House of Cards and Philosophy: Underwood's Republic (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series)

Is Democracy overrated? Does power corrupt? Or do corrupt people seek power? Do corporate puppet masters pull politicians’ strings? Why does Frank talk to the camera? Can politics deliver on the promise of justice? House of Cards depicts our worst fears about politics today. Love him or loathe him, Frank Underwood has charted an inimitable course through Washington politics. He and his cohorts depict the darkest dealings within the gleaming halls of our most revered political institutions. These 24 original essays examine key philosophical issues behind the critically-acclaimed series―questions of truth, justice, equality, opportunity, and privilege. The amoral machinations of Underwood, the ultimate anti-hero, serve as an ideal backdrop for a discussion of the political theories of philosophers as diverse as Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Marx. From political and corporate ethics, race relations, and ruthless paragmatism to mass media collusion and sexual politics, these essays tackle a range of issues important not only to the series but to our understanding of society today. HOUSE OF CARDS AND PHILOSOPHY Contents Introduction: Contemplating a House of Cards Part I SOCRATES, PLATO, AND FRANK Chapter 1: Of Sheep, Shepherds, and a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: The Cynical View of Politics in House of Cards and Plato’s Republic Justice and Power Underwood’s Cynical Use of “His People” It’s Good to Be Bad Rings of “Power” and Myths Rings and the “Craft” of Perfect Injustice Tyranny, Philosophy, and the Search for Meaning in a Cynical World Can We Really Get Away with Injustice? Notes Chapter 2: Being versus Seeming: Socrates and the Lessons of Francis Underwood’s Asides “Who the Hell Are You Talking To?” Frank and the Ring of Gyges Frank and the Examined Life Playing the President to Play the President Real Problems Notes Part II IMAGINING POSSIBILITIES: AMERICAN IDEALS IN HOUSE OF CARDS Chapter 3: Frank Underwood Gives the Ideal Society a Reality Check The Ideals of The West Wing and the Reality of House of Cards Frank Underwood throughout History A New Kind of Ideal Society When John Rawls Embraces Frank Underwood Notes Chapter 4: “What Will We Leave Behind?” Claire Underwood’s American Dream “Burning the Barn to Find Our Penny in the Hay”: Adams’s American Dream and Ressentiment Claire Underwood: The Resentful U ̈ berfrau Notes Part III CHARACTERIZING FRANK: U ̈ BERMENSCH OR THE PRINCE Chapter 5: Underwood as U ̈ bermensch: A Postmodern Play of Power “Power Is a Lot Like Real Estate, It’s All About Location. . . . The Closer You Are to the Source, the Higher Your Property Value.” “And Others Are There Who Are Like Eight-day Clocks When Wound Up; They Tick, and Want People to Call Ticking—Virtue.”3 “You Know What I Like About People? They Stack So Well.” “I Will Make That Hypocrisy Hurt.” “He’s Got Power. He’s Got a Lot to Lose. And Right Now He is Winning.” “When Has Your Help Ever Helped Me?” “The Road to Power is Paved with Hypocrisy and Casualties. Never Regret” “I Will Win and I Will Leave a Legacy.” Notes Chapter 6: Why Underwood Is Frankly Not an Overman Inside the Beltway: Typology, Not Topography Master Frank: Doing What Is Necessary “Why Me?” Peter Russo, Slave Extraordinaire Will the Real Overman Please Stand Up? Don’t U ̈ bermenschen It The Under/Over on Frank Notes Chapter 7: American Machiavelli “We’re in a Very Gray Area. Ethically, Legally. Which I’m Okay With.”—Zoe Barnes “Friends Make the Worst Enemies.”—Frank Underwood “I’m a Good Christian, Remy, Like Your Mother.”—Frank Underwood Majority Whip Jackie Sharp: “Mr. Vice President, What You Are Asking Is Just Shy of Treason.” “Moments Like This Require Someone Who Will Act. To Do the Unpleasant Thing. The Necessary Thing.”—Frank Underwood Notes Chapter 8: Machiavelli Would Not Be Impressed Education Reform at All Costs The Original Machiavelli Failing to Keep Up Appearances The Other FU Was Better Maybe Machiavelli Wasn’t Serious Notes Chapter 9: Is Frank the Man for the Job? House of Cards and the Problem of Dirty Hands Avoiding the Problem The Struggle for Power Facing a Catastrophe The Solutions Frank’s Dirty Hands: The Wrong Person in the Right Place? Notes Part IV CLASSICAL LIBERALISM AND DEMOCRACY Chapter 10: Frank the Foole, Upona House of Cards Frank the Foole Hobbes’s Critique of the Foole Is Frank’s Behavior Rational? Frank’s Objection and the Hobbesian Response Notes Chapter 11: Hobbes and Frank on Why Democracy Is Overrated The Fault in Our Democratic Stars Hungry Like a Wolf Money Changes Everything The Policy of Untruth The Advantage of the Stronger Notes Chapter 12: “Democracy Is So Overrated”: The Shortcomings of Popular Rule The Underwoods Visit the Kallipolis Frank the (Unhappy?) Tyrant From Hobbes to Hegel: Why Monarchs Rule Are the Underwoods Marxist Revolutionaries? Are the Underwoods Unstoppable? Notes Chapter 13: “Money Gives Power . . . Well, a Run for Its Money”: Marx’s Observations on Why Capital and Not Frank Is Really in Charge of the White House Marx’s Method of Historical Analysis A Case Study in Historical Materialism: Frank for VP AmWorks: Is Frank’s Goal a Capitalist Goal? Capitalist versus Capitalist: AmWorks and Walmart Worker Victories: Class Warfare and Class Conflict Liberal Democracy Is Overrated Notes Chapter 14: Freedom and Democracy in a House of Fear The “Property Value” of a Surveillance State Prison of Cards “Open” House? Say Nothing Nobody Can Hear You . . . Except Us Notes Part V INTRAPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, SEXUALITY, AND RACE IN HOUSE OF CARDS Chapter 15: Under the Covers with the Underwoods: The Sexual Politics of the Underwood Marriage A Frank Discussion of Adultery A New Type of Marriage Vow Tell Me No Lies Do No Harm God, Punzo, and the Case for Special Sex Rethinking Sex and Commitment The Underwood’s Egalitarian Partnership Incidental Objections Notes Chapter 16: The Spice of White Life: Freddy and Racist Representations “I Get to Play the Nigger”: The Narrative of Freddy Hayes The Situation of Black Male Life Racial Capitalism and the Representation of Black Male Life Racial Realism and Harassing White Folks Notes Chapter 17: Broken Friendships and the Pathology of Corporate Personhood in House of Cards “You Ain’t Got to Pretend to Be My Friend” States and Corporations: What’s the Difference? Tusk and the Punching Bag Walkers If You Can’t Beat ’Em, Join ’Em Why Rousseau? Notes Part VI EXISTENTIAL REALITIES: SELF-LOVE AND FREEDOM Chapter 18: Praying to One’s Self, for One’s Self: Frank’s Ethics and Politics of Autoeroticism Leave the Ideology to the Armchair Generals . . . Everything Is Permitted Frank’s Virtu Assessing Autoeroticism Notes Chapter 19: Existential Freedom, Self-Interest, and Frank Underwood’s Underhandedness Self-Interest and Morality Consciousness and Freedom Essences and Freedom Freedom and Responsibility Notes Part VII LET ME BE FRANK WITH YOU: AGENCY, AESTHETICS, AND INTENTION Chapter 20: Rooting for the Villain: Frank Underwood and the Lack of Imaginative Resistance Resistance to Frank Is Futile That First Pitch in Greenville The Whale of Imaginative Resistance Notes Chapter 21: Frank Underwood’s Intentions “The Nature of Plans Is That They Do Not Remain Immune to Changing Circumstances” “Decisions Made on Emotions Aren’t Decisions at All” “Take a Step Back and Look at the Bigger Picture” Notes Chapter 22: Francis Underwood’s Magical Political Mystery Tour Is Dying to Take You Away; Dying to Take You Away, Take You Today Useless Things Exhibit A Words Are Actions Full Disclosure Notes Part VIII VIRTUE AND CHARACTER IN HOUSE OF CARDS Chapter 23: Frank Underwood and the Virtue of Friendship “I Won’t Leave One of My Own Bleedingon the Field”4 “Friends Make the Worst Enemies”12 “Life Is Sweet When You Spend Itwith Your Friends”18 Notes Chapter 24: Have You No Decency? Who Is Worse, Claire or Frank? Character Studies and Studies in Character Richard Plantagenet and Elizabeth Tudor St. Francis and St. Claire The Past, the Present Perfect, and the Future Subjunctive An Indirect Route Learning from Our Betters Democracy behind the Eight Ball We the People A Guess at a Riddle Note President Frank Underwood’s White House Staff (Contributors) Index Is Democracy overrated? Does power corrupt? Or do corrupt people seek power? Do corporate puppet masters pull politicians strings? Why does Frank talk to the camera? Can politics deliver on the promise of justice? House of Cards depicts our worst fears about politics today. Love him or loathe him, Frank Underwood has charted an inimitable course through Washington politics. He and his cohorts depict the darkest dealings within the gleaming halls of our most revered political institutions. These 24 original essays examine key philosophical issues behind the critically-acclaimed series questions of truth, justice, equality, opportunity, and privilege. The amoral machinations of Underwood, the ultimate anti-hero, serve as an ideal backdrop for a discussion of the political theories of philosophers as diverse as Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Marx. From political and corporate ethics, race relations, and ruthless paragmatism to mass media collusion and sexual politics, these essays tackle a range of issues important not only to the series but to our understanding of society today