Press Release: GetBullish Releases "The Ontological Gift Guide": Philosophy Major Applies Continental Theory to Holiday Shopping

GetBullish Releases "The Ontological Gift Guide": Philosophy Major Applies Continental Theory to Holiday Shopping

Brooklyn founder's academic background and comedy experience converge in surreal gift guide featuring items "in semiotic rebellion"

BROOKLYN, NY (August 11, 2025) – GetBullish has released what may be the world's first gift guide grounded in continental philosophy, presenting The Ontological Gift Guide: A Curated Collection of Objects in Semiotic Rebellion, which analyzes deceptive household items through the lens of Foucault, Derrida, and Bataille.

The guide, published at getbullish.com, examines products that deliberately confuse categorical boundaries – mugs shaped like pancake stacks, handbags resembling Diet Coke cans, and hair claws designed as sardine tins – through rigorous philosophical analysis that somehow makes gift recommendations.

"In an age where the very foundations of categorical certainty have been systematically dismantled by poststructural inquiry," the guide begins, promising "a revolutionary assemblage of objects that dare to transgress the tyrannical boundaries of form and function while also making excellent birthday and holiday gifts."

Academic Comedy Meets E-commerce

The unusual approach reflects founder Jennifer Dziura's background as a philosophy major at Dartmouth College and former comedian whose one-woman show "What Philosophy Majors Do After College" premiered at Ars Nova in New York. The guide represents a synthesis of her academic training and comedic sensibility applied to retail curation.

"This collection represents nothing less than a Foucauldian rupture in the episteme of everyday utility," Dziura writes, describing products that challenge users' assumptions about object categories while remaining functional gifts under $40.

The guide includes extensive footnotes explaining philosophical concepts, from Derrida's "différance" to Heidegger's concept of "thrownness," making continental theory accessible through consumer goods analysis.

Objects as Philosophical Instruments

Featured items include a pancake stack mug that forces users into "daily confrontation with phenomenological instability" and a lipstick lighter that Dziura argues "literally embodies" Judith Butler's theory of performative identity. A sardine can hair claw becomes a meditation on preservation and temporality inspired by Sartre's understanding of hair as humanity's "most intimate relationship with temporality."

"The user approaches their lips, expecting transformation through pigmentation, only to discover the potential for flame," Dziura writes about the lipstick lighter. "Here, Baudrillard's hyperreality achieves its apotheosis: the simulation (lipstick) precedes and ultimately displaces the real (lighter)."

Each product analysis combines genuine philosophical insight with practical gift recommendations, creating what might be called "applied phenomenology for holiday shoppers."

Academic Accessibility Through Humor

The guide demonstrates Dziura's comedian background through accessible explanations of complex theoretical concepts. A footnote about Magritte's "This is not a pipe" concludes: "Who hurt you? In this case, the faux Coke can is holdable, but cannot be filled with liquid: it contains no Coke. Calling it 'treachery' is a little strong, though."

Another footnote about Sartre's childhood haircut trauma notes: "When he got his first haircut as a child, his mother cried because he was so ugly. Hence, philosophy!"

The approach makes continental philosophy entertaining while genuinely illuminating how everyday objects can challenge categorical thinking.

From Ars Nova to Industry City

Dziura's comedy show "What Philosophy Majors Do After College," which premiered at the prestigious Ars Nova theater in New York, explored similar themes of applying academic training to unexpected contexts. The ontological gift guide represents an evolution of that concept, demonstrating how philosophical analysis can enhance rather than complicate practical decision-making.

"Philosophy majors learn to question fundamental assumptions about reality, meaning, and categorization," Dziura explained. "It turns out this training is surprisingly useful for curating interesting gifts and explaining why a Diet Coke handbag is actually a profound statement about consumer consciousness. I mean, that's a stretch, but here we are."

About GetBullish

Founded in 2010 by Jennifer Dziura, GetBullish operates from a Brooklyn warehouse specializing in feminist gifts, gifts under $20, white elephant gifts, and objects that challenge conventional understanding of reality. The company ships daily Monday through Friday with free shipping on US orders over $50.

Dziura holds a philosophy degree from Dartmouth College and has performed comedy at venues including Ars Nova. She has personally designed over 300 items sold in the store, with these original designs also available in over 300 boutiques nationwide.

"The Ontological Gift Guide" is available at getbullish.com/the-ontological-gift-guide-a-curated-collection-of-objects-in-semiotic-rebellion/

Contact: GetBullish help@getbullish.com www.getbullish.com