Mr. Philosopher evokes conversations with blog
By: Beth Spencer
Issue date: 3/2/10 Section: News
John Torrey wants people to think philosophically - even if they find his writing unorthodox and, sometimes, borderline offensive.
The University of Memphis graduate student began writing entries in his blog, titled "Mr. Philosophy," to start conversations about a wide range of topics, from interracial dating to the death of Michael Jackson.
"The whole time, I just wanted people to resonate on some issues and push people's thinking," Torrey said. "I wanted them to think outside the box and expand their horizons, but not necessarily in an offensive way."
Although Mr. Philosopher has yet to receive any downbeat feedback, Torrey said he expects critical comments eventually to pour in.
"I keep waiting on the pin to drop," he said. "People are welcome to have whatever opinion they want. I openly welcome that type of disagreement. It will make me a better philosopher and thinker."
Readers who post unconstructive comments that discourage philosophical conversation should not expect a fight, Torrey said.
"I'm not going to dignify it," he said. "If I say something overly offensive, that can be someone's visceral reaction. But if they say, 'You're a poo-poo head because of this, this and this,' then we've got the basis for a good discussion."
Readers of Mr. Philosopher should expect conversation topics to get more edgy in upcoming posts, Torrey said.
"I'm going to push the envelope a little bit more," he said. "Mr. Philosopher is going to do some big things."
Courtney Shelton, a regular reader of the blog, said the author keeps posts stimulating and conversational.
"The way he writes about real-life events with a philosophical twist is not only hilarious but also informative," she said. "His articles keep me on my toes, making me think about simple topics in a more academic way."
Another reader, Heidi Samuelson, philosophy graduate student at The U of M, said she appreciates Torrey's views in his blog entries.
The University of Memphis graduate student began writing entries in his blog, titled "Mr. Philosophy," to start conversations about a wide range of topics, from interracial dating to the death of Michael Jackson.
"The whole time, I just wanted people to resonate on some issues and push people's thinking," Torrey said. "I wanted them to think outside the box and expand their horizons, but not necessarily in an offensive way."
Although Mr. Philosopher has yet to receive any downbeat feedback, Torrey said he expects critical comments eventually to pour in.
"I keep waiting on the pin to drop," he said. "People are welcome to have whatever opinion they want. I openly welcome that type of disagreement. It will make me a better philosopher and thinker."
Readers who post unconstructive comments that discourage philosophical conversation should not expect a fight, Torrey said.
"I'm not going to dignify it," he said. "If I say something overly offensive, that can be someone's visceral reaction. But if they say, 'You're a poo-poo head because of this, this and this,' then we've got the basis for a good discussion."
Readers of Mr. Philosopher should expect conversation topics to get more edgy in upcoming posts, Torrey said.
"I'm going to push the envelope a little bit more," he said. "Mr. Philosopher is going to do some big things."
Courtney Shelton, a regular reader of the blog, said the author keeps posts stimulating and conversational.
"The way he writes about real-life events with a philosophical twist is not only hilarious but also informative," she said. "His articles keep me on my toes, making me think about simple topics in a more academic way."
Another reader, Heidi Samuelson, philosophy graduate student at The U of M, said she appreciates Torrey's views in his blog entries.