Interesting. In the 1980s I took the train to work. People read paperbacks and newspapers. Even those who couldn't get a seat and had to stand. And when I traveled to London and Paris in the 80s and 90s, same thing. London had the most readers and some of them could easily hold a tome as big and heavy as jest while the tube car rocked and rolled. And they weren't doing if as performance. Writing was generally universal. Not like now.
It's fascinating to me how now, elites, or self-perceived elites, think reading is passe or performative. And I see the same downward spiral for language. Emojis and grunts, snarls, hoots of laugher replacing real conversation.
On a broader scale, we see the ghetto culture rising up and becoming the popular culture. Fascinating and sad.
Reading has declined for a number of reasons--the internet, the 'smart' phone, and I would ad, the decline of the culture into woke nonsense and the decline of story. Yes, novels are published, but story has suffered. Why would someone (in 1985) heft a 500 page paperback on a rocking subway train? Because the story was compelling and well written and based in reality, not bullshit fantasy realities like we now have.
Anyway, no matter how dysfunctional and stupid this culture gets, I will continue to write good story that's engaging and based in what I consider to be reality, modern publishing be damned.
Watch for my latest coming in July. Seeing Sunny Again, stories that the schmucks who run Big Publishing would never publish because they're too honest about the real world.
Oh, and as far as picking up women is concerned, I would tell young men to just be themselves. The current madness is unsustainable. Reality will have its day.
Interesting. In the 1980s I took the train to work. People read paperbacks and newspapers. Even those who couldn't get a seat and had to stand. And when I traveled to London and Paris in the 80s and 90s, same thing. London had the most readers and some of them could easily hold a tome as big and heavy as jest while the tube car rocked and rolled. And they weren't doing if as performance. Writing was generally universal. Not like now.
It's fascinating to me how now, elites, or self-perceived elites, think reading is passe or performative. And I see the same downward spiral for language. Emojis and grunts, snarls, hoots of laugher replacing real conversation.
On a broader scale, we see the ghetto culture rising up and becoming the popular culture. Fascinating and sad.
Reading has declined for a number of reasons--the internet, the 'smart' phone, and I would ad, the decline of the culture into woke nonsense and the decline of story. Yes, novels are published, but story has suffered. Why would someone (in 1985) heft a 500 page paperback on a rocking subway train? Because the story was compelling and well written and based in reality, not bullshit fantasy realities like we now have.
Anyway, no matter how dysfunctional and stupid this culture gets, I will continue to write good story that's engaging and based in what I consider to be reality, modern publishing be damned.
Watch for my latest coming in July. Seeing Sunny Again, stories that the schmucks who run Big Publishing would never publish because they're too honest about the real world.
Oh, and as far as picking up women is concerned, I would tell young men to just be themselves. The current madness is unsustainable. Reality will have its day.
Best on your literary journey!
The original IJ cover from 96 is the one with the clouds. Thats the 2016 edition cover
John you’re embarrassing me (please stop)
I near wore out my copy of infinite jest performative reading then one day I found myself actually reading