The Power of Cute Simon May
Event details
Cuteness has taken the planet by storm. Global sensations Hello Kitty and Pokémon, the works of artists Takashi Murakami and Jeff Koons, Heidi the cross-eyed opossum and E.T.- all reflect its gathering power.
But what does 'cute’ mean, as a sensibility and style? Why is it so pervasive? ls it all infantile fluff, or is there something more uncanny and even menacing going on - in a lighthearted way.
Join philosopher Simon May, author of The Power of Cute, as he provides nuanced and surprising answers. Simon will challenge our prevailing perspective, investigating everything from Mickey Mouse to Kim Jong-il to argue that cuteness is not restricted to diminutive, harmless, and helpless qualities but also beguiles us by transforming or distorting them into something of playfully indeterminate power, gender, age, morality, and even species - something dark, uncanny, and ‘unpindownable’
Don't miss the opportunity to discover more about a phenomenon that speaks with strange force to our times.
This event will take place live on Zoom Webinar. You will receive a link to join a couple of days before the event and a reminder an hour before. During the event, you can ask questions via a Q&A function, but audience cameras and microphones will remain muted throughout.
Book sales
You can buy copies of many of our speakers’ books from Fox Lane Books, a local independent bookseller and Festival partner. In some cases, author signed bookplates are available too.
About the speaker
Simon May is Visiting Professor of Philosophy at King’s College London. His books include Jump! A New Philosophy for Conquering Procrastination; How to Be a Refugee; Love: A New Understanding of an Ancient Emotion; Love: A History; and The Power of Cute (Princeton University Press, 2019).
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