Table Of ContentP O P U L A R C U L T U R E A N D P H I L O S O P H Y ®
PHILOSOPHY / TV AND FILM
POPULAR CULTURE AND PHILOSOPHY®
G
r
e
tone walls do not a prison . . . and how you most definitely don’t want to wind up e
n ORANGE
make, nor iron bars a there, ever!” e
a
cage. But once you —R OBERT ARP, editor of 1001 Ideas that Changed the n
d
throw in overflowing Way We Think R
toilets, unsympathetic o
b
staff, violent fellow-inmates, “A bunch of philosophers join you behind the bars of is
o
arbitrary trips to the SHU, imagination and thinking, and they answer those n
-
and a supernormal burning questions like, ‘Do you really feel safer with Gr Is BLACK
chicken, you’re getting Piper in the slammer?’ and ‘What is exploitation, ee
pretty close. anyway, in a world where everyone uses everyone ne the
else?’ and ‘What’s for lunch?’ Makes me want to
With Orange Is the write a memoir about the time I almost got arrested. O New
New Black, the appall-
The line between the free and the incarcerated R
ing tragedy of America’s
is a thin one. But if you want to untangle the
vast and exploding incar- A
backstories from the parole decisions, this is
cerated population has become a touching comedy,
your book.”
yet one in which the really nasty reality is never far N
—R ANDALL E. AUXIER, author of Time, Will, and
away. Prison is a microcosm of life itself, and here
Purpose: Living Ideas from the Philosophy of G
a chain gang of professional thinkers hammers out
Josiah Royce
the philosophical implications of this unpredictable E
television hit.
NI
RICHARD GREENE is professor of philosophy at s
Weber State University and has served as executive e t
“Timely, relevant, and binge-worthy reading! Prison wh
chair of the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl. Among the e
life as seen in Orange Is the New Black is full of
philosophical illumination, as this fun book proves many books he has co-edited are Zombies, Vampires, B
and Philosophy: New Life for the Undead (2010) and
so well. Existential meaning, the power of the L
Dexter and Philosophy: Mind over Spatter (2011).
state, the mind-body problem, punishment, race
RACHEL ROBISON-GREENE is a PhD candidate at A
relations, transgendered identity, and the classic
UMass Amherst. She co-edited Boardwalk Empire
prisoner’s dilemma are some of the tasty items on
and Philosophy: Bootleg This Book (2013) and The C
this Litchfield menu.”
Princess Bride and Philosophy: Inconceivable! (2016). K
—WAYNE YUEN, Professor of Philosophy, Ohlone
College
A
“Netflix’s hit women-in-prison series Orange Is N
the New Black touches on just about every hot D
contemporary philosophical issue you can think of,
P
and the learned contributors to this collection have
H
done hard time chipping away at them. You, the OPEN COURT: CHICAGO, ILLINOIS FOR OTHER TITLES IN THE POPULAR I
L
guilty reader, are accordingly sentenced to spend CULTURE AND PHILOSOPHY®SERIES, VISIT OPENCOURTBOOKS.COM O
COVER DESIGN: SHANE ARBOGAST, SHANEARBOGAST.COM
the duration of this volume thinking through the S
COVER ILLUSTRATION: CARLOS LERMA, WWW.LERMS.NET AND PHILOSOPHY
show’s most provocative and puzzling implications.” O
—K . SILEM MOHAMMAD, Associate Professor of P
$19.95 H
English and Writing, Southern Oregon University
Y
Last Exit from Litchfield
“From the Nietzschean Übermensch mentality to the
epitomization of Sartre’s claim that ‘Hell is other
people’ to, of course, the Prisoner’s Dilemma, this Edited by Richard Greene and Rachel Robison-Greene
book will get you to think about life in the Big House
This book has not been prepared, authorized, or endorsed by the creators or producers of Orange Is the New Black
Orange Is Philosophy 6th pages_Layout 1 8/3/15 2:20 PM Page i
Orange Is the New Black
and Philosophy
Orange Is Philosophy 6th pages_Layout 1 8/3/15 2:20 PM Page ii
Popular Culture and Philosophy® Series Editor: George A. Reisch
VOLUME1 Seinfeld and Philosophy: VOLUME54The Onion and Philosophy: Fake VOLUME79Frankenstein and Philosophy:
A Book about Everything and Nothing News Story True, Alleges Indignant Area The Shocking Truth(2013) Edited by
(2000) Professor(2010) Edited by Sharon M. Kaye Nicolas Michaud
VOLUME2 The Simpsons and Philosophy: VOLUME55 Doctor Who and Philosophy: VOLUME80Ender’s Game and Philosophy:
The D’oh! of Homer(2001) Bigger on the Inside(2010) Edited by Genocide Is Child’s Play(2013) Edited by
VOLUME3 The Matrix and Philosophy: Courtland Lewis and Paula Smithka D.E. Wittkower and Lucinda Rush
Welcome to the Desert of the Real(2002) VOLUME56 Dune and Philosophy: VOLUME81 How I Met Your Mother and
VanOdL UPMhEilo4soBpuhfyf:y F tehaer V aanmdp Tirree mSblaliynegr in bWye iJredfifnergy W Naiyc hoof ltahse Mentat(2011) Edited P(2h0i1lo4s)oEpdhiyt:e Bd ebiny gL aonredn Azow vesoonm Menaetstesrhorn
Sunnydale(2003) VOLUME57 Rush and Philosophy: Heart VOLUME82Jurassic Park and Philosophy:
VIf OALrUisMtoEtl9e RHaanrr Hy oPgowttaerr tasn(2d0 P0h4i)losophy: aBnedrt iM ainndd DUunrirteedll (B2o0w11m) aEndited by Jim TNhiceo Tlarsu tMh iIcsh Tauerdr iafnyidn gJe (s2s0i1ca4 )W Eadtiktiends by
VMOoLreU PMoEw1e2rfuSlttahra Wna Yrosu a nCda nP hPiolsossiobplhyy: VovOeLr USMpEat5te8rD(2e0x1te1r) aEnddit ePdh iblyo sRoipchhya:r Mdind TVhOeL UNMaEtu8r3e oTf hHei Ds Gevailm aen(d2 0P1h4i)l oEsdopitheyd: by
Imagine(2005) Greene, George A. Reisch, and Rachel Robert Arp
TVrOuLtUhM, JEu1st3icSe, uapnedr hthereo Seso carnadti cP Whialoysophy: RVoObLiUsMonE-G59reHenaelo and Philosophy: Intellect VVaOrLiUouMsE P8o4sitLioenosna(2rd0 1C4o)h Eend iatnedd bPyh iJloassoopnhy:
Evolved (2011) Edited by Luke Cuddy Holt
(2005)
NVOuLdUgMe EN1u9dgMe, oTnhtyin Pky Tthhoinn ka!n(d2 0P0h6i)losophy: VanOdL UPMhiElo6so0phSyp: oSnogaekBinogb U Spq uSaecrreePtsa nUtnsd er VFoOrL YUoMuEr 8M5inHdosm Oenlalyn(d2 0a1n4d) PEhdiiltoesdo pbhyy:
the Sea!(2011) Edited by Joseph J. Foy Robert Arp
VNOotLhUiMngE Y2o5u TChaen B Tehaitnleks tahnadt CPahnil’ot sBoephy: VOLUME61Sherlock Holmes and Philosphy: VOLUME86 Girls and Philosophy: This
The Footprints of a Gigantic Mind(2011) Book Isn’t a Metaphor for Anything (2014)
Thunk(2006)
Edited by Josef Steiff Edited by Richard Greene and Rachel
VCaOrLeUfuMlE w3i0thP tihnakt FAlxoiyodm a, nEdu gPehniel!o s(2o0p0h7y): VOLUME62 Inception and Philosophy: Robison-Greene
Ideas to Die For(2011) Edited by VOLUME87Adventure Time and Philosophy:
VOLUME35Pink Floyd and Philosophy: Thorsten Botz-Bornstein The Handbook for Heroes(2014) Edited
Careful with that Axiom, Eugene! (2007) VOLUME63Philip K. Dick and Philosophy: by Nicolas Michaud
VOLUME36 The Legend of Zelda and Do Androids Have Kindred Spirits? VOLUME88 Justified and Philosophy:
Philosophy: I Link Therefore I Am(2008) (2011) Edited by D.E. Wittkower Shoot First, Think Later(2014) Edited by
VOLUME39Jimmy Buffett and Philosophy: VOLUME64 The Rolling Stones and Rod Carveth and Robert Arp
The Porpoise Driven Life(2009) Edited Philosophy: It’s Just a Thought Away VOLUME89 Steve Jobs and Philosophy:
by Erin McKenna and Scott L. Pratt (2012) Edited by Luke Dick and George For Those Who Think Different(2015)
VOLUME41Stephen Colbert and Philosophy: A. Reisch Edited by Shawn E. Klein
I Am Philosophy (And So Can You!)(2009) VOLUME65 Chuck Klosterman and VOLUME90 Dracula and Philosophy:
Edited by Aaron Allen Schiller Philosophy: The Real and the Cereal Dying to Know(2015) Edited by Nicolas
VOLUME42Supervillains and Philosophy: (2012) Edited by Seth Vannatta Michaud and Janelle Pötzsch
Sometimes, Evil Is Its Own Reward(2009) VOLUME67Breaking Bad and Philosophy: VOLUME91Its Always Sunny and Philosophy:
Edited by Ben Dyer Badder Living through Chemistry(2012) The Gang Gets Analyzed(2015) Edited by
VOLUME44 Led Zeppelin and Philosophy: Edited by David R. Koepsell and Robert Arp Roger Hunt and Robert Arp
All Will Be Revealed(2009) Edited by Scott VOLUME68 The Walking Dead and VOLUME92Orange Is the New Black and
Calef Philosophy: Zombie Apocalypse Now Philosophy: Last Exit from Litchfield
VOLUME45 World of Warcraft and (2012) Edited by Wayne Yuen (2015) Edited by Richard Greene and
Philosophy: Wrath of the Philosopher VOLUME69 Curb Your Enthusiasm and Rachel Robison-Greene
King(2009) Edited by Luke Cuddy and Philosophy: Awaken the Social Assassin
John Nordlinger Within(2012) Edited by Mark Ralkowski
Volume 46 Mr. Monk and Philosophy: VOLUME71 The Catcher in the Rye and
The Curious Case of the Defective Philosophy: A Book for Bastards, Morons, INPREPARATION:
Detective(2010) Edited by D.E. Wittkower and Madmen(2012) Edited by Keith
More Doctor Who and Philosophy:
Volume 47 Anime and Philosophy: Wide Dromm and Heather Salter Regeneration Time(2015) Edited by
Eyed Wonder (2010) Edited by Josef Steiff VOLUME72 Jeopardy! and Philosophy: Paula Smithka and Courtland Lewis
and Tristan D. Tamplin What Is Knowledge in the Form of Divergent and Philosophy(2015) Edited
VOLUME48 The Red Sox and Philosophy: a Question?(2012) Edited by Shaun P. by Courtland Lewis
Green Monster Meditations(2010) Edited Young Downton Abbey and Philosophy(2015)
by Michael Macomber VOLUME73 The Wire and Philosophy: Edited by Adam Barkman and Robert
VOLUME49 Zombies, Vampires, and This America, Man (2013) Edited by Arp
Philosophy:New Life for the Undead David Bzdak, Joanna Crosby, and Seth Hannibal Lecter and Philosophy(2015)
(2010) Edited by Richard Greene and Vannatta Edited by Joseph Westfall
K. Silem Mohammad
VOLUME74 Planet of the Apes and The Princess Bride and Philosophy:
VOLUME51 Soccer and Philosophy: Philosophy: Great Apes Think Alike (2013) Inconceivable!(2015) Edited by Richard
Beautiful Thoughts on the Beautiful Edited by John Huss Greene and Rachel Robison-Greene
Game(2010) Edited by Ted Richards VOLUME75 Psych and Philosophy:Some The Ultimate Walking Dead and Philosophy:
VOLUME52 Manga and Philosophy: Full Dark Juju-Magumbo(2013) Edited by (2015) Edited by Wayne Yuen
Metal Metaphysician(2010) Edited by Robert Arp Louis C.K. and Philosophy(2015)
Josef Steiff and Adam Barkman VOLUME77 Boardwalk Empire and Phi- Edited by Mark Ralkowski
VOLUME53 Martial Arts and Philosophy: losophy: Bootleg This Book (2013) Edited Perry Mason and Philosophy(2016)
Beating and Nothingness(2010) Edited by Richard Greene and Rachel Robison- Edited by Heather Rivera and Robert
by Graham Priest and Damon Young Greene Arp
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Popular Culture and Philosophy®
Orange Is the New Black
and Philosophy
Last Exit from Litchfield
EDITED BY
RICHARD GREENE AND
RACHEL ROBISON-GREENE
and
SHAUN P. YOUNG
OPEN COURT
Chicago
Orange Is Philosophy 6th pages_Layout 1 8/3/15 2:20 PM Page iv
Volume 92 in the series, Popular Culture and
Philosophy®, edited by George A. Reisch
To find out more about Open Court books, call toll-free
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First printing 2015
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
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ISBN: 978-0-8126-9899-2
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Orange Is Philosophy 6th pages_Layout 1 8/3/15 2:20 PM Page v
For Kristin Greene and Cheryl Hughes
Orange Is Philosophy 6th pages_Layout 1 8/3/15 2:20 PM Page vi
Orange Is Philosophy 6th pages_Layout 1 8/3/15 2:20 PM Page vii
Contents
Thanks ix
Learning from the Insiders xi
I Of course you are still going to have
to go through initiation 1
1. Orange Is the New Black Can Change
Your Life
CHRISTOPHER HOYT 3
2. Should We Give a Ship?
RACHEL ROBISON-GREENE 17
II How’s this whole ‘agenda’ thing work? 27
3. Nietzsche and a Trans Woman Walk into
a Prison
CHRISTINAA. DIEDOARDO, ESQ. 29
4. It’s Different but the Same
ROD CARVETH 41
III Every day in this place I get more
confused 53
5. Prison Is Hell
CHRISTOPHER KETCHAM 55
6. Hell Is Other People but Mostly You Too
COURTNEY NEAL 71
vii
Orange Is Philosophy 6th pages_Layout 1 8/3/15 2:20 PM Page viii
Contents
IV I’m a predator, bitch. Ain’t no fun if
you offer 81
7. Prison as Rehab? Foucault Says No, No, No
JEFFREY E. STEPHENSONAND SARAWALLER 83
8. Who’s Messing with Your Mind?
MYISHA CHERRY 95
V To eat the chicken that is smarter
than other chickens 107
9. Take a Break from Your Values
RACHEL ROBISON-GREENE 109
10.You’re Not Religious, Okay
SETH M. WALKER 123
VI The secret is, pretend the salt is sugar 137
11.I Am I, Crazy Eyes
CHELSI BARNARDARCHIBALD 139
12. You Got Them TV Titties
STEPHEN FELDER 157
VII My brain will always be there for you 171
13. The Chicken and the Egg-sistential Crisis
LEIGH DUFFY 173
14. What Friends Are For
CHARLENE ELSBYAND ROB LUZECKY 189
15.The Litchfield Prisoner’s Dilemma
RICHARD GREENE 201
Sugar and Spice and Some Things Not So Nice! 211
References 235
Perpetrators’ Rap Sheets 239
Index 245
viii
Orange Is Philosophy 6th pages_Layout 1 8/3/15 2:20 PM Page ix
Thanks
W
orking on this project has been a pleasure, in no
small part because of the many fine folks who have as-
sisted us along the way. In particular a debt of grati-
tude is owed to David Ramsay Steele and George
Reisch at Open Court, Greta Gusteva Martela, the con-
tributors to this volume, and our respective academic
departments at UMass Amherst and Weber State Uni-
versity. Finally, we’d like to thank those family mem-
bers, students, friends, and colleagues with whom we’ve
had fruitful and rewarding conversations on various
aspects of all things Orange Is the New Black as it re-
lates to philosophical themes.
