Althouse: "I wanted to write about aspects of human behavior that sicken me, but I never had to look further than myself."

March 19, 2011

"I wanted to write about aspects of human behavior that sicken me, but I never had to look further than myself."

"I just thought, 'What do I hate about myself today?' I'm constantly selling out my friends in order to get somebody's approval, or I'm blaming sick people for being sick, or I'm stabbing somebody in the back, or I'm lying... I'm a horrible person."

16 comments:

Unknown said...: Sounds like he'd be a great a union enforcer.; 3/19/11, 12:40 PM
vbspurs said...: From the article:

[David Sedaris responds about US v European prejudice]

It's different in France, because there, it's nobody's business who you're sleeping with, so it's hard for me to imagine that French mother saying, 'This is my son, he's gay.' At the same time, it's important to go through that obnoxious phase where you get in someone's face and you say, 'Yeah I'm gay, you wanna do something about it?' I really think there's something important and empowering about that.

This is why recently out gays are so tiresome, as several out-for-years gay friends frequently agree.

Cheers,
Victoria; 3/19/11, 12:40 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Author David Sedaris is just repeating what Mark Twain said more than 100 years ago. When he said he was a LIAR. That you can't write the truth if you tried. And, he knew he was an accomplished liar.

I just listened to Mark Twain's autobiography on Audio. 20 disks. It was like listening to a friend talk.

Why the 100 year wait for publication? Mark Twain wanted everyone he could possibly have offended, to be dead.

By the way, David Sedaris' observations would fit just about anybody. His writing skills, however, is what's given him name fame.; 3/19/11, 12:45 PM
vet66 said...: The title of his book would be more aptly titled "Squirrel Seeking Nuts"! Sounds like another woe-is-me 30 something whine fest seeking approval for something he marginally enjoys.; 3/19/11, 12:45 PM
ricpic said...: So Sedaris truly is a horrible homo.; 3/19/11, 12:47 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: Ah, self-loathing, the mark of a true artiste.; 3/19/11, 12:49 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Am I correct in assuming this is part of that great contribution NPR is making to American society on our dime?; 3/19/11, 1:14 PM
Winding down said...: He has company--St Paul, Augustine, Martin Luther oh gee I guess all of humanity---confession is good for the soul--tomorrow is another day. Love and try to do good.; 3/19/11, 1:19 PM
bagoh20 said...: Sounds like an attempt to preempt critics who know him.

Personally, I'm a great guy, and I'm willing to defend the claim. I assume Sedaris still likes himself anyway, or he would change.

WV: dismisti. Why, yes, yes it is.; 3/19/11, 1:59 PM
Phil 314 said...: I like Sedaris in small bytes.

This sentiment is very Christian.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9

None is righteous, no, not one
Romans 3:10; 3/19/11, 3:31 PM
Dad said...: I prefer my self-loathing libtards to have at least a little wit about them. Viz: http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2008/jul/26/comedy; 3/19/11, 4:21 PM
Chris said...: I believe Mr. Sedaris is failing to win me over to the idea of dating him.; 3/19/11, 7:51 PM
Harry said...: I enjoyed the earlier stories written by Sedaris. The more recent tales of a wealthy writer living in France are harder to relate to. I took "Squirrel Seeking Nuts" out of the library but lost interest less than halfway through it, short as it is. He's clearly run out of material.

I think it defines the word "twee."; 3/19/11, 7:59 PM
Hank Rearden_WI said...: A self-loathing, back-stabbing, gay, white, American male, living in a world of gray, with what for experience(?), writes to improve South African folk tales, from Germany.

Never underestimate the comedic value of the Left.; 3/19/11, 8:20 PM
vbspurs said...: Actually, David Sedaris is pretty funny, Hank. It's Augusten Burroughs who makes me want to slit an eyeball.; 3/19/11, 10:08 PM
mike said...: I never did like this guy, even when he was the lead singer for Chicago.; 3/20/11, 7:45 PM