Meet the Author: Alain de Botton

Pop philosopher and provocateur Alain de Botton does author talks slightly differently. Rather than reading from his new book, ‘The News: A User’s Manual’, he skipped through a Powerpoint presentation of tabloid headlines, touching briefly on mainstream newspapers and TV.

Are we gory monsters rubbernecking at the tragedies of others? Are celebrities secular saints, for example David Beckham, who, to de Botton, “exemplifies submissiveness”? Does a philosopher have a responsibility to challenge audience members who open their comments with sexist dismissals of Taylor Swift?

The packed audience appreciated de Botton’s wit, but his cursory speech raised more questions than it answered.

Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham, 4 February 2014

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