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/lit/ - Literature

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7910498 No.7910498 [Reply] [Original]

Why do people laugh when I tell them about DFW's ideas about sincerety saving people from the cynical irony of post-modernism? Are people that afraid of sincerety?

>> No.7910511

>>7910498
Probably because summing up his works as sincere is missing 99% of the point

>> No.7910518

>>7910511

Bu that is the whole message of his works. He writes about post-modern irony and cynicism affecting people. In Infinite Jest, he says that's why people are addicted to things. You can only free yourself from that through sincerety, or Group Session meetings as shown in the book, and which is something that helped DFW in his life. Unfortunately it didn't help him completely because he couldn't handle the insincerety of the world.

>> No.7910532

People are so cucked by capitalism and the need to appear as if they don't care that this idea, like most revolutionary ideas, is at first just a joke, then scary, then a threat to their continued existence.

>> No.7910534

>>7910518
His work actually has nothing to do with that. They're laughing at you because you're a retarded autist.

>> No.7910541

>>7910532
If anything, this idea is what being cucked by capitalism memes people into thinking. DFW was so fucking spooky it hurts.

>> No.7910543

>>7910534

>His work actually has nothing to do with that.

Yes it does. That's the whole point of his essay on TV, and he's repeated those ideas many times in interviews.

I've actually explained myself in great detail. You just say "No you're wrong and that's it," so I can only conclude you're being an insincere troll, one of the most dangerous and corrosive attitudes one can have in our society. Please stop, not for the sake of this thread but because you will feel better and be a better person.

>> No.7910548

>>7910518
People are addicted to things because there is nothing else to do, they're filling the void that is life. The only escape route he gave was communication, which has a limit to its effectiveness. He was making fun of the support group btw by calling them children who refused to grow up. The postmodern condition is only where he starts to ask the problems with being human.

>> No.7910559

b/c hes a prime example of insincere cynical douche? people aren't afraid of sincerity, dfw was afraid of sincerity.

>> No.7910563

>>7910548
>He was making fun of the support group btw by calling them children who refused to grow up.

What the hell are you talking about? In the book, it's depicted as the only place you can find sinerety in a broken ironic world. Support groups are something that helped DFW greatly IRL, so I have no idea where you're getting this from.

>> No.7910583

Lmao his kind of thinking about authenticity is dated and very 90s.
Absolute useless for contemporary matters. That's obvious to anybody, that's why they are laughing

>> No.7910585
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7910585

I'd be grateful if someone gave a somewhat formalized account on the negative effects of non-sincerety, according to Wallace at all.
How can such a small thingy have dramatic consequemces for life and living?

>> No.7910590

>>7910585
There aren't any. Being a fraud is a standard part of growing up because we live in a society based on bullshit. Read The Catcher in the Rye.

>> No.7910596

>>7910563
The guys crawling around like babies?

>> No.7911796

>>7910498

There was nothing wrong with sincerity in a post-modern society until it started getting guys laid. After that man became HIDEOUS MAN

>> No.7911980

>>7910498
>Are people that afraid of sincerity?

It's not that they're afraid, they just don't care.

Why do you think people find Banksy cornball and cringeworthy now? People fucking love to shop, don't feel the need to make excuses for or explain it away anymore, and don't want to stop.

>> No.7912438

IJ is about death OP. The people love the movie because it doesnt die, it distracts them from death. Read the full quote from hamlet and youll see that irony is a minor theme in the novel

>> No.7912470

Because you're a fag.

>> No.7912597

In one interview, quite possibly the meme-erview but I can't remember and don't feel like rewatching right now, I think DFW mentioned how he kind of envied people who were deeply into instrumental music. He was talking about how instrumental music communicates the most directly of any of the arts but that he didn't really get it and it made him kind of sad. Does anyone remember this or where it's from? As a side note, I think that instrumental composers attempting a "new sincerity" in music are the most doomed artists of all. Shit probably would have just depressed poor Dave even more.

>> No.7912613

>>7910498
>Why do people laugh when I tell them about DFW
cuz your funny OP

>> No.7912619

>>7910541
Spooky in some ways, less spooky in others.

>> No.7912732

>>7910518
No. At least Infinite Jest's "message" was people will go any length to find pleasure without ever actually having to think, it's not even "hidden." That's the link between drug addiction between and commercial entertainment.

>> No.7912753

>>7912597
>He was talking about how instrumental music communicates the most directly of any of the arts but that he didn't really get it and it made him kind of sad.
I am not even at all surprised by this. Can't think, can't listen, etc.

>> No.7913528

spend more time in /lit


that'll answer your question