Draft:Alain de Botton

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Alain de Botton (1969–) is a Swiss-British writer and popular author of books on pop-philosophy and psychoanalysis. His formal academic qualifications are in history and philosophy which he read at university. He co-founded self-help publisher educational company The School of Life in 2008.

General Content

Botton provides narration for and writes short videos on the School of Life YouTube channel often providing feel good commentary to life's general issues, offering general self-help advice, and producing short explainers on various philosophers (with varying degrees of accuracy). The School of Life also publishes books that focus on everything from work, relationships, travel, etc., often with a pop-philosophical bent. Referencing the School of Life to any philosophy graduate as a genuinely reliable source on philosophy is a pretty reliable means to low-key annoy a philosophy graduate.

Mixed Reputation

The man is has a mixed reception in his work, it is clear at a glance that Botton's work is not meant as serious academic philosophy but general life advice for a widespread audience. This has lead some critics such as Charlie Brooker to describe him as...

" ...a slapheaded, ruby-lipped pop philosopher who's forged a lucrative career stating the bleeding obvious in a series of poncey, lighter-than-air books aimed at smug Sunday supplement pseuds looking for something clever-looking to read on the plane - yet if you pick up one of his books and read it cover to cover, you'll come away with less insight into the human condition than if you'd worked your way through a copy of Mr Tickle instead."

Others have provided lukewarm praise such as one anonymous reviewer stating...

"De Botton's idea of bringing philosophy to the masses and presenting it in an unthreatening manner (and showing how it might be useful in anyone's life), is admirable; the way he has gone about it is less so".

All the relevant criticisms and caveats of pop-intelligentsia applies in this context.

Books

• Religion for Atheists: A Non-Believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion (2012) ISBN 978-0141046310