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If you remember the late 90s well enough, this reached a head with Jedediah Purdy's For Common Things. We have come so far full circle in 20 years, that Aaron

If you remember the late 90s well enough, this reached a head with Jedediah Purdy's For Common Things. We have come so far full circle in 20 years, that Aaron Sorkin quoted Purdy without a hint of irony on his latest HBO show. This was my favorite response then, and maybe Stein'll do a reprise: http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,992159,00.html http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,992159,...

DonGateley 12y ago
You beat me to the punch. Purdy's book has been far too obscure for far too long. He was the first to awaken me to this cultural deviance and I've been stuck with seeing it everywhere ever since. While it may be too simplistic I blame, J.D. Salinger, Catcher in the Rye and Holden Caulfield almost entirely for this plague of irony. I sincerely wish the creepy Salinger had been lost in the war. As a culture we would be the better for it. When I read For Common Things I thought perhaps it could be the bell weather of change. Instead it was mostly ignored. He was remarkably young and remarkably brilliant when he wrote it and it gave me hope for the for the influence of his generation. Alas... This article made me realize what it is that I find so absolutely compelling in DFW's works. I find his suicide not the least surprising in light of his remarkable sense of sincerity. How could one with such sensitivities continue in this brave new world of snark.
- dvanduzer 12y ago
  """ I asked Purdy if the book wasn't just an excuse for not having a sense of humor. He said, "That's a pretty nifty little piece of psychological deductionism." I took that as a yes. Then, to make conversation, I asked him his favorite movie. He paused and said, "I like movies, but I don't orient to them with the same sophistication as a lot of folks." """
dfc 12y ago
During my 1L year while procrastinating for my Property final I came across an article Purdy wrote about Johnson v. M’Intosh.[1] It reminded me of that neat white book from long ago and I took the time to reread it. If you enjoyed the book when it came out I encourage you to reread it. [1]: Property and Empire: The Law of Imperialism in Johnson v. M’Intosh -- http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2489&context=faculty_scholarship http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=...

DonGateley 12y ago

You beat me to the punch. Purdy's book has been far too obscure for far too long. He was the first to awaken me to this cultural deviance and I've been stuck with seeing it everywhere ever since. While it may be too simplistic I blame, J.D. Salinger, Catcher in the Rye and Holden Caulfield almost entirely for this plague of irony. I sincerely wish the creepy Salinger had been lost in the war. As a culture we would be the better for it. When I read For Common Things I thought perhaps it could be the bell weather of change. Instead it was mostly ignored. He was remarkably young and remarkably brilliant when he wrote it and it gave me hope for the for the influence of his generation. Alas... This article made me realize what it is that I find so absolutely compelling in DFW's works. I find his suicide not the least surprising in light of his remarkable sense of sincerity. How could one with such sensitivities continue in this brave new world of snark.

dvanduzer 12y ago
""" I asked Purdy if the book wasn't just an excuse for not having a sense of humor. He said, "That's a pretty nifty little piece of psychological deductionism." I took that as a yes. Then, to make conversation, I asked him his favorite movie. He paused and said, "I like movies, but I don't orient to them with the same sophistication as a lot of folks." """

dfc 12y ago

During my 1L year while procrastinating for my Property final I came across an article Purdy wrote about Johnson v. M’Intosh.[1] It reminded me of that neat white book from long ago and I took the time to reread it. If you enjoyed the book when it came out I encourage you to reread it. [1]: Property and Empire: The Law of Imperialism in Johnson v. M’Intosh -- http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2489&context=faculty_scholarship http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=...