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B L A C K W E L L P H I L O S O P H Y A N D P O P C U L T U R E S E R I E SThis book has not been approved, licensed, or sponsored by any entity or person involved

in creating or producing of Sons of Anarchy.

SERIES EDITOR: WILLIAM IRWIN EDITED BY GEORGE A. DuNN and JASON T. EBERL

Brains Before Bullets

90000

9 781118 641576

ISBN 978-1-118-64157-6

Are we right to admire members of a criminal organization?

Are the Sons of Anarchy really anarchists?

How does their relationship to their bikes help to shape the Sons worldview?

Do members of SAMCRO have the right to kill and make war?

Does membership in the MC tend to foster virtue or vice?

Do the clubs practices and moral code make it like a religion?

FXs hit television series Sons of Anarchy draws viewers into the morally ambiguous world of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club, where standard social conventions and authority are shunned and replaced with a moral framework based on brotherhood, family, and community. Its a violent and dangerous world where members frequently war with other outlaw groups and the federal government to protect their interests and those of their home base, the town of Charming, California. Featuring essays by philosophical fans of the show and drawing on the ideas of some of historys greatest philosophers, including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Marx, and Nietzsche, Sons of Anarchy and Philosophy examines the ethos of life in the MC, exploring the ethics of loyalty, honor, and revenge, individual and group identity, the morality of war and terrorism, religion, and the nature of political authority.

Essential reading for fans of the show, this book takes readers deeper into the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, the Teller-Morrow family, and the ethics that surround their lives and activities.

George A. Dunn is a lecturer at the University of Indianapolis and Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, China, and a writer on pop culture and philosophy.

Jason T. Eberl is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

William Irwin is Professor of Philosophy at Kings College.

To learn more about the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, visit www.andphilosophy.com

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SonS of AnArchy And PhiloSoPhy

The Blackwell Philosophy and PopCulture SeriesSeries 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 lifeand 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 doesnt 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 JackEdited by Jennifer Hart Weed, Richard Brian Davis, and Ronald Weed

30 Rock and Philosophy: We Want to Go to ThereEdited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski

Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy: Curiouser and CuriouserEdited by Richard Brian Davis

Arrested Development and Philosophy: Theyve Made a Huge MistakeEdited by Kristopher Phillips and J. Jeremy Wisnewski

The Avengers and Philosophy: Earths Mightiest ThinkersEdited by Mark D. White

Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the SoulEdited by Mark D. White and Robert Arp

Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy: Knowledge Here Begins Out ThereEdited by Jason T. Eberl

The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Aristotle, LockeEdited by Dean Kowalski

The Big Lebowski and Philosophy: Keeping Your Mind Limber with Abiding WisdomEdited by Peter S. Fosl

Black Sabbath and Philosophy: Mastering RealityEdited by William Irwin

The Daily Show and Philosophy: Moments of Zen in the Art of Fake NewsEdited by Jason Holt

Downton Abbey and Philosophy: The Truth Is Neither Here Nor ThereEdited by Mark D. White

Enders Game and Philosophy: The Logic Gate is DownEdited by Kevin S. Decker

Family Guy and Philosophy: A Cure for the PetardedEdited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski

Final Fantasy and Philosophy: The Ultimate WalkthroughEdited by Jason P. Blahuta and Michel S. Beaulieu

Game of Thrones and Philosophy: Logic Cuts Deeper Than SwordsEdited by Henry Jacoby

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Philosophy: Everything is FireEdited by Eric Bronson

Green Lantern and Philosophy: No Evil Shall Escape this BookEdited by Jane Dryden and Mark D. White

Heroes and Philosophy: Buy the Book, Save the WorldEdited by David Kyle Johnson

The Hobbit and Philosophy: For When Youve Lost Your Dwarves, Your Wizard, and Your WayEdited by Gregory Bassham and Eric Bronson

House and Philosophy: Everybody LiesEdited by Henry Jacoby

The Hunger Games and Philosophy: A Critique of Pure TreasonEdited by George Dunn and Nicolas Michaud

Inception and Philosophy: Because Its Never Just a DreamEdited by David Johnson

Iron Man and Philosophy: Facing the Stark RealityEdited by Mark D. White

Lost and Philosophy: The Island Has Its ReasonsEdited by Sharon M. Kaye

Mad Men and Philosophy: Nothing Is as It SeemsEdited by James South and Rod Carveth

Metallica and Philosophy: A Crash Course in Brain SurgeryEdited by William Irwin

The Office and Philosophy: Scenes from the Unfinished LifeEdited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski

Sons of Anarchy and Philosophy: Brains Before BulletsEdited by George A. Dunn and Jason T. Eberl

South Park and Philosophy: You Know, I Learned Something TodayEdited by Robert Arp

Spider-Man and Philosophy: The Web of InquiryEdited by Jonathan Sanford

Superman and Philosophy: What Would the Man of Steel Do?Edited by Mark D. White

Supernatural and Philosophy: Metaphysics and Monsters for IdjitsEdited by Galen A. Foresman

Terminator and Philosophy: Ill Be Back, Therefore I AmEdited by Richard Brown and Kevin S. Decker

True Blood and Philosophy: We Wanna Think Bad Things with YouEdited by George Dunn and Rebecca Housel

Twilight and Philosophy: Vampires, Vegetarians, and the Pursuit of ImmortalityEdited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski

The Ultimate Daily Show and Philosophy: More Moments of Zen, More Moments of Indecision TheoryEdited by Jason Holt

The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy: Hogwarts for MugglesEdited by Gregory Bassham

The Ultimate Lost and Philosophy: Think Together, Die AloneEdited by Sharon Kaye

The Ultimate South Park and Philosophy: Respect My Philosophah!Edited by Robert Arp and Kevin S. Decker

The Walking Dead and Philosophy: Shotgun. Machete. Reason.Edited by Christopher Robichaud

Watchmen and Philosophy: A Rorschach TestEdited by Mark D. White

X-Men and Philosophy: Astonishing Insight and Uncanny Argument in the Mutant X-VerseEdited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski

SonS of AnArchy And PhiloSoPhy

BrAinS Before BulletS

edited byGeorge A. dunn

andJason t. eberl

This edition first published 2013 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Registered OfficeJohn Wiley & Sons, Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK

Editorial Offices350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UKThe Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK

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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.

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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 791.4572dc23

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; Jrg Rse-oberreich/ShutterstockCover design by www.simonlevy.co.uk

Set in 10.5/13pt Sabon by SPi Publisher Services, Pondicherry, India

1 2013

contentslessons from J.t.s Manuscript

Introduction: Gotta Look This Life in the Eye viiiAcknowledgments: 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 3Jason T. Eberl

2 A Prospects Guide to Nietzsche 16Tim Jung and Minerva Ahumada

3 Tig Needs an Escort Home: Is Loyalty a Virtue? 29James Edwin Mahon

4 A Saint among the Sons: Aquinas on Murder and the Men of Mayhem 38Randall 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 53George A. Dunn

6 The Rat Prince and The Prince: The Machiavellian Politics of the MC 65Timothy M. Dale and Joseph J. Foy

vi contents

7 Chaos and Order: Anarchy in the MC 73Bruno de Brito Serra

8 Another Fun-Filled Day in the Six Counties: The Real IRATerrorists or Freedom Fighters? 85Philip Smolenski

9 SAMCRO Goes to War 94Alex Leveringhaus

Part iii the concept Was Pure, Simple, true: Biker identity and Meaning 105

10 My Skin, My Self: SAMCROs Ink and Personal Identity 107Charlene Elsby

11 The Faith of Our Sons and the Tragic Quest 117Kevin Corn

12 Once a Biker Slut, Always a Biker Slut: Narrative Identity in Charming 128Minerva Ahumada and Tim Jung

13 SAMCRO and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance 139Massimiliano 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 153Andrea Zanin

15 When a Charming Woman Speaks 165Leslie A. Aarons

16 Mothers of Anarchy: Power, Control, and Care in the Feminine Sphere 175Leigh 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 189Peter S. Fosl

viicontents

18 Anarchism and Authenticity, or Why SAMCRO Shouldnt Fight History 201Peter S. Fosl

19 Good Old Fashioned Mayhem 214Greg Littmann

20 The Road Out of Mayhem 225Greg Littmann

Contributors: Philosophers of Mayhem 237List of Episodes: The Life (and Death?) of Sam Crow 243Index 246

introductionGotta look this life in the eye

Aristotle with an AK Heidegger on a Harley Men of MachiavellianismFXs hit television series, Sons of Anarchy, has been described as Hamlet on motorcycles, but any of these other descriptions would fit as well. Kurt Sutters dramatic tale depicts a world in which violence, hedonism, and power playsalong with loyalty, self-sacrifice, and honorare the social norm. The show leaves us wondering what it would be like for Jax and Taras sons to grow up in this world and brings to mind a number of tough questions. For example, should the Sons always have one anothers 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 hes to continue as SAMCROs president and attempt to reform the club to his fathers original vision of a Harley commune. Its certainly not an easy life for the Sons, their families, and their friends. But is it really that different from the lives of the shows weekly viewers? All of us gotta look this life inthe eye and make moral decisions every day thatll drive us down the open road to the unknown futurelets just hope that Clay hasntsabotaged our bikes!

While our journey down lifes highway doesnt always have a clear path or a definite destination, weve passed a number of road signs along the way: wisdom from various PCsphilosophical clubs portraits of whose legendary members adorn the halls of academia like the mugshots in SAMCROs clubhouse. Like the anarchists of

ixintroduction

SOA who thumb their nose, and sometimes point an automatic weapon, at authority and societal conventions, philosophers from Socrates onward have often been counterculturalsometimes motivating society to great change and sometimes suffering for attempting to teach rationality to unreasonable people. Socrates was found guilty by his fellow Athenians and sentenced to death forcalling widely held assumptions into question, for allegedly cor-rupting the Athenian youth with his questions, and for not adhering to the Greek religious traditions. By their extreme, yet entertaining and somewhat attractive, lifestyle, the Sons challenge us to re-examine the social norms by which we live, often unreflectively. Their violent, criminal, ultra-hedonistic, andby many accountsimmoral ethos spurs us to ask, Why not? Of course, it doesnt take too much reflec-tion to realize why itd be bad to mule cocaine or deal in automatic weapons; but risking their lives together week after week also cements an enviable bond of brotherhood, exemplifying virtues such as loyalty tofamily and community.

Perhaps watching SOA hasnt (yet) inspired you to buy a Harley, join an outlaw motorcycle club, or become a companionator. But maybe reading this volume will coax you into reading a leather-bound volume of Platos dialogues instead of donning a leather cut. Becoming a prospect in a PC requires only an open-minded, yet critically analytical, attitude toward the various truths asserted by individ-uals and social institutionsthe very ones against which anarchists like Emma Goldman influenced the young John Teller to rebel. So if you think you have what it takes, keep reading as we ride free toward philosophical discovery.

Acknowledgmentsthanks to the reaper crew

George and Jason are immensely grateful to all of our contributors for agreeing to be patched-in to this club of philosophy enthusiasts and for breaking several speed limits to get their chapters to us. Each one of their contributions has expanded our appreciation of the shows philosophical dimensions and were sure they will do the same for you, our readers. This volume wouldnt have been possible without our clubs officers, Jeff Dean and Bill Irwin, and friends of the club Lindsay Bourgeois, Jennifer Bray, Louise Spencely, and Paul Stringer, who worked to get this book out of the Teller-Morrow garage and out on the streets. George would like to extend a special thanks to his friend Allison, who first introduced him to the show and to sundry other forms of mayhem that will here go unmentioned. Jason similarly thanks his sister-in-law Jessica Vines for introducing him to the show. She and Jennifer Vines helped him to appreciate not only the shows dramatic depths, but also the aesthetic value of Jax Tellers hair.

Finally, we both wish to express our deepest gratitude to Kurt Sutterand the incredibly talented cast and crew of Sons of Anarchy for getting our hearts and minds racing with each new chapter in theunfolding drama of the lives of Jax, Opie, Gemma, Clay, Tara, Wayne and, of course, Chuckie! As sufferers from what the world sometimes calls compulsive mental masturbation syndromewe just call it philosophywe can certainly relate to the scorn youve had to endure, Chuck.

An equAl Mix of MiGht And riGht

ethicS At 92 MPh

Part i

Sons of Anarchy and Philosophy: Brains Before Bullets, First Edition. Edited by George A. Dunn and Jason T. Eberl. 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

3

Virtue and Vice in the SAMcropolis

Aristotle Views Sons of Anarchy

Jason T. Eberl

At the end of Season 5 of Sons of Anarchy, just before shes arrested as an accessory to murder, Tara informs Jax that she and their boys are leaving Charming. She doesnt want her and Jax to end up like the two people we hate the mostClay and Gemma Morrowand their boys to be destined to re-live all of our mistakes (Jai Obtenu Cette). Jax faces an ultimatum: either leave SAMCRO behind or lose his family. Less than two years earlier, after getting out of a three-month stint in Stockton prison, Jax had told Tara that he was done with SAMCRO and had made a deal with Clay to give him a way out. So Taras ultimatum should be a no-brainer for Jax, yet he seems torn.

In the past several months, Jax has assumed the presidency of the MC and taken on more responsibility for the future direction of the club. But is his allegiance to the club and his sense of responsibility to its membershis brothersthe only thing holding him back from going to Oregon with his family? Could it be that he simply cant bring himself to leave SAMCRO? After all, its the only life hes ever known: Since I was five, Tara, all I ever wanted was a Harley and a cut (Potlatch). He has also confessed that, without SAMCRO, hes just an okay mechanic with a GED. The only thing I do well is outlaw (Out). And when Bobby Munson discovers that Jax is planning to leave the MC, he exhorts, Your solution to a problem will always be a club solution. Its the way youre wired (Kiss).

Chapter 1