged a bit it was very informative and clearly made to drive the point home. Also I love Lisa Kudrow.
Comment by as-well at 04/02/2020 at 10:34 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
This should be right up everyone's alley here!
Comment by KickAffsandTakeNames at 02/02/2020 at 03:42 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I wrote my senior capstone on the tedium of immortality, so I was ecstatic to see them touch on it
Comment by Son_of_Sophroniscus at 09/02/2020 at 02:49 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
In a way we're lucky that we have little control over the time and place we cease to exist (not counting suicides), I don't know if I have the guts to walk through the door on my own
Comment by as-well at 03/02/2020 at 17:03 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
There is definitely something to the idea of meaning in your life without work, and the Good Place 2.0 emphasises that.
Comment by sickofthecity at 04/02/2020 at 19:34 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Wow, shows how little I follow shows/movies/podcasts etc. Never heard about this. I guess the question I have is really pointless ("Is it worth watching?"), since this thread would attract those who already watched the show and loved it.
Without watching the show, I can only say that the idea of mortality giving meaning to life is very alien to me. I do not ponder my mortality and I certainly don't think in terms "I won't be able to finish both A and B before I die, so I better choose one" etc. Death can come at any moment, so why should any plans except for making a will for children to have the best possible payout take it into account? It just seems so alien to me, I can't wrap my head around it. And yet it is, apparently, one of the main problems in the show?
Comment by [deleted] at 01/02/2020 at 19:25 UTC
2 upvotes, 3 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by [deleted] at 02/02/2020 at 08:03 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
For me the show isn’t on Netflix it’s on nbc which I don’t have. So gonna have to wait to see it.
Comment by MisprintPrince at 01/02/2020 at 18:53 UTC*
-7 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Isn’t there a subreddit for this show? Would be a better fit for there.