Hotel Bar Sessions

Leigh M. Johnson, Devonya N. Havis, Rick Lee
  • 3.5 (2)
  • PHILOSOPHY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Hotel Bar Sessions

where the real philosophy happens

  1. El roto, Lo huachafo, Lo jodido (with Carlos Amador)

    2D AGO

    El roto, Lo huachafo, Lo jodido (with Carlos Amador)

    Carlos Amador on Latin American aesthetics, precarity, and what it means to be completely f*cked. In this episode, the HBS crew welcomes Carlos Amador—Associate Professor of Spanish in the Department of Romance Languages and Literature at the University at Buffalo SUNY—for a raw and wide-ranging conversation about lo jodido: the aesthetic, political, and material condition of being well and truly f****d. Drawing on Latin American literature and film, Amador introduces lo jodido not just as a descriptor for individual suffering, but as a cross-cultural, translatable, and recognizable structure of feeling rooted in precarity, immobility, and disillusionment with liberal democratic promises. Alongside lo jodido, he introduces two other categories—el roto and lo huachafo—to map a terrain of contemporary exhaustion and survival. Drawing on Frantz Fanon's articulation of "the wretched of the earth," we dig into how "the f****d" functions not merely as a subject position, but also a way of seeing, feeling, and naming what seems unlivable. Topics include cruel optimism, abjection, the cultural logic of fascism, and whether political possibility requires hope at all. In the end, we ask: what does it mean to live with no outside to capital? And can the category of the f****d help us understand not only where we are, but what might still be possible? Full episode notes available at this link:https://hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/episode-178-el-roto-lo-huachafo-lo-jodido-with-carlos-amador -------------------If you enjoy Hotel Bar Sessions podcast, please be sure to subscribe and submit a rating/review! Better yet, you can support this podcast by signing up to be one of our patrons at patreon.com/hotelbarsessions!

    58 min
  2. The Establishment Clause

    MAR 21

    The Establishment Clause

    This week, we're pulling up a seat at the intersection of faith, governance, and democracy as we take on the Establishment Clause—that little First Amendment provision that’s supposed to keep church and state in their own lanes. But is that how it’s really playing out? Leigh, Rick, and Devonya dig into the history and contemporary implications of the separation of church and state, from school prayer to Supreme Court decisions, faith-based government offices, and religious encroachments on reproductive rights. We tackle the tension between private belief and public reason, the way religious institutions have both challenged and reinforced state power, and whether the U.S. is creeping toward a civic religion of its own. Along the way, we take detours through Southern Bible Belt culture, the moral status of fetuses, and even a surprise debate over whether capybaras are too cute to eat. (Spoiler: they are.) As always, we’re serving up straight shots of wisdom, no divine intervention required. Full episode notes available at this link:https://hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/episode-175-the-establishment-clause -------------------If you enjoy Hotel Bar Sessions podcast, please be sure to subscribe and submit a rating/review! Better yet, you can support this podcast by signing up to be one of our Patrons at patreon.com/hotelbarsessions! Follow us on Twitter/X @hotelbarpodcast, on Blue Sky @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social, on Facebook, on TikTok, and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

    54 min
  3. DEI Then and Now (with Paul Breines)

    MAR 14

    DEI Then and Now (with Paul Breines)

    Who's afraid of DEI? And why? Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives have become institutional mainstays in corporate and academic settings—but they are currently under attack. In this episode of Hotel Bar Sessions, Leigh and Devonya sit down with Freedom Rider and retired Associate Professor of History at Boston College, Paul Breines, to reflect on the evolution of social justice movements from the civil rights struggles of the 1960s to today’s embattled DEIA programs. How did a radical movement for racial justice morph into bureaucratic diversity training? And how should we understand the backlash against DEIA as part of a longer history of reactionary politics? Is what we're seeing in today’s political climate a Second Reconstruction or a Second Redemption? The hosts discuss the ideological shifts that have transformed how both the left and right frame issues of race, gender, sexuality, ability, and inclusion—asking whether the language of justice has been co-opted by those seeking to dismantle it. From the Freedom Rides to contemporary campus activism, we dig into what has changed, what remains the same, and whether today’s movements need a more radical edge. What kind of activism does this moment demand? Full episode notes available at this link:https://hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/episode-175-dei-then-and-now-with-paul-breines -------------------If you enjoy Hotel Bar Sessions podcast, please be sure to subscribe and submit a rating/review! Better yet, you can support this podcast by signing up to be one of our Patrons at patreon.com/hotelbarsessions! Follow us on Twitter/X @hotelbarpodcast, on Blue Sky @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social, on Facebook, on TikTok, and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

    56 min
  4. Decorum

    MAR 7

    Decorum

    When does decorum keep us civil-- and when does it keep us silent? From courtroom etiquette to the Oval Office, from department meetings to NFL sidelines, decorum shapes our public interactions—but who gets to decide what counts as “proper” behavior? In this episode of Hotel Bar Sessions, Rick, Leigh, and Devonya take on the contested role of decorum in social and political life. Is it a necessary lubricant for peaceful coexistence, or a tool for policing and silencing dissent? The hosts explore decorum’s history, its role in institutions like Congress and the courts, and its power to both reinforce and resist social hierarchies. From Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling protest to Zelensky’s wartime wardrobe, the conversation turns to moments when violating expectations becomes an act of defiance. Does focusing on breaches of decorum distract from deeper moral and political failures? And if we abandon the language of decorum, what do we lose—or gain? With their signature mix of philosophical insight and barroom banter, the hosts wrestle with the real stakes of politeness, propriety, and protest. Full episode notes available at this link:https://hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/episode-174-decorum -------------------If you enjoy Hotel Bar Sessions podcast, please be sure to subscribe and submit a rating/review! Better yet, you can support this podcast by signing up to be one of our Patrons at patreon.com/hotelbarsessions! Follow us on Twitter/X @hotelbarpodcast, on Blue Sky @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social, on Facebook, on TikTok, and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

    57 min
  5. Unruly Identity (with Falguni Sheth)

    FEB 28

    Unruly Identity (with Falguni Sheth)

    Who gets to decide who we are? In this episode, Rick Lee and Devonya Havis pull up a chair with philosopher and political theorist Falguni Sheth to talk about the ways identity is shaped, claimed, and—more often than not—forced upon us. From census categories and legal definitions to personal choices and political struggles, they dig into the tensions between how we see ourselves and how we’re seen by others. What does it mean to be recognized—or misrecognized—by the state? How do institutions decide which identities “fit” and which ones have to be managed, disciplined, or erased? And when does refusing to conform become its own form of power? With insights from Sheth’s work on race, law, and political power, this conversation moves between philosophy, history, and the headlines of today. The hosts talk about the state’s obsession with controlling identity, from laws targeting Muslim women to the racial bias baked into facial recognition software. But they also ask whether there’s room for resistance—whether refusing to be easily categorized might be a way to push back. By the time last call rolls around, they’re raising a glass to the troublemakers, the misfits, and the ones who just won’t play by the rules. Full episode notes available at this link:https://hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/episode-173-unruly-identity-with-falguni-sheth -------------------If you enjoy Hotel Bar Sessions podcast, please be sure to subscribe and submit a rating/review! Better yet, you can support this podcast by signing up to be one of our Patrons at patreon.com/hotelbarsessions! Follow us on Twitter/X @hotelbarpodcast, on Blue Sky @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social, on Facebook, on TikTok, and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

    1h 6m
  6. Ambiguity

    FEB 21

    Ambiguity

    When nothing is clear, how do we decide? Many people prefer their morality to be straightforward—right or wrong, good or bad, clear as day. But more often than not, human life is a mess of contradictions, competing values, and gray areas. In this episode of Hotel Bar Sessions, Rick, Leigh, and Devonya wade into the murky waters of ambiguity—what it means, how we experience it, and why we’re often so uncomfortable with it. From moral dilemmas and political rhetoric to aesthetics and queer theory, the hosts explore how ambiguity can be both a site of oppression and a tool of resistance. Is ambiguity a lack of knowledge, or does it open the door for deeper understanding? How does power exploit uncertainty to maintain control? And why do we crave clarity in some parts of life but celebrate ambiguity in art, music, and literature? With philosophical insight, a dash of humor, and a deep appreciation for the chaotic bartender that is moral life, the hosts wrestle with the question: Can we ever truly escape ambiguity—or do we just have to learn to live with it? Full episode notes available at this link:https://hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/episode-172-ambiguity -------------------If you enjoy Hotel Bar Sessions podcast, please be sure to subscribe and submit a rating/review! Better yet, you can support this podcast by signing up to be one of our Patrons at patreon.com/hotelbarsessions! Follow us on Twitter/X @hotelbarpodcast, on Blue Sky @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social, on Facebook, on TikTok, and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

    58 min
  7. Trust

    FEB 14

    Trust

    Can anyone be trusted anymore? Trust is the glue that holds our social world together, yet it’s one of the most fragile bonds we have. In this episode of Hotel Bar Sessions, Rick, Leigh, and Devonya dive into the complexities of trust—what it means, how it functions, and why it’s so easy to break but so difficult to restore. From everyday acts of trust, like believing the grocery store clerk’s name tag, to the deep-seated political crisis of trust in institutions and democracy, the hosts explore trust as an epistemic, moral, and affective structure that shapes our relationships. Along the way, they discuss Derrida’s take on truth-telling, the role of consistency and shared values, and why mistrust often seems more apparent than trust itself. But what happens when trust is shattered—whether between friends, citizens and their government, or even entire political factions? The conversation takes a sobering turn toward our current crisis of trust, examining how unmoored we feel when institutions, democratic processes, and even long-standing social contracts seem to be unraveling. Is trust something we can rebuild, or are we slipping toward a Hobbesian world of raw power? With humor, philosophical insight, and a healthy dose of frustration, the hosts wrestle with the question: how do we live together well when trust is in such short supply? Full episode notes available at this link:https://hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/episode-171-trust -------------------If you enjoy Hotel Bar Sessions podcast, please be sure to subscribe and submit a rating/review! Better yet, you can support this podcast by signing up to be one of our Patrons at patreon.com/hotelbarsessions! Follow us on Twitter/X @hotelbarpodcast, on Blue Sky @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social, on Facebook, on TikTok, and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

    59 min
  8. Judgment

    FEB 7

    Judgment

    Who gets to judge right and wrong? And on what grounds? In this episode of Hotel Bar Sessions, Leigh, Rick, and Devonya talk about judgment—what it is, when we need it, and whether it’s a skill or just a faculty of reason. They start with Aristotle’s distinction between knowledge and judgment, move through Kant’s ideas about moral and aesthetic judgment, and consider how judgment functions in ethical reasoning, political life, and even artificial intelligence. The conversation raises questions about whether judgment is simply applying rules or if it requires something more—something closer to discernment, habit, or lived experience. Can a decision be right or wrong if we can’t fully predict its consequences? Do moral rules always apply, or do some situations require exceptions? What happens when judgment operates within systems of power? These questions lead to reflections on everything from friendship to legal pardons to the ethics of AI. Whether you think of yourself as someone with good judgment or someone just trying to make better choices, this episode gives plenty to think about. Full episode notes available at this link:https://hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/judgment -------------------If you enjoy Hotel Bar Sessions podcast, please be sure to subscribe and submit a rating/review! Better yet, you can support this podcast by signing up to be one of our Patrons at patreon.com/hotelbarsessions! Follow us on Twitter/X @hotelbarpodcast, on Blue Sky @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social, on Facebook, on TikTok, and subscribe to our YouTube channel!

    1h 2m
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Ratings & Reviews

3.5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

where the real philosophy happens

Information

  • Creator
    Leigh M. Johnson, Devonya N. Havis, Rick Lee
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    194
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Leigh M. Johnson, Devonya N. Havis, Rick Lee
  • Show Website
    Hotel Bar Sessions

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