Reflecting on the journey, the hosts dive into the definition of overthinking, its connection to psychology, and its role in philosophy. They debate if overthinking hinders good decisions or enables social critique. Exploring Dewey's problem-solving view and Marxist critiques, they dissect the complexities of overthinking with humor and insights.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Podcast Milestone Reflection
Ellie and David share excitement and surprise over reaching 100 episodes of their podcast Overthink.
They appreciate how the show has broadened their intellectual horizons and strengthened their friendship.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Naming the Podcast Overthink
Ellie and David reveal they chose Overthink from a long list of 53 pages of potential podcast names.
Other considered names include Mountains Out of Molehills and Featherless Bipeds.
insights INSIGHT
Hamlet as Overthinking Archetype
Hamlet exemplifies overthinking as thinking overwhelms his ability to act, causing hesitation.
His mental loops link overthinking with depressive attitudes and inaction.
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Overthink goes meta! In the 100th episode Ellie and David reflect on the podcast’s journey and the origins of its (flawless!) title. They take up the question, “What is overthinking?” Is it a kind of fixation on details or an unwanted split in the normal flow of ideas? Then, they turn to psychology to make sense of overthinking’s highs and lows, as the distracting voice inside your head and a welcome relief from traumatic memories. Through the philosophies of John Dewey and the Frankfurt School, they look at different ways to understand the role of overthinking in philosophy and the humanities. Is overthinking a damper on good decisions, or perhaps the path to preserving the possibility of social critique?
John Dewey, How We Think Max Horkheimer, “The Social Function of Philosophy” Herbert Marcuse, “Remarks on a Redefinition of Culture” Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, “Responses to depression and their effects on the duration of depressive episodes” Charles Orbendorf, “Co-Conscious Mentation” Suzanne Segerstrom et al., “A multidimensional structure for repetitive thought” Stephanie Wong et al., “Rumination as a Transdiagnostic Phenomenon in the 21st Century”
Overthink