"Pity Me" hits at sooo many fears I have with personal essays, to the point that I feel a need to pivot away and inject as much humor and attempts at self-awareness I can because I don't want to come off as victimizing myself. It makes me avoid some subjects because the last thing I want is for people to think I'm seeking sympathy. I'm sharing for the sake of sharing. but I also recognize I'm young and naive and don't have any answers, I'm just going through life the way I do. It's not bad and it's not good, it just is. Thanks for the hyperfixation Jade!
Oh boy, sorry to fuck you up a bit. You're very welcome! Please do ignore anything and everything I share and say.
I do think there's an important distinction within that piece. There's nothing wrong with being earnest or confused. I think that sort of sharing coming from a genuine place is always great.
But StudyHall XYZ's pitch guide used to have this bit where it said something like "If your piece doesn't have a clear tie to late stage capitalism, don't feel obligated to force one." And this piece makes me more so think of that, of forcing something beyond its depth. And from what I've read of your stuff, the ties you make always seem to be quite genuine and natural.
If it's serious to you, let it be serious. I've just experienced when I write this compulsion to force seriousness on non-serious moments, even though I have plenty of instances I could otherwise genuinely pull from for that depth. You know what, I'm probably not helping. Focus on the part where I said to ignore me.
I don't think I've ever been more fascinated and alarmed at the same time by writing than by "Look at What We're Doing With Your Money You Dick." Incredible writing, and an even more incredible way to induce crying about the state of the world lol. Reading "Now We Are Five" now!!! Although I mostly just wanna know who hates David Sedaris and why????
No yeah, absolutely love that piece. It's intense, tragic, and well told. It's the kind of piece that makes you say, "damn art is hard, maybe I should have pursued finance."
But yeah, it lines up well, with a lot of other conversations I've been seeing from young and attentive writers. internet princess (Ray Fisher-quann), talks about how terms like "problematic" have lost all meaning since people use it to describe actors who didn't say hi to a fan once and for war criminals. And to me, the Pity Me piece, also fits into a similar space of legitimate critique. With "cancel culture" and being open about trauma most of the critique comes from right wing sources, and in that noise a wall of defensiveness splashes up and doesn't allow for legitimate criticism of the problems that have arisen. So yes, a very good orienting piece.
And re Sedaris -- Nothing wild! Someone with as big of a body of work as he has, he's rubbed people the wrong way plenty of times. Some fair critiques out there of him being out of touch. That all kind of folds into who he genuinely seems to be. For the record, I think he's hysterical. Sedaris is Sedaris and he's not for everyone.
Hahahahaha I definitely agree about the "damn art is hard," but I don't think I've ever thought I should have pursued finance. I would get fired for getting bored and doing nothing SO quickly.
Wow if "defensiveness that doesn't allow for legitimate criticism of the problems" isn't a perfect encapsulation of the problems with American culture, I don't know what is. Well put.
Haha I definitely see what you mean - particularly since after reading that article I have reinforced my love for his writing and also decided that he is almost definitely kind of a bad person. I guess, in fairness, family can definitely be hard. "I haven't talked to my sister in 8 years" is a pretty wild reality for anyone whose sister didn't like attempt to kill them.
"Pity Me" hits at sooo many fears I have with personal essays, to the point that I feel a need to pivot away and inject as much humor and attempts at self-awareness I can because I don't want to come off as victimizing myself. It makes me avoid some subjects because the last thing I want is for people to think I'm seeking sympathy. I'm sharing for the sake of sharing. but I also recognize I'm young and naive and don't have any answers, I'm just going through life the way I do. It's not bad and it's not good, it just is. Thanks for the hyperfixation Jade!
Oh boy, sorry to fuck you up a bit. You're very welcome! Please do ignore anything and everything I share and say.
I do think there's an important distinction within that piece. There's nothing wrong with being earnest or confused. I think that sort of sharing coming from a genuine place is always great.
But StudyHall XYZ's pitch guide used to have this bit where it said something like "If your piece doesn't have a clear tie to late stage capitalism, don't feel obligated to force one." And this piece makes me more so think of that, of forcing something beyond its depth. And from what I've read of your stuff, the ties you make always seem to be quite genuine and natural.
If it's serious to you, let it be serious. I've just experienced when I write this compulsion to force seriousness on non-serious moments, even though I have plenty of instances I could otherwise genuinely pull from for that depth. You know what, I'm probably not helping. Focus on the part where I said to ignore me.
I don't think I've ever been more fascinated and alarmed at the same time by writing than by "Look at What We're Doing With Your Money You Dick." Incredible writing, and an even more incredible way to induce crying about the state of the world lol. Reading "Now We Are Five" now!!! Although I mostly just wanna know who hates David Sedaris and why????
No yeah, absolutely love that piece. It's intense, tragic, and well told. It's the kind of piece that makes you say, "damn art is hard, maybe I should have pursued finance."
But yeah, it lines up well, with a lot of other conversations I've been seeing from young and attentive writers. internet princess (Ray Fisher-quann), talks about how terms like "problematic" have lost all meaning since people use it to describe actors who didn't say hi to a fan once and for war criminals. And to me, the Pity Me piece, also fits into a similar space of legitimate critique. With "cancel culture" and being open about trauma most of the critique comes from right wing sources, and in that noise a wall of defensiveness splashes up and doesn't allow for legitimate criticism of the problems that have arisen. So yes, a very good orienting piece.
And re Sedaris -- Nothing wild! Someone with as big of a body of work as he has, he's rubbed people the wrong way plenty of times. Some fair critiques out there of him being out of touch. That all kind of folds into who he genuinely seems to be. For the record, I think he's hysterical. Sedaris is Sedaris and he's not for everyone.
Hahahahaha I definitely agree about the "damn art is hard," but I don't think I've ever thought I should have pursued finance. I would get fired for getting bored and doing nothing SO quickly.
Wow if "defensiveness that doesn't allow for legitimate criticism of the problems" isn't a perfect encapsulation of the problems with American culture, I don't know what is. Well put.
Haha I definitely see what you mean - particularly since after reading that article I have reinforced my love for his writing and also decided that he is almost definitely kind of a bad person. I guess, in fairness, family can definitely be hard. "I haven't talked to my sister in 8 years" is a pretty wild reality for anyone whose sister didn't like attempt to kill them.