WILLIAM IRWIN SERIES EDITOR: GEORGE A. DuNN and JASON T. EBERL EDITED BY Brains Before Bullets BLACKWELL PHILOSOPHY AND POP CULTURE SERIES This book has not been approved, licensed, or sponsored by any entity or person involved in creating or producing of Sons of Anarchy. SonS of AnArchy And PhiloSoPhy The Blackwell Philosophy and PopCulture Series Series Editor: William Irwin A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, and a healthy helping of popular culture clears the cobwebs from Kant. Philosophy has had a public relations problem for a few centuries now. This series aims to change that, showing that philosophy is relevant to your life—and not just for answering the big questions like “To be or not to be?” but for answering the little questions: “To watch or not to watch South Park?” Thinking deeply about TV, movies, and music doesn’t make you a “complete idiot.” In fact it might make you a philosopher, someone who believes the unexamined life is not worth living and the unexamined cartoon is not worth watching. Already published in the series: 24 and Philosophy: The World According to Jack Inception and Philosophy: Because It’s Never Edited by Jennifer Hart Weed, Richard Brian Davis, Just a Dream and Ronald Weed Edited by David Johnson 30 Rock and Philosophy: We Want to Go to There Iron Man and Philosophy: Facing the Stark Reality Edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski Edited by Mark D. White Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy: Curiouser and Lost and Philosophy: The Island Has Its Reasons Curiouser Edited by Sharon M. Kaye Edited by Richard Brian Davis Mad Men and Philosophy: Nothing Is as It Seems Arrested Development and Philosophy: They’ve Edited by James South and Rod Carveth Made a Huge Mistake Metallica and Philosophy: A Crash Course in Edited by Kristopher Phillips and J. Jeremy Brain Surgery Wisnewski Edited by William Irwin The Avengers and Philosophy: Earth’s Mightiest The Office and Philosophy: Scenes from the Thinkers Unfinished Life Edited by Mark D. White Edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the Soul Sons of Anarchy and Philosophy: Brains Before Edited by Mark D. White and Robert Arp Bullets Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy: Knowledge Here Edited by George A. Dunn and Jason T. Eberl Begins Out There South Park and Philosophy: You Know, I Learned Edited by Jason T. Eberl Something Today The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy: Rock, Paper, Edited by Robert Arp Scissors, Aristotle, Locke Spider-Man and Philosophy: The Web of Inquiry Edited by Dean Kowalski Edited by Jonathan Sanford The Big Lebowski and Philosophy: Keeping Your Superman and Philosophy: What Would the Man of Mind Limber with Abiding Wisdom Steel Do? Edited by Peter S. Fosl Edited by Mark D. White Black Sabbath and Philosophy: Mastering Reality Supernatural and Philosophy: Metaphysics and Edited by William Irwin Monsters … for Idjits The Daily Show and Philosophy: Moments of Zen in Edited by Galen A. Foresman the Art of Fake News Terminator and Philosophy: I’ll Be Back, Edited by Jason Holt Therefore I Am Downton Abbey and Philosophy: The Truth Is Neither Edited by Richard Brown and Kevin S. Decker Here Nor There True Blood and Philosophy: We Wanna Think Bad Edited by Mark D. White Things with You Ender’s Game and Philosophy: The Logic Gate is Edited by George Dunn and Rebecca Housel Down Twilight and Philosophy: Vampires, Vegetarians, Edited by Kevin S. Decker and the Pursuit of Immortality Family Guy and Philosophy: A Cure for the Petarded Edited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski Wisnewski Final Fantasy and Philosophy: The Ultimate The Ultimate Daily Show and Philosophy: More Walkthrough Moments of Zen, More Moments of Indecision Edited by Jason P. Blahuta and Michel S. Beaulieu Theory Game of Thrones and Philosophy: Logic Cuts Deeper Edited by Jason Holt Than Swords The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy: Hogwarts Edited by Henry Jacoby for Muggles The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Philosophy: Edited by Gregory Bassham Everything is Fire The Ultimate Lost and Philosophy: Think Together, Edited by Eric Bronson Die Alone Green Lantern and Philosophy: No Evil Shall Escape Edited by Sharon Kaye this Book The Ultimate South Park and Philosophy: Respect My Edited by Jane Dryden and Mark D. White Philosophah! Heroes and Philosophy: Buy the Book, Save the World Edited by Robert Arp and Kevin S. Decker Edited by David Kyle Johnson The Walking Dead and Philosophy: Shotgun. The Hobbit and Philosophy: For When You’ve Lost Machete. Reason. Your Dwarves, Your Wizard, and Your Way Edited by Christopher Robichaud Edited by Gregory Bassham and Eric Bronson Watchmen and Philosophy: A Rorschach Test House and Philosophy: Everybody Lies Edited by Mark D. White Edited by Henry Jacoby X-Men and Philosophy: Astonishing Insight and The Hunger Games and Philosophy: A Critique of Uncanny Argument in the Mutant X-Verse Pure Treason Edited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Edited by George Dunn and Nicolas Michaud Wisnewski SonS of AnArchy And PhiloSoPhy BrAinS Before BulletS edited by George A. dunn and Jason t. eberl This edition first published 2013 © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc Registered Office John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK Editorial Offices 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UK The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK For details of our global editorial offices, for customer services, and for information about how to apply for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book please see our website at www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell. The right of George A. Dunn and Jason T. Eberl to be identified as the authors of the editorial material in this work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author(s) have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services and neither the publisher nor the authors shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sons of anarchy and philosophy: brains before bullets / George A. Dunn, Jason T. Eberl [editors]. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-118-64157-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Sons of Anarchy (Television program) I. Dunn, George A., 1957 – editor of compilation. II. Eberl, Jason T. editor of compilation. PN1992.77.S63944S66 2013 791.45′72–dc23 2013016776 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Cover image: Main image © Pgiam/Getty Images; © Shanina Wain/iStockphoto; © Jerry Downs/ iStockphoto; © Jörg Röse-oberreich/Shutterstock Cover design by www.simonlevy.co.uk Set in 10.5/13pt Sabon by SPi Publisher Services, Pondicherry, India 1 2013 contents lessons from J.t.’s Manuscript Introduction: “Gotta Look This Life in the Eye” viii Acknowledgments: Thanks to the Reaper Crew x Part i “ An equal Mix of Might and right”: ethics at 92 mph 1 1 Virtue and Vice in the SAMCROpolis: Aristotle Views Sons of Anarchy 3 Jason T. Eberl 2 A Prospect’s Guide to Nietzsche 16 Tim Jung and Minerva Ahumada 3 Tig Needs an Escort Home: Is Loyalty a Virtue? 29 James Edwin Mahon 4 A Saint among the Sons: Aquinas on Murder and the Men of Mayhem 38 Randall M. Jensen Part ii “off the Social Grid”: the Politics of Mayhem 51 5 SAMCRO versus the Leviathan: Laying Down the (Motor)Cycle of Violence 53 George A. Dunn 6 “The Rat Prince” and The Prince: The Machiavellian Politics of the MC 65 Timothy M. Dale and Joseph J. Foy vi contents 7 Chaos and Order: Anarchy in the MC 73 Bruno de Brito Serra 8 “Another Fun-Filled Day in the Six Counties”: The Real IRA—Terrorists or Freedom Fighters? 85 Philip Smolenski 9 SAMCRO Goes to War 94 Alex Leveringhaus Part iii “the concept Was Pure, Simple, true”: Biker identity and Meaning 105 10 My Skin, My Self: SAMCRO’s Ink and Personal Identity 107 Charlene Elsby 11 The Faith of Our Sons and the Tragic Quest 117 Kevin Corn 12 Once a Biker Slut, Always a Biker Slut: Narrative Identity in Charming 128 Minerva Ahumada and Tim Jung 13 SAMCRO and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance 139 Massimiliano L. Cappuccio Part iV “the Passion in his heart and the reason in his Mind”: Sex, love, and Gender 151 14 Sometimes a Motorcycle Is Just a Motorcycle: Freud and Hamlet Come to Charming 153 Andrea Zanin 15 When a Charming Woman Speaks 165 Leslie A. Aarons 16 Mothers of Anarchy: Power, Control, and Care in the Feminine Sphere 175 Leigh C. Kolb Part V “each Savage event Was a catalyst for the next”: the historic and the homeric 187 17 Sons of History: How SAMCRO Lost and Found Its Way 189 Peter S. Fosl contents vii 18 Anarchism and Authenticity, or Why SAMCRO Shouldn’t Fight History 201 Peter S. Fosl 19 Good Old Fashioned Mayhem 214 Greg Littmann 20 The Road Out of Mayhem 225 Greg Littmann Contributors: Philosophers of Mayhem 237 List of Episodes: The Life (and Death?) of Sam Crow 243 Index 246 introduction “Gotta look this life in the eye” Aristotle with an AK … Heidegger on a Harley … Men of Machiavellianism—FX’s hit television series, Sons of Anarchy, has been described as “Hamlet on motorcycles,” but any of these other descriptions would fit as well. Kurt Sutter’s dramatic tale depicts a world in which violence, hedonism, and power plays—along with loyalty, self-sacrifice, and honor—are the social norm. The show leaves us wondering what it would be like for Jax and Tara’s sons to grow up in this world and brings to mind a number of tough questions. For example, should the Sons always have one another’s back no matter what bad shit a member might do? Does the club truly represent an anarchic ideal? Do the rankings of women in the MC as “crow eaters,” “sweet butts,” and “old ladies” keep them from asserting any real power over their men? These are questions that Jax Teller will have to face if he’s to continue as SAMCRO’s president and attempt to reform the club to his father’s original vision of a “Harley commune.” It’s certainly not an easy life for the Sons, their families, and their friends. But is it really that different from the lives of the show’s weekly viewers? All of us “gotta look this life in the eye” and make moral decisions every day that’ll drive us down the open road to the unknown future—let’s just hope that Clay hasn’t sabotaged our bikes! While our journey down life’s highway doesn’t always have a clear path or a definite destination, we’ve passed a number of road signs along the way: wisdom from various PCs—philosophical clubs— portraits of whose legendary members adorn the halls of academia like the mugshots in SAMCRO’s clubhouse. Like the anarchists of