6 ms·

Yeah I don’t see what the hype was about this guy. He was physically abusive towards his girlfriend, was creepy with her son, and he killed himself. Seems like

Yeah I don’t see what the hype was about this guy. He was physically abusive towards his girlfriend, was creepy with her son, and he killed himself. Seems like a loser.

nuclearnice3 5y ago
I'm not precisely sure why you are getting downvoted, but worth noting the abuse is well-documented. [1] [2] [1] https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/05/the-world-still-spins-around-male-genius/559925/ https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/05/th... [2] https://twitter.com/marykarrlit/status/992735594060148737 https://twitter.com/marykarrlit/status/992735594060148737
- deleted 5y ago
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- maroonblazer 5y ago
  Perhaps it's because the parent can't distinguish between the person and the work. Show me someone who's produced remarkable output and hasn't done shitty things. The 'hype' is about the work, not the person.
  - nuclearnice3 5y ago
    > Show me someone who's produced remarkable output and hasn't done shitty things. Paul Graham?
    - mistermann 5y ago
      Another way of looking at it: what was DFW in a position to (plausibly) do, versus what he did, as compared to Paul Graham?
      - nuclearnice3 5y ago
        I don't follow your comment. DFW had a girlfriend and allegedly tried to push her out of a moving car. No accusations against pg. Except hnbad who vaguely writes "Debatable" in this thread.
        mistermann 5y ago
        It's the perspective of roughly "maximizing ones possible achievements". Paul Graham is rich, connected, and inluential, to what degree (in percentage terms) does he use this to make the world a better place?
        nuclearnice3 5y ago
        Gotcha. Those who are rich, connected, and influential could all seriously consider our impacts on the world. I don't see failing to use your wealth well and trying to push someone out of a car as equivalent "shitty things."
        colinmhayes 5y ago
        I do. In fact, pushing someone out of a car only hurts one person. Not utilizing your resources for good hurts thousands, maybe even, millions.
        mistermann 5y ago
        Especially when "your" wealth is fairly arbitrary, and hardly democratically decided.
    - hnbad 5y ago
      Debatable.
- elcapitan 5y ago
  The "well-documented" seems to be a disgruntled ex-lover talking about a dead person who can't comment on it anymore, and then other people writing what the disgruntled ex-lover said, or is there more to it?
  - nuclearnice3 5y ago
    I'm no expert, but I think you are correct. The "well-documented" is Karr talking about Wallace and then other people writing what Karr said. That's often the case with domestic violence. Adrienne Miller’s memoir of her time at Esquire contains some description of DFW being a jerk, but not physically abusive.
colinmhayes 5y ago
Have you read any of his essays or novels? IMO consider the lobster is one of the best essay collections ever and Infinite Jest is the best novel by an American since Ernest Hemingway. Yea he was an asshole, but his writing is good.
- nemo44x 5y ago
  Thomas Pynchon enters the chat…
- itisit 5y ago
  > Infinite Jest is the best novel by an American since Ernest Hemingway This remark is painfully cringe-inducing, and I can only think you haven't read very much at all. And if you think you have, then I can most assuredly say you haven't.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- psyc 5y ago
  Every time I’ve encountered this opinion about Infinite Jest, I’ve tried to read it. I’m not falling for this again.

Yeah I don’t see what the hype was about this guy. He was physically abusive towards his girlfriend, was creepy with her son, and he killed himself. Seems like a loser.

nuclearnice3 5y ago

I'm not precisely sure why you are getting downvoted, but worth noting the abuse is well-documented. [1] [2] [1] https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/05/the-world-still-spins-around-male-genius/559925/ https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/05/th... [2] https://twitter.com/marykarrlit/status/992735594060148737 https://twitter.com/marykarrlit/status/992735594060148737

deleted 5y ago
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maroonblazer 5y ago
Perhaps it's because the parent can't distinguish between the person and the work. Show me someone who's produced remarkable output and hasn't done shitty things. The 'hype' is about the work, not the person.
- nuclearnice3 5y ago
  > Show me someone who's produced remarkable output and hasn't done shitty things. Paul Graham?
  - mistermann 5y ago
    Another way of looking at it: what was DFW in a position to (plausibly) do, versus what he did, as compared to Paul Graham?
    - nuclearnice3 5y ago
      I don't follow your comment. DFW had a girlfriend and allegedly tried to push her out of a moving car. No accusations against pg. Except hnbad who vaguely writes "Debatable" in this thread.
      - mistermann 5y ago
        It's the perspective of roughly "maximizing ones possible achievements". Paul Graham is rich, connected, and inluential, to what degree (in percentage terms) does he use this to make the world a better place?
        nuclearnice3 5y ago
        Gotcha. Those who are rich, connected, and influential could all seriously consider our impacts on the world. I don't see failing to use your wealth well and trying to push someone out of a car as equivalent "shitty things."
        colinmhayes 5y ago
        I do. In fact, pushing someone out of a car only hurts one person. Not utilizing your resources for good hurts thousands, maybe even, millions.
        mistermann 5y ago
        Especially when "your" wealth is fairly arbitrary, and hardly democratically decided.
  - hnbad 5y ago
    Debatable.
elcapitan 5y ago
The "well-documented" seems to be a disgruntled ex-lover talking about a dead person who can't comment on it anymore, and then other people writing what the disgruntled ex-lover said, or is there more to it?
- nuclearnice3 5y ago
  I'm no expert, but I think you are correct. The "well-documented" is Karr talking about Wallace and then other people writing what Karr said. That's often the case with domestic violence. Adrienne Miller’s memoir of her time at Esquire contains some description of DFW being a jerk, but not physically abusive.

colinmhayes 5y ago

Have you read any of his essays or novels? IMO consider the lobster is one of the best essay collections ever and Infinite Jest is the best novel by an American since Ernest Hemingway. Yea he was an asshole, but his writing is good.

nemo44x 5y ago
Thomas Pynchon enters the chat…
itisit 5y ago
> Infinite Jest is the best novel by an American since Ernest Hemingway This remark is painfully cringe-inducing, and I can only think you haven't read very much at all. And if you think you have, then I can most assuredly say you haven't.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
psyc 5y ago
Every time I’ve encountered this opinion about Infinite Jest, I’ve tried to read it. I’m not falling for this again.