Alright, so I've been digging on David Foster Wallace a bit...
We were both born in 1962, grew up in central Illinois, struggled with depression & alcohol, and we have a few other similarities...
Anyhew, I've heard his name tossed around over the years, and listened to this famous commencement speech from 2005, This Is Water, a number of times (it is well worth 20 minutes. Listen to it!).
I included part of an interview with him in this post from August - where he discusses the dangers of the internet ...in 1996!
And along comes a couple posts from The Honest Broker:
- David Foster Wallace Tried to Warn Us About these Eight Things
- Where to Start in Reading David Foster Wallace
That's what sent me down this road...
Then there's the fact DFW was raised by atheist parents, yet still sought to join the Catholic church (though he twice flunked the entry requirements), and eventually became part of a Mennonite community...
And that he committed suicide at age 46...
What really caught my eye, though... I read the list of 'literary movements' he was a part of... Postmodern literature, post-postmodernism, Metamodernism, neoliberalism, and... NEW SINCERITY!
Just the combination of those two words: New Sincerity. Doesn't that strike a chord with you?!?
Like, YES... this is something we need!!! This is something worth fighting for!!! This is... possibly... the antidote to... (I can't really bring myself to say it, because... I know... but...)
I'm not entirely sure I understand the concept just yet, but I asked ChatGPT to explain it to me like I'm a 6th grader in 100 words or less, and this is what it said:
"New Sincerity is a way of thinking and creating where people show real feelings instead of being sarcastic or trying to look 'cool.' It started because some people got tired of always joking or pretending not to care. Instead, they wanted to be honest, kind, and open -- even if that means being a little awkward or vulnerable. In books, movies, or music, New Sincerity means being true to yourself and caring about things, without making fun of them. It reminds us that it's okay to feel deeply and to say what we really mean."
Gawd, isn't that beautiful?!?!?! Yes, yes, and yes!!! I know I sound like the pot with a kettle, but THAT'S HOW I WANT TO BE!!!
...and that's how I wish the world was...
So, 'scuse me while I wander down this drift. I'm going to start by reading 'Something To Do With Paying Attention,' and we'll see where it goes.
And, I know... sometimes I get excited about things and then... nothing happens.
So, sue me. ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment