Perhaps It’s Only Essayists Who Care About Essays on Essays…

February 17, 2013 – 11:12 am

…but I enjoyed this essay by Phillip Lopate in today’s NYT about the value of doubt. It’s as much about living life as it is about essays. I particularly like, “I am forever monitoring myself for traces of folly, insensitivity, arrogance, false humility, cruelty, stupidity, immaturity and, guess what, I keep finding examples.”

Which Lopate then argues is no reason not to get on with things. Amen to that.

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7 Comments

  1. jules
    Posted February 17, 2013 at 11:19 am | Permalink

    That quote you share sums up our “PIAGET?!” Technique.

    I gotta read this later. Thanks for the link.

  2. jules
    Posted February 17, 2013 at 11:22 am | Permalink

    Okay, I just read it now and LOVED it.

  3. adrienne
    Posted February 17, 2013 at 11:22 am | Permalink

    I think reading it will make you feel understood, Jules. It is very Piaget.

  4. adrienne
    Posted February 17, 2013 at 11:23 am | Permalink

    We keep commenting at the same time, because we’re like that.

  5. jules
    Posted February 17, 2013 at 11:27 am | Permalink

    It really is good, and the part about school essays today makes me sad. “[I]t is crucial to nudge them past that self-righteous inveighing, that shrill, defensive one-track that is deadly for personal essays or memoirs, and encourage a more polyphonic, playful approach.” YES YES YES.

  6. jama
    Posted February 17, 2013 at 5:59 pm | Permalink

    Loved it — especially the part about knowing you are wrong most of the time being so obvious you don’t need to say it. And the whole doubt thing is now more reassuring to me. Thanks for the link :).

  7. adrienne
    Posted February 17, 2013 at 8:06 pm | Permalink

    That resonated with me, too, Jama.

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