Ariadne von Schirach

Ariadne von Schirach, M.A, was born in Munich 1978. She studied philosophie, sociology and psychology in Munich, Berlin and Barcelona. In 2007 she published her first book “Der Tanz um die Lust“ which became a German bestseller, in it she examines and critizises the pornographisation of society and it’s influence on body images, culture and relationships.

Ms von Schirach is an elegant, witty and entertaining speaker and host, who nevertheless always keeps a focus on the essential questions underneath. She is genuinely interested in people and opinions, and understand philosophy as exchange of viewpoints, not a battle for simple truth or attention. The many lectures, panels and interviews she has conducted or participated in have convinced her that these public interactions are a wonderful field for contemporary philosophy – from ethics in the workplace to the question what managers could learn from the life and death of Socrates.

She writes a weekly column about happiness, and her essays are regularly published in Germany’s most influential newspapers and magazines. Some of her favourite topics include the Renaissance of the ’Monstrous’ in current popular culture. Ms von Schirach also regularly features as a guest on television, where she is always an interesting guest with an opinion of her own. Currently she is working as book critic and music columnist while simultaneously writing her phd on: “The Art of Life (Lebenskunst) in the 21the Century“.

Her topics range from in-depth analysis of popular culture to classical philosophy, modern pschoanalysis and general ethics, often combining them in fresh and unexpected views. As a philosopher and an autor and columnist, Ms von Schirach is trained in the art of rhetoric and public speaking – as the philosopher she takes the art of her craft: public speaking very seriously – though always laced with some irony – understanding how to communicate effectively she focusses on the core of the message and not smooth but fluffy gossip,

How do we want to live? Which image of humanity is fruitful, which is destructive? Which values are worth defending, and does it make sense to speak of values alltogether? What ist he role of the human ideal nowadays? Is security freedom? How can we be happy? And why does Edward Cullen sparkle?