Category Archives: SpongeBob

SpongeBob and phenomenology

When SpongeBob tries explaining “fun” to Plankton, he finds that the only way he can is to sing a song about it.

Some experiences are so fundamental for some of us that conveying them to others linguistically can be tricky.

The trick in these cases is to “live out” the experience in question. This lets the other know what it is like, and how they can experience it.

Of course–spelling a concept out and defining it more elaborately can work, too! But the basic experience has to be felt to understand its real nature.

SpongeBob and “the new normal”

I fondly recall a SpongeBob SquarePants episode where lead character SpongeBob indulges in becoming “hyper-normal“.

During these uncertain times…how trite! How absolutely boring.

Anyway, don’t become like SpongeBob in this episode–bland, robotic, and uninspiring. Be more like the hero he is: the hard-working, all-friendly, Gary-caring guy we all grew up with and loved.

If we must re-find our normality, then let’s do it in an exciting manner!