{"product_id":"the-magic-kingdom-and-the-meaning-of-life-a-philosopher-visits-disney-world-hardback-9781509567423","title":"The Magic Kingdom and the Meaning of Life; A Philosopher Visits Disney World (Hardback) 9781509567423","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eThe Magic Kingdom and the Meaning of Life\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cfont size=\"5\"\u003eA Philosopher Visits Disney World\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eAdam Kadlac (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781509567423, Polity Press\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eHardback, published 19 September 2025\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e240 pages\u003cbr\u003e21.8 x 14 x 2.8 cm, 0.454 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\"With poignant philosophical insights and moving personal stories, Kadlac's wonderful book shows how Disney is a surprisingly rich lens through which to think about identity and pleasure, princesses and hipsters, and so much more. Regardless of how you feel about the Disney empire, this inspiring book will provoke you to ask big questions about how pop culture influences our ideas about what it means to live happily ever after.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eSkye C. Cleary, Columbia University, and author of \u003ci\u003eHow to Be Authentic\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"Kadlac leads us on a lively ride through philosophical themes inspired by Disney’s parks – the tension between the aristocratic and ordinary in the concept of the 'princess', the strange irony of being anxious about being insufficiently happy, the underappreciated merits of waiting in long lines, and the idiosyncratic and private nature of each individual's reaction to a mass experience. Philosophical culture criticism at its finest.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eEric Schwitzgebel, University of California, Riverside, and author of \u003ci\u003eThe Weirdness of the World\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This is what philosophically informed cultural criticism should look like. It starts from the most mundane experiences - waiting in line at the amusement park, for instance - and transforms our understanding of them. And it does so with an unpretentious verve that is fun to read. If you have a friend or relative who's being a grump about going to Disneyland because they think it'll be nothing more than a mind-deadening experience in passive consumption, then this book is for them!\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eZed Adams, The New School, and author of \u003ci\u003eOn the Genealogy of Color\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eWhat truths and life lessons can we take away from a seemingly trivial theme park in Orlando, Florida? \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFather and philosopher Adam Kadlac reflects on his own visits to Walt Disney World, arguing that Disney theme parks are a remarkably fruitful environment in which to reflect on the human condition. On the one hand, engagement with the worlds of Disney is a pervasive feature of many people's everyday experience. On the other hand, the fantastical nature of Disney theme parks casts light on aspects of our lives that may otherwise seem unremarkable. If, on a day out at the Magic Kingdom, we pause to absorb our surroundings, our thoughts can quickly turn to all sorts of important topics and questions: authenticity and pleasure; what it means for corporations to play such a large role in our culture; whether nostalgia is always bad; and, of course, princesses (so, so many princesses. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Magic Kingdom and the Meaning of Life\u003c\/i\u003e will challenge Disney lovers and sceptics alike to think more deeply about the things that matter to them.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eAcknowledgments\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction: The Making of a Theme Park Philosopher\u003cbr\u003e1 Princesses\u003cbr\u003e2 Why Are People So Grumpy?\u003cbr\u003e3 Standing in Line\u003cbr\u003e4 It’s All So . . . Fake\u003cbr\u003e5 The Hipster Fallacy\u003cbr\u003e6 Being a Mark\u003cbr\u003e7 Main Street, U.S.A. Meets Galaxy’s Edge\u003cbr\u003e8 More Than Just a Theme Park? EPCOT’s Cosmopolitan Vision\u003cbr\u003ePostscript: Notes on a Secular Pilgrimage\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNotes\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eReferences\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eIndex\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: Philosophy [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on Philosophy\" href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22Philosophy%20%5BHP%5D%22\"\u003eHP\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Polity","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52474980892952,"sku":"9781509567423","price":19.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/files\/9781509567423.jpg?v=1785802449","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/the-magic-kingdom-and-the-meaning-of-life-a-philosopher-visits-disney-world-hardback-9781509567423","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}