Thanks so much David! Really deeply appreciate all your encouraging comments. Yes, at the time I wrote the story, that was kind of the air I was breathing and I didn't think that much about the scene. Now that I'm seeing the story from more of a distance, I'm realizing how empty a lot of that artistic climbing really is and how short-sighted it is that so many people in that world treat kids as, like, an afterthought.
Embarrassingly, I was probably 50 by the time I learned I could simply compliment work I like without having to at the same time assert my own prowess, often with some version of "it would have been better if you . . . " I also became a far gentler teacher, and got pretty good at asking naive questions in public places. At some point one realizes he is not, actually, the point. Aging has its benefits. It frees one, especially to be generous.
You might recall the book "Into the Wild." (I have a few connections here.) For me, the key question was/is, what do we as a culture, still largely Romantic, do with work that is, ultimately, not that great? That is, all the striving tacitly presumes genius, which by definition is rare . . .
My immediate impression from the first paragraph is that I am going to like your insightful and skillful writing (but right now I have a demanding wife to respond...I'll be back).
I loved this piece. Very engaging
Thank you so much Tony! Really appreciate it.
Very, very good, Sam. Also, not sure you intended it like this, but a hell of an indictment of a scene. More anon, maybe. For now, kudos.
Thanks so much David! Really deeply appreciate all your encouraging comments. Yes, at the time I wrote the story, that was kind of the air I was breathing and I didn't think that much about the scene. Now that I'm seeing the story from more of a distance, I'm realizing how empty a lot of that artistic climbing really is and how short-sighted it is that so many people in that world treat kids as, like, an afterthought.
Embarrassingly, I was probably 50 by the time I learned I could simply compliment work I like without having to at the same time assert my own prowess, often with some version of "it would have been better if you . . . " I also became a far gentler teacher, and got pretty good at asking naive questions in public places. At some point one realizes he is not, actually, the point. Aging has its benefits. It frees one, especially to be generous.
You might recall the book "Into the Wild." (I have a few connections here.) For me, the key question was/is, what do we as a culture, still largely Romantic, do with work that is, ultimately, not that great? That is, all the striving tacitly presumes genius, which by definition is rare . . .
My immediate impression from the first paragraph is that I am going to like your insightful and skillful writing (but right now I have a demanding wife to respond...I'll be back).
Good man! I think that's a good life hack - always put down the short story to respond to the demanding wife! Thanks for the kind words!