PEL Presents PMP#222: Lordlings of the Flies

PEL Presents PMP#222: Lordlings of the Flies

Author: Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan Casey May 29, 2026 Duration: 50:44

In light of the new, well-acted and well-shot BBC/Netflix adaptation, we discuss William Golding's 1954 novel Lord of the Flies and its previous (1963, 1991) adaptations. Featuring Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al.

What do we think of the updates made for this retelling? Its pacing? Its repeated close-up shots of kids' silent faces? Is this per usual obviously inferior to the novel, or does it actually present deeper characters and a more visceral presentation of their degradation?

Sponsor: Get started with Claude AI at claude.ai/pmp.

Get more at prettymuchpop.com. Get an ad-free experience, plus bonus talking for nearly every episode at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.


What if philosophy wasn't an intimidating subject reserved for academics, but a lively, accessible, and sometimes messy conversation among friends? That's the space occupied by The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast. Hosted by Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, and Dylan Casey-a group who once pursued philosophy professionally before taking a different path-this podcast approaches big ideas with a rare blend of genuine curiosity and informal camaraderie. Their discussions are grounded in actual philosophical texts, which they break down in each episode, but you absolutely don't need a degree or even prior reading to jump in. The charm lies in hearing their real-time reactions, debates, and occasional tangents as they wrestle with concepts that shape our society and culture. Listening feels like pulling up a chair at a pub with remarkably well-read friends who are just as likely to crack a joke as they are to land a profound insight. This isn't a lecture; it's an invitation to a collective, partially examined life, where the journey through a thinker's argument is often more revealing than any polished conclusion. You'll find yourself thinking along with them, questioning your own assumptions, and discovering how centuries-old ideas pulse through our modern dilemmas. Tune in for a uniquely human and engaging take on the discipline that asks the biggest questions.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 391: Habermas Defends Modernity (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:39
On Jürgen Habermas' The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity (1985), featuring guest John Ganz. Habermas defines modernity as Enlightenment ideals, discusses what's wrong with them (subjectivity), how Hegel argues constr…
PEL Presents NEM#252: Folk Legend Tom Paxton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:12
Tom was an integral member of the Greenwich Village early '60s folk scene (playing originals regularly before Bob Dylan did). His tunes have been covered by Dylan, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Doll…
Ep. 390: Diderot Debates a Cynic (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:07
Continuing on Rameau's Nephew, getting further into Rameau's philosophy and practices and trying to figure out what this anti-hero can tell us about ethics, given that he displays the virtue of being candid about his own…
Ep. 390: Diderot Debates a Cynic (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:45
On Denis Diderot's Rameau's Nephew, a dialogue written in the 1760s. Is virtue necessary for happiness, or in the real world, is vice necessary to get by? Diderot's character Rameau argues the latter: that philosophical…
PEL Presents PMP#220: Peaky Blinders: Gangs of Birmingham [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:19
We discuss Steven Knight's six-seasons-and-a-movie historical crime show Peaky Blinders, featuring Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn, and Al. Does the show live up to its initial excellence? It's got a great emotional premise (po…
PEL Presents NEM#251: Dr. Alan Williams (Birdsong at Morning) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:24
Alan released two albums with folk-rock band Knots and Crosses in the early 90s, put out one solo album, then became a recording engineer and earned a PhD in ethnomusicology. He released three albums between 2010-2019 fr…
Ep. 389: Hegel on Wealth and Power (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:57
Concluding on "Culture and its Realm of Actuality," in Hegel's Phenomenology via sections 519-526. We get into some of the ironic psychology here: In giving loyalty to the king, the nobles actually boost themselves qua g…
PEL Presents PvI#116: Full Bird Mode w/ BJ Lange [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:08
BJ is an LA improviser/actor/TV host (who teaches wounded warriors among others), and he chats with Mark and Mary about migratory patterns, TV shows that date you, how to draw in students, the realness of birds, and play…
PEL Presents PMP#219: Weir-ed Sci Fi: Hail Mary and The Martian [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:13
We discuss the hard sci-fi film Project Hail Mary, which along with The Martian (2015) was based on a novel by Andy Weir and adapted by Drew Goddard. Mark, Lawrence, Sarahlyn and Al consider how hard we actually like our…
Ep. 389: Hegel on Wealth and Power (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:23
Continuing on Hegel's Phenomenology, "Spirit" chapter, now up to sections 511-526, which finishes off the sub-section of "Self-Alienated Spirit" called "Culture and its Realm of Actuality." Whereas in our last discussion…