Photo of Todd Mei

California, ‘Being and Time’ and the Rodney King riots: Nostalgia podcast with Todd Mei

In the latest episode of the Nostalgia podcast series, Dr Chris Deacy, Reader in Theology and Religious Studies in the Department of Religious Studies, speaks to Dr Todd Mei, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Philosophy.

Todd was born in California in an environment that was a hotbed of Republicanism and we discuss his love of rock climbing, Heidegger’s ‘Being and Time’, working as a claims adjuster, wind surfing, break-dancing, skate punk, wrestling, his apprehension of LA in the light of the Rodney King riots, being ‘shaped by opposition’, the different political sensibilities between the UK and US and how Todd responds when people ask him whether he’s a theist or an atheist. We also learn whether Todd would rather be an academic or a rock climber and why as Heidegger would say looking back is his way of looking forward.