Two people pose together against a plain white background. One wears a dark suit and glasses, pointing towards the other person who has their hands pressed together in a prayer gesture. Text across the top reads “The most boring & unproductive question one can ask of any religion is whether or not it is true.”

Philosophy and slapstick come together in the preposterous Tumblr Alain de Bottom

Words: Rob Alderson
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Date: 18 January 2013; Work

This maybe one of the most utterly ridiculous things I have ever come across on the good ship internet and yet it may also be my favourite ever Tumblr. Go figure. Comedian John Luke Roberts has taken words of wisdom from everyone’s favourite contemporary philosopher Alain de Botton and overlaid them onto images from the much-missed 1990s slapstick sitcom Bottom. At its heart is a cracker of a pun but the images are all oddly appropriate and if you really want to you can see some comment about the conflicting places in which we seek cultural consolation. Or you can just enjoy the nonsense – either way check it out.

Two people stand side by side with expressions of shock and anxiety. Above them, text reads “Paranoia: the freewheeling echo of all the bad stuff one has done, coming back for revenge.” — Above
John Luke Roberts: Alain de Bottom

Two people look at each other in a close-up shot. Text laid over the top reads, “Cheering abstract thought: the millions around the world who will, this very night, happily sleep together for the first time.” — Above
John Luke Roberts: Alain de Bottom

Two people stand in a room, one wearing a gold patterned jacket and the other in a brown suit and glasses. Text laid over the image reads, “If conversation is dragging, try (with kindness): ‘in what ways has life has treated you unfairly?’ Volumes in everyone.” — Above
John Luke Roberts: Alain de Bottom

A person holds a carrot with a small smiley face drawn on it in front of another person. The second person wears black-rimmed glasses and smiles broadly. Text at the top reads “Hard to say to a friend: I need cheering up because of the sadness your success has caused me.” — Above
John Luke Roberts: Alain de Bottom

Two people look on with expressions of shock and confusion. One wears a red devil costume and the other wears a yellow raincoat, brown hat and glasses. Text laid over the image reads “It would be so much easier if we’d stop being mean when, mainly, we’re just hurt.” — Above
John Luke Roberts: Alain de Bottom

Two people sit side by side on wooden chairs, bound to them with thin rope. They wear white sleeveless undershirts and briefs. White serif text laid over the image reads “People who are plain horrible are so much more survivable than those who mix in a bit of love with their abuse.” — Above
John Luke Roberts: Alain de Bottom

A person in a white shirt and loose grey tie looks toward the camera with a wide, excited expression. Text laid over the image reads “Beyond pessimism lies that far more fruitful mood: cheerful despair.” — Above
John Luke Roberts: Alain de Bottom

Further Info

www.alaindebottom.tumblr.com

About the Author

Rob Alderson

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Rob Alderson is a freelance writer, editor and strategist. He was previously editor-in-chief of It’s Nice That and WePresent, and editor of Design Week. He publishes the newsletter Undo, which tries to make sense of how AI is changing design work, the design process and the design industry.

Philosophy and slapstick come together in the preposterous Tumblr Alain de Bottom

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