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The fact that the top comment on this video is an advertisement for Wallace's writing posted by a user called "Manufacturing Intellect" is irony consuming itself.
@@Ryantaras How would you have come to know about him if the company didn't market them? The Irony is here, my friend. Stop being rejective about everything.
Who's revisiting this legendary interview in 2024? I must have watched this 30 times. I obviously never knew DFW, but I miss him. One of a kind genius.
I'm only 23, so I reached some semblance of intellectual maturity well after his passing. It's been difficult for me to read his work or listen to him talk without having his passing at the front of my mind. I've always wondered how that has colored my interpretation of his ideas. So brutally relevant in todays age, it's always amazed me how he is speaking 20 years ago.
So glad to get to listen to these parts. I feel like David had a desire to connect instead of talking to some faceless interviewer, and that happens there most.
I'm mainly cringing at the interviewer. a guy like wallace is pretty much screwed when you put a 20 something confident intern in front of him. with michael silverblatt he had a perfect interviewer
@@alvinhaglund5811 She does fine and it seems bizarre to say she's confident when she explicitly says that she thinks he's much smarter than her, and is a bit tentative in tone sometimes
It's impossible to explain how much I love this man. So kind, so intelligent, so human. I wish I had someone in my life who has even a fraction of his character. RIP DFW.
He's so self-critical, yet finds a peace by being aware that he's so self-critical. Like he imagines how he'd judge him if he was somebody else. (I'm also projecting)
*four minutes of eloquent speech expressing a feeling i havent been able to articulate properly my entire life* “i doubt this is making very much sense”
This is a very old idea and it's one of the key differences between classical/medieval/modern philosophy and asian philosophy. This obsession with the primacy of the self. This languishing over subjectivity. It's really quite a simple and sobering thought that is both the fuel and the solution to self-hatred -> Why are my flaws and mistakes so important? As opposed to everything that goes wrong and people mess up every single day?
What happens when self-hatred becomes part of a dominant culture of the elites and universities? What happens when guilt is also thrown in the mix? Well.......
So unusual and moving to see a person being human on TV, scratching himself, bad hair, saying he does not know everything, complaining, and getting the interviewer to talk. He deconstructs the medium of the TV interview while giving one. The interviewing person is also wise and interesting. Thanks for this.
No one: David Foster Wallace: I don’t have anything interesting to say *proceeds to say something incredibly lucid, seemingly simple, thought provoking, and mind blowing* I should have liked to meet him very much. What an absolute sweetheart. If only he could have seen his own light.
This is only the third interview I've watched with him, but it seems to me he was far more comfortable with having a conversation than being interviewed. I sense in the interviews like this, a frustration at the idea of his own opinion being offered in isolation without another opinion for context. Similar to Kurt Cobain, I think?
"I would trade places with you if it was possible!" As a very anxious and scared person, I understood Wallace's frustration. The cameraman's jab hit hard and I bet David was reminded of his weakness and anxiety. His response is sincere, he does wish he wasn't like he is.
@@l.w.paradis2108 i feel AS If it rly wasn't supposed to come of this way. I would'nt say He is an Ass for that. Right after the supposed jab He Called him a King. So i don't think there was ill intent just misscommunication. Wich probably Something to do with the fact that the camera Guy is Not a native speaker.
This long-form, unedited interview of DFW is a true gem. Having this archived on RUclips is so important to American literary history. One of the most thoughtful people in modern history
I am nowhere nearly as intelligent as DFW but I can feel and relate to him so much on an emotional level. His mannerisms, the way he seems to cringe at his own thoughts, the way he tries to gauge the room for others opinions or thoughts. I go throughout my life in an almost constant state of discomfort. I can be talking to someone and working, carrying on a full conversation, but I’m my head I am in a totally different space.
He's painfully self-aware and self-critical to a degree that probably played a big part in his suicide. He had a massive ego and at the same time seemed to not feel like enough. Classic narcissis in some ways, but much nicer and more thoughtful than the average narcissist. It's funny that no matter how intelligent or talented we are, we are all trapped by the same problems and suffering. The Buddha said a thing or two about this I believe.
This is water. This is water. This is water... I can't do it. I keep circling back to exactly how pathetic I seem to others every moment that I feel like I'm being perceived, even when that is not the case and I am not the center of the universe and nobody on public transport gives a fuck about me - except now that I'm having a panic attack, yes, my breathing is probably catching people's attention. The part of the interview where they talk about the depression story is hard to listen to. Mental illness makes you so self absorbed and being aware of that just sends you into another spiral of obsessing over how you are such a bad person... it's ridiculous.
@@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017yeah, I noticed how he kills himself every time hes not fully satisfied with his explanations, like he wishes he could rephrase everything but that he’s missed his shot to do so. He’s very self-critical, like you say.
I could be wrong, but from how I understand it, he cringes not so much at his thoughts, but how he feels they're going to be heard. He knows an interview where he's constantly saying "I don't know", as true as it may be, isn't very engaging. He wants to deliver something, and cringes when what he's trying to deliver borders too closely to pretension. When he speaks about writers perceiving their own work differently from how the audience will, for example. He's not trying to put himself above the audience, he's not trying to say the audience is wrong, or that they "just don't get me maaaan". He's quite literally trying to address the disconnect that is natural in the dynamic of writer and audience, and that's not an easy thing to concisely articulate without sounding pretentious. I too relate to the constant sense of discomfort, and I fear there isn't necessarily a way past it. I don't say that with certainty, that's just my fear. As of right now, I feel as though I'm constantly translating myself for others, rather than just showing them who I am. Partly because I don't really know who I am -- that's frankly an existential question that few ever reach a conclusion to. But also out of fear of how that "who I am" will be perceived. If the general consensus becomes one of "who you are is a nuisance" which is how it's felt for much of my life, I feel out of options worth engaging with. I don't want to be a constant nuisance, but I also don't want to be a constant facade. It's a tricky thing this "life", but I suppose the only thing any of us can do is keep at it, just one day at a time.
He's right. What is harder for people to admit, because we don't want to give sympathy to people who behave in obnoxious or otherwise undesirable ways, is that there's a lot of self-hatred in narcissism.
My dad introduced me to This Is Water about six years ago. Im blown away to see that there are comments from even a couple of days ago. This brilliant man calls more and more like minds to himself. Rest in peace D.F.W.
1:47 attack on entertainment 51:30 the power in writing 1:18:55 Rebellion today is quiet, individual, and not so "sexy" 1:21:30 Entertainment pertaining to things that appeal to everyone, which drilling into humanity
I love how candid this is and how self conscious and anxious he is yet he is expounding on issues that were so meta and pre-relevant to the millennial generation at that time and now in this digital age and the intrusion of media and advertisement even more than in the past, he was able to see things within our society that had just started to come to pass
It's interesting and quite heart-warming that he includes the interviewer's perspective not only out of courtesy, but because it also functions his brain to be more than just sharp and precise with his choice of language. A cute little tacker; Wallace is such an inspiration 🥰
When he talks about everyone wanting to selfishly drive SUVs followed up by how maririalistically spoiled Americans are, which will make them violently react to any sort of deviation to that. Wow, its all coming true. We love what we got used to and cannot imagine a simpler life where we make any effort not to destroy the people and the planet around us.
What a humble and highly intelligent man. A shame that we lost him at such a young age.. His influence would've gone even further in a much more profound and effective way had he been around longer. Thank you DFW for your humane persona and enthusiasm in others and their thoughts, and proving that intellect doesn't have to come with arrogance.
Blessed be the person who took this gem from the archives and got it on the internet! I commented that on the edited interview, but I can't help saying it again, his sharpness and clarity of mind was staggering and wonderful, it deserves every mention.
For anyone unfamiliar with David he took his own life in 2008. I find his work exceptionally profound given the topics he chooses to address are something that he himself could no longer bear. If you like his work make sure to watch his speech “this is water.”
It seems he was deeply disturbed by the feeling of not being understood as he oftentimes seeks reassurance from the interviewer. He must have had something fabulously profound inside him but could only express the bits and pieces of it. A true, gifted genius!! To have lost him feels personal.
I just watched this again and I realized when she talks about her friend going on and on about her illness, he winces for a second and then says maybe she also thinks about calling to apologize. He suffered from clinical depression for 30 years and was in a few psychiatric facilities under suicide watch, he was also in rehab. Each time needing friends and family to listen to his problems. It's sad hearing him say, "There's a lot of narcissism in self-hatred" 😔
when he calls back over an hour in to the camera man's comment of him "pontificating", which was made within the first 10 minutes of the interview, it almost enlightens you to the inner dialogue he must have been having with himself throughout, the consciousness he had towards actively not pontificating in terms of it's literal meaning. it speaks to his seeming insecurity throughout, or perhaps cautiousness, constantly asking what the interviewer thought before he responded to more abstract questions. If I am not careful I could cry in a pinch at the sight of DFW. The sound of his voice. For better or worse, he could not maintain the masks, or persona, we all hope to maintain in situations which is a roadblock to understanding one's mentality. His transparentness is utterly refreshing, but knowing his fate it seems it comes at no small cost to one's psyche.
it's interesting cause I think the cameraman just didn't know precisely what the word meant. he probably assumed it's meaning to be "expounding upon deep thinking", and really wasn't trying to be rude.
The one thing you simply can't help but admire about DFW is he never placed his opinion on a pedestal. He answers the questions but is every bit as interested in the interviewer's own experiences and opinions. That's where true intelligence makes itself known.
Thank you for putting this out there. I’m a scared little American hearing David’s words nearly 20 years later. I’m sorry that he’s gone. But he was right, its gotten worse.
That moment when he says “I’m sorry” for moving too much around 10:00 broke my heart… you can just see this like unnecessary shame or a harsh inner critic or something at work…
Although now podcasts have become a place where people market there character or persona and it becomes a place not to have normal conversations at least on some of the popular ones
Unfortunately I don't have a time stamp, but when David said "Let's not talk about politics, it's to upsetting" he looked _genuinely_ sad there for a second, really heartfelt. Maybe it's just my perception, but I couldn't forget that particular moment in the last two weeks, since I saw the interview.
14:02 - I feel the same, it's really quite harrowing considering the circumstances of his death. For a man such as DFW to see no hope in his future or ours is something I still find difficult to rationalize.
I get so much joy from the look of excitement on his face when she starts talking about this German TV book critic they call The Literary Pope who decides once and for all if a book is good or not.
Such a beautiful mind. That feeling of knowing yourself at the level of getting lost in music. He brought others there in the same way. So much missed by your* early departure. Respect.
@@Demention94 Dead on. And funny and sad. What might come across as pretentious and almost ridiculous pontification was really a genuine and sincere and caring intellect which led him down a road of sadness he couldn't get out of.
I see some self-doubt but also a lot of genuine concern. He’s being incredibly careful with his words. He criticizes the culture but also has the self-awareness to realize that he is a product of that culture and shaped by it in some ways. It’s the dissonance of the idealized self and the actual self. What we’re seeing is an individual trying to reconcile the two. Also, I think he’s dead on about the lack of willingness in the United States to sacrifice your individual will for something larger. I’m not talking about religion either, because that is a self-serving system of faith. The lack of basic empathy; to risk the comforts of our own lives to strive toward the actualization of our so-called “core principles”: equality, justice, liberty etc. is in all of us.
The moment where the first interruption happens is very relatable to me, especially: "I move in and out?", and "I'm sorry." It shows the minutiae of life in general, and the small moments in our lives where we're interacting, laughing, and showing empathy to one another. It illustrates that he was a great writer, as well as a genuine human being.
It's worth noting too that the sound guy said the he (DFW) was "pontificating", which could be taken as an insult, though I don't think he (the sound guy) meant it that way, and DFW probably figured the same, but it still shows his character by just laughing along with guy and not correcting him in any way.
@@GuyBehindTheDrums198 True but the ensuing remarks like 'in a spiritual way' and ' you're very reflective', I cant help but feel those irked him slightly
They'd irk me too lmao. Such banal comments, really. I don't think the cameraman was really understanding the conversation/interview.@@Billybobbuddyboy
There’s a certain kind of laughing that is less the kind where something shocks you into laughter with it’s silliness or absurdity and more the kind where something is just captured in a way that is stunningly relatable. Like you feel like it’s a thought you had but never noticed enough to express. That’s what’s funny about David foster Wallace’s scenarios. They are so spot on that it’s like watching jerry Seinfeld but with a philosophic direction.
that's one of my favorite things about his writing (ive only read Infinite Jest so i wouldnt know anything outside of that)- the way he can describe things like that, where its so accurate and relatable it makes me earnestly laugh out loud, is gold. its like the literary equivalent to those olympic archery videos of people splitting an arrow with another arrow
He felt overwhelmingly alone in a time of unbearable grief and we know the rest. depth and intelligence beyond the herd is a curse more often than not because of the diminishing culture of the times.
@@grupil he deliberately chooses to ignore shows and movies that don't suit his narrative. There is, has been and today are even more programs that aren't so shallow and empty as he described. There is a lot that is disposable, especially much of the overly saturated RUclips market. But the sheer amount of lectures, interviews, and interesting/creative content is also overwhelming. I would have liked to hear his take on the wire.
@@grupil As good as some show's are - and I _love_ The Sopranos - a good chunk of our culture is built around stuff that simply distracts people from themselves, which, of course makes them happy in the short term, but what do you do after you shut down your computer or turn off your TV? This might seem pretentious, but I sense it's what DFW was getting at with some of the things he said. That might even be the shallowness the OP mentioned. For how many centuries people have been searching for the meaning of life and weren't quite able to grasp it? Then there's our time, the information age, and the sheer amount of input on every corner only amplifies the feeling of emptiness and restlessness.
I think what made David a genius was his humility -- the greatest indicator of his gleaming intellect and competence. His presence is everlasting as an artist and thinker, though his humanity is unrectifiable. We love you Dave -- even though your invectives of postmodernism might serve to contempt such parasocial affection.
what a magnificent job the interviewer does here. Imagine having to interview a person on the public record in a foreign language...and then try imagining doing so with a brilliant philosopher. Really great work.
I think I don't know. I think maybe we need to nurture a sensitivity for sensing when we've found the right contexts for what we *need* to say, Then we'll all do just fine!
Zadie Smith said that in interviews they ask authors lots of stupid questions, and you end up making stuff up when you answer the stupid questions. That is very apparent with her interviews, and with this interview. Better to not BS anyone and just say, "I'm not answering that --- it's a stupid question. I'm here to talk about my book."
@@The8BitAvatar it's not a video, it's an element of a web page edited to loop continuously that requires hosting on a site like youtube. Good one tho! anyways a person such as Artavazd Pelashyan has done essentially the same thing (actually comprising 100% stock footage whereas mine is combo of filmed action and stock footage) that very much does get considered art
The way he described "always searching for a better tv channel" is similar to porn addiction and mindlessly scrolling social media. There's always something better
I'm convinced Wallace knew what he was talking about. I'm convinced he shared much in common with his verbal opponents. He was telling the truth. And those who tell the truth comprehend that to tell the truth isn't possible unless they understand the "truth". In other words, he was a liar, and everyone who reads his words is a liar too.
@Weapons Of Mass Distraction I do agree with you but I merely think the manmade Gods are myths. I still respect Religious people, Middle Eastern People etc despite not conceiving that their perception is accurate.
He is intellectually wrought over trying to interpret her questions properly (especially at first), and it's so fascinating to watch him realize the importance of getting it right. Look at how he really bears down into himself when she puts it under the lens of his work. This is a man who is feverishly enmeshed in his art, and while it honestly seems slightly painful for him, he is so devoted to deconstructing his works in the hope that they might actuate real change (in both our society and on the individual level). I'm sad that he's gone, but he was absolutely that type of genius for which there was no other way forward in life besides obsession.
Wallace may never have known how effortlessly endearing he really was. When someone wants to die, I don't know that there is any amount of love, or even knowing of the love that can keep them, but I do hope he knew. And, maybe even felt it some of the time.
Unfortunately our experiences with close relations which shapes our self image, is so much more powerful than nice words from hundreds of thousands of strangers.. Even when the strangers are right
18 years on, look where we are. Look what we have become. David looked so deeply distressed at points during this interview. I can't imagine how he'd be feeling if he was still with us, at this point in history.
Great. Thanks for this. Wish more of us Americans had watched this in 2003. Brings me back to that time. Especially starting at the time 1:14 when he starts with "I don't know. I'm scared. I don't know if I could say anything about the last couple years that anyone else couldn't say". And then proceeds to explain it very well. Excellent sharing of what it was like in that emotional time.
Watching this amazing man gave me this incredible sense of despair and dread from knowing that I could never meet him and talk to him. What an amazing soul he was.
@Mr H9736 The cameraman's apologetic nature after his unnecessary comments toward David (Who is obviously anxious) is pretty revealing of someone who's hideously insecure rather than a person just trying to do their job. Speaking of doing his job, making the guest uncomfortable does not help his coworker doing the interview either - Who did not even register the altercation until it was brought up later.
Mr H9736 He's been paid to do a job but he complains out loud right in the middle of the interview that DFW is moving in and out. That is extremely unprofessional for a camera op during an interview. Any camera operator worth a damn doesn't complain about having to keep their subject framed up, at least not until later maybe.
@@brennenspice6098 also was the cameraman being sarcastic with the "pontificating" comment? Does he not know that word has a negative connotation and that it is not really a compliment? was he insulting wallace or using a word he does not completely understand? That interaction was kind of awkward and I did not get it.
28:20 "First of all, I'm wondering 'Who would care what I think?' Second, I don't know, and third, what do you think?" Watching this man speak is like experiencing a euphoric drug. The self-awareness/humility/introspection it takes to say something like that is just satisfying to witness and seriously inspiring
What I like about DFW is he doesn't give off this Godlike, genius aura. He gives so much credit to the other artists that inspire him, and listening to him talk motivates me. It's not about being an enlightened genius, it's about finding what fascinates you and making something out of it.
You mean like Dawkins? Dawkins doesn't like God because he wants to be God and it tickles him in the wrong place to know someone might know more than him.
I've just finished Infinite Jest recently and it was truly a religious experience for me. Just becoming aware of David Foster Wallace, and learning his story, reading this masterpiece of a novel. It all hit me at once. I cannot state how happy I am to have found it, when I found it, it was exactly what I needed. Watching this interview I am just enamored by the man, he's so articulate and a profound thinker. I have aspirations to be a writer. It's difficult, especially as of late to find motivation to write, to write something grand, words that will enthrall. DFW has given me so much hope and inspiration to continue my goal.
@@TheCuteRibbon1 you mean industry. You are right that development fits right in with his thesis in the way it is capitalism is responding to a desire for inner peace and meaningful connection , but then delivering a simulacra and totally erasing ascetism from these traditions and importing the “law of attraction” which validates the satisfaction of material desires instead of sacrificing them for something greater.
Maybe today's social media climate would have overwhelmed him, but God I would love a few 2-3 hours podcasts with him. So unfortunately back then interviews were structured so differently. Anyhow this is gold, so thank you for posting it 💟
There’s people like him(‘like’ is key). Not many. I am very frustrated that because of our context I can’t express how I would like to. ANYWAYS... Yeah a hug with him would be good for everyone involved!
@@decrepitCrescendo Do you just believe anything a woman says publicly about another person? Mary karr also said some pretty cold, mean-spirited shit about his suicide. So maybe he was shitty to her in their relationship and she has some reason to be mad, or, maybe she's dishonest and vengeful and bad-mouths fellow artists for personal reasons. Maybe a bit of both.
I wish all interviews kept there authenticity and flaws as this one did. It was more engaging and empathetic to see that even as an incredible intelect as this man was, to see his insecurities is something you dont see people behind the screens or on shows these days. Everybody I watch today seem to be well spoken never going back on themselves and reflecting a completely unflawed nature. It really comforts me to see that having the courage to be vulnerable is one of the coolest things one can do as a human. The more I see vulnerability the more confident I get to be vulnerable aswell.
55:15 no wonder people love this guy. this moment of self awareness and teasing your own self for ending your profound paragraph with a general statement like "reading is worthwhile" is just such a fucking breath of fresh air. edit: and then he goes on to give the interviewer all the credit, saying "well i just said what you said but i used more words". how endearing can you get
@Johnny Crustacean it's sad, but this response makes me so uneasy. It's like someone just peeled away the facade, and now I have to look at how disgusting social media is. and suddenly I'm confronted by how terrible I am when I'm anonymously arguing with someone.... errrugh Thats so fucked up. why have I never seen a comment like this. why does no one just say "fuck it, sorry I'm wrong" I've literally never seen a comment like this before even though people do it all the time in real life.
@jonathan flynn yes but I would say that it is more a conditioned state of acceptance of the cage than being okay with it. Otherwise the bird would not be conveying distaste to any degree... Irony is a compromise between said passionate rebuke of its helplessness to change its condition and the deafening silence of not acknowledging it at all.
Not to make it about myself, but I rewatched this interview, probably for the 4th time, and I almost burst into tears. What a brilliant, brilliant man. I don't know if he is the greatest but he will always be my favourite author. That little winch at 13:00 , then moment of realisation that he said the truth, and that's all he can do. Even his job. I wish I knew him, so I could have told him that everything was going to be ok.
and what is even sadder is that the podcast boom would happen like only 5 years after his death. And I think David Foster Wallace would have found satisfaction not only in the process and the reception he got but would probably feel invigorated to keep living life.
I wonder if the explosion of social media associated with the rise of podcasts would've disgusted him or made him uncomfortable to the point of not wanting to participate. I believe there's something in Wallace's writing (particularly Infinite Jest) that has a strong aversion to the media-obsessed culture we now exist in. Also, he's been attacked posthumously many times for supposedly being a misogynist (even though he wrote Brief Interviews with Hideous Men). Can you imagine if he had to respond to a Twitter brigade every other week?
@@nightofthehunt2236 exactly, he wouldn't have been into "podcasting" at all. Seems so odd that after watching this interview, someone would even think THAT was the thing we all missed out on! His podcast!!
@@mightytaiger3000 what we missed out on is an alternative world where he wouldn't have felt the necessity to commit suicide out of a sense of nihilistic irony suffused throughout a statistical society like water slowly filling a container ship and the damp clouding everything long before.
Always good to come and watch this interview from time to time to get your bearings. Thank you for capturing this for all to see in the future. Each time it turns the mind different. Helps the mind to breathe.
First two minutes of the interview: You know a person is focused, a TRUE listener, and pays attention to detail when a boom mic almost hits them in the face and they didn't even know it was there.
What is awesome to see, is a video of an interview from 2003 have such an active comments thread - for me this indicates that there are so many people out there who are feeling lost in life, and a sense of unease about the current state of our wonderful world; the increase in numbers on this thread / video represents a growing desire to turn the ship so to speak, and head in a different direction where we can build real relationships, with real people, connect on an intimate level with the world around us and give as much time is necessary to things such as art and love, which are so easily rushed and dismissedin this extremely fast-paced global and somewhat artificial society we have all somehow managed to fall victim to.
What I love about David is his point that everyone worships. While we have some control over what we worship, there is no denying our propensity toward worship. Religion is an outgrowth of this inbred desire to worship. I love 19:10 where he talks about American individualism and self-gratification.
@@deancj1 Isn't it weird how people have more than just one side to them? It's too bad he took his own life and thus robbed us of an opportunity to shame him into oblivion.
@@andrewzakku3526being an abusive stalker isn't just a personality quirk or just one side of someone's personality. Celebrate his work but there are too many people deifying this guy.
@@deancj1 I agree that, generally, it's not a good idea to deify anybody, same is with demonizing people. And abusive behavior is definitely not something to be treated lightly. In this case it may have been indicative of DFW's disturbed mental state, and so were his suicidal tendencies. But, watching this interview, I fail to notice any insincerity or hypocrisy, and I find it kind of reassuring that even a deeply flawed and troubled person can still behave in a gentle and loving way, if they choose to do so.
I find it unpleasant when people have plenty to say about someone who is dead, particularly when they are busy promoting themselves. It may or may not be true but Wallace is not here to explain, refute or face judgement for these alleged toxic behaviours/plagiarism accusations. A lot of it reads as unverified, malicious gossip, the main source of which is Mary Karr, who Wallace left for Karen Green. You do not know what motivates it all. medium.com/@devonprice/a-brief-on-hideous-things-about-david-foster-wallace-72034b20de94
It's interesting, at 9:58 you can sort of see the guilt he carries around with him, regardless of how arbitrary the situation was that caused it. It's almost like a split second insight into his brain. Sad, really.
the intention was the problem, its annoying, an unprovoked and unexpected set of jabs. when done intentionally it typically pisses people off.. bet he was sad bc he did not want to get defensive but also could help but to be pissed.. peace
When you are depressed you feel guilt all the time because you question your reactions, knowing how fragile and irritable you feel. Also when you see everything he is talking about, you just feel like you are shattering the illusions that help people cope in this sick society. You feel like a mistake, the culture that everyone is participating in causes you pain, but to take away the illusions is to invite others into that. “I wish I was like you, easily amused” - Kurt Cobain
man I remember watching this like 5 years ago and that moment has stuck with me ever since. i didn't even need to click the timestamp. i mean I did take the precaution, but I was nearly certain anyways "you know what will help me, is if we do this like a conversation" - is another one I think about. it just felt really sweet and unexpected. and i don't think he was just saying it either. like the format structure of an interview and him being the sole subject of interest just genuinely felt bizarre and alien to him. there are so many moments here like that too. just these little, gentle rebellions against the presence of a camera and the expectations of how to act with one on you.
Check out these David Foster Wallace books on Amazon!
The Life of David Foster Wallace: geni.us/7xzix
Conversations with David Foster Wallace: geni.us/HHYcGBe
Infinite Jest: geni.us/RwhKG
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The fact that the top comment on this video is an advertisement for Wallace's writing posted by a user called "Manufacturing Intellect" is irony consuming itself.
Thank you very much for sharing.
@@Ryantaras How would you have come to know about him if the company didn't market them? The Irony is here, my friend. Stop being rejective about everything.
Is Messiah based on Wallace novel Infinite Jest?
No, actually don't check his stuff out on Amazon - go to a fucking book store!
Who's revisiting this legendary interview in 2024?
I must have watched this 30 times. I obviously never knew DFW, but I miss him. One of a kind genius.
Same here. It's a calming interview to watch but at the same time very, very sad. I miss him too :(
I'm only 23, so I reached some semblance of intellectual maturity well after his passing. It's been difficult for me to read his work or listen to him talk without having his passing at the front of my mind. I've always wondered how that has colored my interpretation of his ideas. So brutally relevant in todays age, it's always amazed me how he is speaking 20 years ago.
This level of honesty. Is beautiful and full of the pain of this false society. I starve for deep intellectual integrity. He is missed.
Very well said. Guess those of Us, walking this walk, recognize each other. Be well. Nice comment.
GFY
"90 percent of this is gonna be cut out, right?"
Thanks to whoever uploaded the uncut Interview anyway
I came here from the cut 4-minute version posted elsewhere.
All thru that Lipsky book he was so worried about how it would "shaped"
That would elicit the biggest bruh from David Foster Wallace.
Sad to hear of his tragic death.
So glad to get to listen to these parts. I feel like David had a desire to connect instead of talking to some faceless interviewer, and that happens there most.
20 years and I am still coming back to this interview...
Same
I'm mainly cringing at the interviewer. a guy like wallace is pretty much screwed when you put a 20 something confident intern in front of him. with michael silverblatt he had a perfect interviewer
You are not alone!
@@alvinhaglund5811 She does fine and it seems bizarre to say she's confident when she explicitly says that she thinks he's much smarter than her, and is a bit tentative in tone sometimes
@@ichirosuzuki2252 wrong
It's impossible to explain how much I love this man. So kind, so intelligent, so human. I wish I had someone in my life who has even a fraction of his character. RIP DFW.
I just met him a couple of weeks ago (Consider The Lobster) and I love him very much too.
@@lindahunter1969 Scrubs on tour! Scrubs on tour!
He is still alive in his work
people like him still exist. they just don't come out publicly or are not known in the public.
He's so self-critical, yet finds a peace by being aware that he's so self-critical. Like he imagines how he'd judge him if he was somebody else. (I'm also projecting)
*four minutes of eloquent speech expressing a feeling i havent been able to articulate properly my entire life* “i doubt this is making very much sense”
Lol right? What a mind!
I love that he said “There is a lot of narcism in self hatred....whoa!
There is so much to comment on here.....
This is a very old idea and it's one of the key differences between classical/medieval/modern philosophy and asian philosophy. This obsession with the primacy of the self. This languishing over subjectivity. It's really quite a simple and sobering thought that is both the fuel and the solution to self-hatred -> Why are my flaws and mistakes so important? As opposed to everything that goes wrong and people mess up every single day?
@@mitjellk2186 Thanks for that.
It's self obsession but from the other swing of the pendulum. Exactly the same
the entire psychoanalysis is based on this idea
What happens when self-hatred becomes part of a dominant culture of the elites and universities? What happens when guilt is also thrown in the mix? Well.......
So unusual and moving to see a person being human on TV, scratching himself, bad hair, saying he does not know everything, complaining, and getting the interviewer to talk. He deconstructs the medium of the TV interview while giving one. The interviewing person is also wise and interesting. Thanks for this.
He wanted it to be a conversation, not an interview. This is why podcasts are successful.
Bad hair?? That’s my hair!
@@gibran8751 I was gonna say, I kinda like his hair. I'd take mild and manageable messiness over a boring and impersonal combover any day.
That's not deconstruction
agreed, but I'd be interested to see the edited version that actually appeared on tv
No one:
David Foster Wallace: I don’t have anything interesting to say
*proceeds to say something incredibly lucid, seemingly simple, thought provoking, and mind blowing*
I should have liked to meet him very much. What an absolute sweetheart. If only he could have seen his own light.
It's almost like they are insulting him 10.00
radcow must’ve been so hard for him to be around people
@@radcow right?? Like the sound guy totally dishes on him for a second. Wth
Dfw wasn't always a sweetheart. He abused several of his romantic partners, some quite badly.
This is only the third interview I've watched with him, but it seems to me he was far more comfortable with having a conversation than being interviewed. I sense in the interviews like this, a frustration at the idea of his own opinion being offered in isolation without another opinion for context. Similar to Kurt Cobain, I think?
"I would trade places with you if it was possible!"
As a very anxious and scared person, I understood Wallace's frustration. The cameraman's jab hit hard and I bet David was reminded of his weakness and anxiety. His response is sincere, he does wish he wasn't like he is.
Cameraman was such an incompetent ass, Dunning Kreuger must have studied him.
@@l.w.paradis2108 i feel AS If it rly wasn't supposed to come of this way. I would'nt say He is an Ass for that. Right after the supposed jab He Called him a King. So i don't think there was ill intent just misscommunication. Wich probably Something to do with the fact that the camera Guy is Not a native speaker.
@@michawkwalter4205 If that's what happened, then I regret passing judgment. IF.
He just misused the word pontificating.
This long-form, unedited interview of DFW is a true gem. Having this archived on RUclips is so important to American literary history. One of the most thoughtful people in modern history
Agreed.
Primary source material.
"A model of life in which I have a right to be entertained all the time seems to be not a promising one".
I am nowhere nearly as intelligent as DFW but I can feel and relate to him so much on an emotional level. His mannerisms, the way he seems to cringe at his own thoughts, the way he tries to gauge the room for others opinions or thoughts. I go throughout my life in an almost constant state of discomfort. I can be talking to someone and working, carrying on a full conversation, but I’m my head I am in a totally different space.
You need to learn to accept the moment and accept your own space within it.
He's painfully self-aware and self-critical to a degree that probably played a big part in his suicide. He had a massive ego and at the same time seemed to not feel like enough. Classic narcissis in some ways, but much nicer and more thoughtful than the average narcissist. It's funny that no matter how intelligent or talented we are, we are all trapped by the same problems and suffering. The Buddha said a thing or two about this I believe.
This is water. This is water. This is water...
I can't do it. I keep circling back to exactly how pathetic I seem to others every moment that I feel like I'm being perceived, even when that is not the case and I am not the center of the universe and nobody on public transport gives a fuck about me - except now that I'm having a panic attack, yes, my breathing is probably catching people's attention. The part of the interview where they talk about the depression story is hard to listen to. Mental illness makes you so self absorbed and being aware of that just sends you into another spiral of obsessing over how you are such a bad person... it's ridiculous.
@@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017yeah, I noticed how he kills himself every time hes not fully satisfied with his explanations, like he wishes he could rephrase everything but that he’s missed his shot to do so. He’s very self-critical, like you say.
I could be wrong, but from how I understand it, he cringes not so much at his thoughts, but how he feels they're going to be heard. He knows an interview where he's constantly saying "I don't know", as true as it may be, isn't very engaging. He wants to deliver something, and cringes when what he's trying to deliver borders too closely to pretension. When he speaks about writers perceiving their own work differently from how the audience will, for example. He's not trying to put himself above the audience, he's not trying to say the audience is wrong, or that they "just don't get me maaaan". He's quite literally trying to address the disconnect that is natural in the dynamic of writer and audience, and that's not an easy thing to concisely articulate without sounding pretentious.
I too relate to the constant sense of discomfort, and I fear there isn't necessarily a way past it. I don't say that with certainty, that's just my fear. As of right now, I feel as though I'm constantly translating myself for others, rather than just showing them who I am. Partly because I don't really know who I am -- that's frankly an existential question that few ever reach a conclusion to. But also out of fear of how that "who I am" will be perceived. If the general consensus becomes one of "who you are is a nuisance" which is how it's felt for much of my life, I feel out of options worth engaging with. I don't want to be a constant nuisance, but I also don't want to be a constant facade. It's a tricky thing this "life", but I suppose the only thing any of us can do is keep at it, just one day at a time.
"There's a lot of narcissism in self-hatred" and the way he looks down after.
He's right. What is harder for people to admit, because we don't want to give sympathy to people who behave in obnoxious or otherwise undesirable ways, is that there's a lot of self-hatred in narcissism.
Yeah I can't forget this sentence ever since I heard him say it.
narcissism is just an obssession with the self, which can go both ways. its super exhausting to live with
Its very American to be both.
Hello ! at what time of the video is it precisely, please ?
My dad introduced me to This Is Water about six years ago. Im blown away to see that there are comments from even a couple of days ago. This brilliant man calls more and more like minds to himself. Rest in peace D.F.W.
I know. And I'm writing five months since you said this.
This is Water was a brilliant speech.
He's a brilliant man! Wish I could have interviewed him 😢
1:47 attack on entertainment
51:30 the power in writing
1:18:55 Rebellion today is quiet, individual, and not so "sexy"
1:21:30 Entertainment pertaining to things that appeal to everyone, which drilling into humanity
I love how candid this is and how self conscious and anxious he is yet he is expounding on issues that were so meta and pre-relevant to the millennial generation at that time and now in this digital age and the intrusion of media and advertisement even more than in the past, he was able to see things within our society that had just started to come to pass
Exactly! The guy had depth and understanding but that kind of mind in California, you’ll feel very alone like he did.
and charismatic like how in this interview he asked the interviewer what she thinks
@@SethMacLeod95 i feel this living in an urbanized area.
there is an immense beauty in listening to writers talk.
Harmontown
It's beautiful listening to THIS writer talk. Not every writer. Some are just blowhards.
@@scottmackeen worst writer to listen to talk is Norman Mailer.
Yes!
Donna Tartt is a good one
It's interesting and quite heart-warming that he includes the interviewer's perspective not only out of courtesy, but because it also functions his brain to be more than just sharp and precise with his choice of language. A cute little tacker; Wallace is such an inspiration 🥰
Watching in 2024 is wild.
I come back to it every few months just to get right.
When he talks about everyone wanting to selfishly drive SUVs followed up by how maririalistically spoiled Americans are, which will make them violently react to any sort of deviation to that. Wow, its all coming true. We love what we got used to and cannot imagine a simpler life where we make any effort not to destroy the people and the planet around us.
@@BucPucker yup! People talk about us becoming the "Idiocracy" movie, but that's just people who never read Infinite Jest.
What a humble and highly intelligent man.
A shame that we lost him at such a young age.. His influence would've gone even further in a much more profound and effective way had he been around longer.
Thank you DFW for your humane persona and enthusiasm in others and their thoughts, and proving that intellect doesn't have to come with arrogance.
Others took his role.
Like Peterson.
Oh good god no
@@AndreGomes-rl7ciplease say you are kidding
Classic case of being too tender and intelligent for this world. We can only hope he went somewhere his talents are beter appreciated
Blessed be the person who took this gem from the archives and got it on the internet! I commented that on the edited interview, but I can't help saying it again, his sharpness and clarity of mind was staggering and wonderful, it deserves every mention.
💎❤indeed.
He is such an excellent listener. So humble and unassuming.
For anyone unfamiliar with David he took his own life in 2008. I find his work exceptionally profound given the topics he chooses to address are something that he himself could no longer bear. If you like his work make sure to watch his speech “this is water.”
Just watched his speech thankyou for sharing such a profound human experience
I think Mark Fisher had a very similar story
It seems he was deeply disturbed by the feeling of not being understood as he oftentimes seeks reassurance from the interviewer. He must have had something fabulously profound inside him but could only express the bits and pieces of it. A true, gifted genius!! To have lost him feels personal.
I just watched this again and I realized when she talks about her friend going on and on about her illness, he winces for a second and then says maybe she also thinks about calling to apologize. He suffered from clinical depression for 30 years and was in a few psychiatric facilities under suicide watch, he was also in rehab. Each time needing friends and family to listen to his problems. It's sad hearing him say, "There's a lot of narcissism in self-hatred" 😔
Yeah. I am numb.
It's like he's just calling himself a narcissist, further digging at himself.
I think he was pretty tough on himself.
@@lvl20druid63 Or he's telling the truth about the broader topic
Agreed. He seems to constantly take himself to task. Wish he were still here.
when he calls back over an hour in to the camera man's comment of him "pontificating", which was made within the first 10 minutes of the interview, it almost enlightens you to the inner dialogue he must have been having with himself throughout, the consciousness he had towards actively not pontificating in terms of it's literal meaning. it speaks to his seeming insecurity throughout, or perhaps cautiousness, constantly asking what the interviewer thought before he responded to more abstract questions. If I am not careful I could cry in a pinch at the sight of DFW. The sound of his voice. For better or worse, he could not maintain the masks, or persona, we all hope to maintain in situations which is a roadblock to understanding one's mentality. His transparentness is utterly refreshing, but knowing his fate it seems it comes at no small cost to one's psyche.
Me2
Great comment
well said
it's interesting cause I think the cameraman just didn't know precisely what the word meant. he probably assumed it's meaning to be "expounding upon deep thinking", and really wasn't trying to be rude.
@@DougerArt you’re certainly right. but, just the fact that it ‘slips’ is still hurtful
The one thing you simply can't help but admire about DFW is he never placed his opinion on a pedestal. He answers the questions but is every bit as interested in the interviewer's own experiences and opinions. That's where true intelligence makes itself known.
Thank you for putting this out there. I’m a scared little American hearing David’s words nearly 20 years later. I’m sorry that he’s gone. But he was right, its gotten worse.
I love the interviewer. She's just wonderful, sweet, and intelligent
Is she
I wish she were louder
any idea who she is? I'd love to put a face to the voice
@@joeyc666 It was Miriam Böttger.
@@ghanesho Ah, thank you, friend :)
this is one the most beautiful thing I ever watched. thanks thanks thanks a lot, David. hope your genius and your soul is somewhere better now.
That moment when he says “I’m sorry” for moving too much around 10:00 broke my heart… you can just see this like unnecessary shame or a harsh inner critic or something at work…
he says "im sorry?" as in: "could you repeat that?"
He basically espoused the importance of the conversational aspect of podcasts before podcasts even existed
Damn, I would have listened to a million podcasts of DFW. Gone too soon
Intelligent people have been aware of the importance of the conversational aspects of dialogue and narration for millennia.
@@djo-dji6018 you're missing my point.
Although now podcasts have become a place where people market there character or persona and it becomes a place not to have normal conversations at least on some of the popular ones
@@Mutantcy1992no he's not, you don't have to record every conversation for it to be important
Unfortunately I don't have a time stamp, but when David said "Let's not talk about politics, it's to upsetting" he looked _genuinely_ sad there for a second, really heartfelt. Maybe it's just my perception, but I couldn't forget that particular moment in the last two weeks, since I saw the interview.
14:02 - I feel the same, it's really quite harrowing considering the circumstances of his death. For a man such as DFW to see no hope in his future or ours is something I still find difficult to rationalize.
Glad that he isnt here to see what 2020 political climate is like
2003, war and bush’s re-election looming. I’d be depressed.
zionism
I am sure that he said "it's too upsetting."
"One enormous engine and temple of self-gratification and self-advancement"
Well said!
I get so much joy from the look of excitement on his face when she starts talking about this German TV book critic they call The Literary Pope who decides once and for all if a book is good or not.
I loved that part and had the same reaction, like wow, what a crazy idea!
The most honest and intelligent interview / conversation
Such a beautiful mind. That feeling of knowing yourself at the level of getting lost in music. He brought others there in the same way. So much missed by your* early departure. Respect.
What a sympathetic, thoughtful, brilliant, sad man.
The kind of intelligence that will kill you if someone else doesn't first.
The kind a guy you wish you could talk with...........☯️✌🏻
@@Demention94 Dead on. And funny and sad. What might come across as pretentious and almost ridiculous pontification was really a genuine and sincere and caring intellect which led him down a road of sadness he couldn't get out of.
what you're saying is, he's a Pisces?
@@Demention94 Thats really going to stick with me. One of the most thought provoking youtube comments that I've read.
I see some self-doubt but also a lot of genuine concern. He’s being incredibly careful with his words. He criticizes the culture but also has the self-awareness to realize that he is a product of that culture and shaped by it in some ways. It’s the dissonance of the idealized self and the actual self. What we’re seeing is an individual trying to reconcile the two. Also, I think he’s dead on about the lack of willingness in the United States to sacrifice your individual will for something larger. I’m not talking about religion either, because that is a self-serving system of faith. The lack of basic empathy; to risk the comforts of our own lives to strive toward the actualization of our so-called “core principles”: equality, justice, liberty etc. is in all of us.
Yes, what you're saying captures a lot of what I was thinking.
The moment where the first interruption happens is very relatable to me, especially: "I move in and out?", and "I'm sorry." It shows the minutiae of life in general, and the small moments in our lives where we're interacting, laughing, and showing empathy to one another. It illustrates that he was a great writer, as well as a genuine human being.
Вероятно, именно такое впечатление он и хотел произвести)
It's worth noting too that the sound guy said the he (DFW) was "pontificating", which could be taken as an insult, though I don't think he (the sound guy) meant it that way, and DFW probably figured the same, but it still shows his character by just laughing along with guy and not correcting him in any way.
@@GuyBehindTheDrums198 True but the ensuing remarks like 'in a spiritual way' and ' you're very reflective', I cant help but feel those irked him slightly
They'd irk me too lmao. Such banal comments, really. I don't think the cameraman was really understanding the conversation/interview.@@Billybobbuddyboy
There’s a certain kind of laughing that is less the kind where something shocks you into laughter with it’s silliness or absurdity and more the kind where something is just captured in a way that is stunningly relatable. Like you feel like it’s a thought you had but never noticed enough to express. That’s what’s funny about David foster Wallace’s scenarios. They are so spot on that it’s like watching jerry Seinfeld but with a philosophic direction.
Jerry Seinfeld is a philosopher. The man has as much depth as any man I’ve listened to.
that's one of my favorite things about his writing (ive only read Infinite Jest so i wouldnt know anything outside of that)- the way he can describe things like that, where its so accurate and relatable it makes me earnestly laugh out loud, is gold. its like the literary equivalent to those olympic archery videos of people splitting an arrow with another arrow
@@NickMart1985 Jerry Seinfeld is an intelligent man but he's no philosopher.
@@djo-dji6018 He would certainly agree with you.
It feels like television and the shallowness of our enterainment culture crushed his soul. Bless you
He felt overwhelmingly alone in a time of unbearable grief and we know the rest. depth and intelligence beyond the herd is a curse more often than not because of the diminishing culture of the times.
He must of missed ‘The Sopranos’
@@grupil he deliberately chooses to ignore shows and movies that don't suit his narrative. There is, has been and today are even more programs that aren't so shallow and empty as he described.
There is a lot that is disposable, especially much of the overly saturated RUclips market. But the sheer amount of lectures, interviews, and interesting/creative content is also overwhelming.
I would have liked to hear his take on the wire.
@@grupil As good as some show's are - and I _love_ The Sopranos - a good chunk of our culture is built around stuff that simply distracts people from themselves, which, of course makes them happy in the short term, but what do you do after you shut down your computer or turn off your TV? This might seem pretentious, but I sense it's what DFW was getting at with some of the things he said. That might even be the shallowness the OP mentioned. For how many centuries people have been searching for the meaning of life and weren't quite able to grasp it? Then there's our time, the information age, and the sheer amount of input on every corner only amplifies the feeling of emptiness and restlessness.
He should have just gone and read a book.
I think what made David a genius was his humility -- the greatest indicator of his gleaming intellect and competence. His presence is everlasting as an artist and thinker, though his humanity is unrectifiable. We love you Dave -- even though your invectives of postmodernism might serve to contempt such parasocial affection.
what a magnificent job the interviewer does here. Imagine having to interview a person on the public record in a foreign language...and then try imagining doing so with a brilliant philosopher. Really great work.
Yes! I really wonder who this woman is.
@@edreynolds2819as far as i can say, it is Miriam Böttger. She is a german author and former journalist.
This man's work came into my life at just the right time. He has excellent insights, and what a brilliant writer.
The dilemma:
1)I'm wondering who would care about what I think
2) I'm not sure.
3) What do you think?
I think I don't know.
I think maybe
we need to nurture a sensitivity for sensing when we've found the right contexts for what we *need* to say,
Then we'll all do just fine!
(I'm just guessing, of course)
28:21
Zadie Smith said that in interviews they ask authors lots of stupid questions, and you end up making stuff up when you answer the stupid questions. That is very apparent with her interviews, and with this interview. Better to not BS anyone and just say, "I'm not answering that --- it's a stupid question. I'm here to talk about my book."
I think if you don´t wonder you can´t learn
Undoubtedly one of the greatest artists of all time. Makes me want to be better at my own art, just so I can express the beauty of his art.
Oh yes. But I would qualify that as being a uniquely American artist.
uh I don't think you know much art
@@The8BitAvatar it's not a video, it's an element of a web page edited to loop continuously that requires hosting on a site like youtube. Good one tho! anyways a person such as Artavazd Pelashyan has done essentially the same thing (actually comprising 100% stock footage whereas mine is combo of filmed action and stock footage) that very much does get considered art
The way he described "always searching for a better tv channel" is similar to porn addiction and mindlessly scrolling social media. There's always something better
I'm convinced Wallace knew what he was talking about.
I'm convinced he shared much in common with his verbal opponents.
He was telling the truth. And those who tell the truth comprehend that to tell the truth isn't possible unless they understand the "truth".
In other words, he was a liar, and everyone who reads his words is a liar too.
@@nicktrice3129 deutsche Übersetzung
Applies to everything. It is THE addiction. The only escape from this is losing oneself in God. Either that or get addicted more to it.
@Weapons Of Mass Distraction more accurate than selectees of a specific god
@Weapons Of Mass Distraction I do agree with you but I merely think the manmade Gods are myths. I still respect Religious people, Middle Eastern People etc despite not conceiving that their perception is accurate.
Talking about FOMO back in 2003. The interviewer is great and should be highlighted.
He is intellectually wrought over trying to interpret her questions properly (especially at first), and it's so fascinating to watch him realize the importance of getting it right. Look at how he really bears down into himself when she puts it under the lens of his work.
This is a man who is feverishly enmeshed in his art, and while it honestly seems slightly painful for him, he is so devoted to deconstructing his works in the hope that they might actuate real change (in both our society and on the individual level). I'm sad that he's gone, but he was absolutely that type of genius for which there was no other way forward in life besides obsession.
Absolutely agree.
I've watched this interview multiple times and everytime I listen it's refreshing, like a good music album...
OH MY GOD this man...is a Genius, I will send prayers to his soul. What a great interview. Thank you, thank you for the upload!!
I feel the same.
This may be the best interview of all time
Wallace may never have known how effortlessly endearing he really was. When someone wants to die, I don't know that there is any amount of love, or even knowing of the love that can keep them, but I do hope he knew. And, maybe even felt it some of the time.
Unfortunately our experiences with close relations which shapes our self image, is so much more powerful than nice words from hundreds of thousands of strangers.. Even when the strangers are right
Dammit that made me cry
18 years on, look where we are. Look what we have become.
David looked so deeply distressed at points during this interview. I can't imagine how he'd be feeling if he was still with us, at this point in history.
I can't help but think that part of the reason he isn't here was because he saw where we were going and thought he couldn't survive it.
@@SkillsofAWESOMENESS think you nailed it
@@SkillsofAWESOMENESS for sure. What he’s saying here is very much of those times. It’s easy to see where it was going and how we’re here.
Mark Fisher too
Thank you for posting this interview.
God, how I respect this man.
Great. Thanks for this. Wish more of us Americans had watched this in 2003. Brings me back to that time. Especially starting at the time 1:14 when he starts with "I don't know. I'm scared. I don't know if I could say anything about the last couple years that anyone else couldn't say". And then proceeds to explain it very well. Excellent sharing of what it was like in that emotional time.
Im glad this interview is so uncomfortable. Really sticks with you
I couldn't figure out why it did but that is mostly it.
Verbalization spot on. I couldnt have conveyed it any better, that was literally my following thought once the video concluded.
Oh man the interviewer is so fucking ditzy and Dave is having to work so hard to carry the conversation
@@bluey4605 you are so fucking sexist lol
@@freesolja1 by saying ditzy? Haha.. that's a stretch
Watching this amazing man gave me this incredible sense of despair and dread from knowing that I could never meet him and talk to him. What an amazing soul he was.
I like how Wallace was speaking about selfishness just as the cameraman complained about him making his job harder.
The camera man wants to be in front of the camera I'd say.
@Mr H9736 The cameraman wasn't exactly accommodating….
@Mr H9736 The cameraman's apologetic nature after his unnecessary comments toward David (Who is obviously anxious) is pretty revealing of someone who's hideously insecure rather than a person just trying to do their job. Speaking of doing his job, making the guest uncomfortable does not help his coworker doing the interview either - Who did not even register the altercation until it was brought up later.
Mr H9736 He's been paid to do a job but he complains out loud right in the middle of the interview that DFW is moving in and out. That is extremely unprofessional for a camera op during an interview. Any camera operator worth a damn doesn't complain about having to keep their subject framed up, at least not until later maybe.
@@brennenspice6098 also was the cameraman being sarcastic with the "pontificating" comment? Does he not know that word has a negative connotation and that it is not really a compliment? was he insulting wallace or using a word he does not completely understand? That interaction was kind of awkward and I did not get it.
28:20 "First of all, I'm wondering 'Who would care what I think?' Second, I don't know, and third, what do you think?" Watching this man speak is like experiencing a euphoric drug. The self-awareness/humility/introspection it takes to say something like that is just satisfying to witness and seriously inspiring
What I like about DFW is he doesn't give off this Godlike, genius aura. He gives so much credit to the other artists that inspire him, and listening to him talk motivates me. It's not about being an enlightened genius, it's about finding what fascinates you and making something out of it.
Yes, he makes things personal, relevant for anyone listening who wants to listen. Inspiring.
You mean like Dawkins? Dawkins doesn't like God because he wants to be God and it tickles him in the wrong place to know someone might know more than him.
@@Hwaigon ah.. religion into "knowledge" yeah.......
I've just finished Infinite Jest recently and it was truly a religious experience for me. Just becoming aware of David Foster Wallace, and learning his story, reading this masterpiece of a novel. It all hit me at once. I cannot state how happy I am to have found it, when I found it, it was exactly what I needed. Watching this interview I am just enamored by the man, he's so articulate and a profound thinker. I have aspirations to be a writer. It's difficult, especially as of late to find motivation to write, to write something grand, words that will enthrall. DFW has given me so much hope and inspiration to continue my goal.
Love how progressively more comfortable he gets, as comfortable as DFW could get that is
the profusion of wisdom flowing out of this this man... holy shit. need to rewatch a few times - with pen and paper.
Imagine DFW living in 2021. The pace of life, the noise, the disconnection that he has to put up with.
...and the spiritual woo-woo meditation & yoga retreat culture going against that grain :))
@@TheCuteRibbon1 😁
And the massive amounts of irony. Just look at memes
@@TheCuteRibbon1 you mean industry. You are right that development fits right in with his thesis in the way it is capitalism is responding to a desire for inner peace and meaningful connection , but then delivering a simulacra and totally erasing ascetism from these traditions and importing the “law of attraction” which validates the satisfaction of material desires instead of sacrificing them for something greater.
what you're saying is he would have killed himself sooner or later.
Such an eloquent and thoughtful guy. A huge loss.
Maybe today's social media climate would have overwhelmed him, but God I would love a few 2-3 hours podcasts with him. So unfortunately back then interviews were structured so differently. Anyhow this is gold, so thank you for posting it 💟
his line about the remote control being the end... oh man how about attached to your hip and you have to own one for work?
rip david
@@leedurbin4419this :( I wanna stop using my phone but I gotta use it every day for work
This interview is a gold mine.
I would’ve liked to hug this guy forever ! !
Me2
Same here. Lots of women had fallen in love with him.
@@nickidaisyreddwoodd5837 except mary karr, in between dodging furniture he threw her way
There’s people like him(‘like’ is key). Not many. I am very frustrated that because of our context I can’t express how I would like to. ANYWAYS... Yeah a hug with him would be good for everyone involved!
@@decrepitCrescendo Do you just believe anything a woman says publicly about another person? Mary karr also said some pretty cold, mean-spirited shit about his suicide. So maybe he was shitty to her in their relationship and she has some reason to be mad, or, maybe she's dishonest and vengeful and bad-mouths fellow artists for personal reasons. Maybe a bit of both.
One of the best interviews I've ever seen
Interesting questions asked to a great thinker.
I wish all interviews kept there authenticity and flaws as this one did. It was more engaging and empathetic to see that even as an incredible intelect as this man was, to see his insecurities is something you dont see people behind the screens or on shows these days. Everybody I watch today seem to be well spoken never going back on themselves and reflecting a completely unflawed nature. It really comforts me to see that having the courage to be vulnerable is one of the coolest things one can do as a human. The more I see vulnerability the more confident I get to be vulnerable aswell.
55:15 no wonder people love this guy. this moment of self awareness and teasing your own self for ending your profound paragraph with a general statement like "reading is worthwhile" is just such a fucking breath of fresh air. edit: and then he goes on to give the interviewer all the credit, saying "well i just said what you said but i used more words". how endearing can you get
"Irony is the song of the bird who's learned to love their cage."
Great quote
@Johnny Crustacean it's sad, but this response makes me so uneasy. It's like someone just peeled away the facade, and now I have to look at how disgusting social media is. and suddenly I'm confronted by how terrible I am when I'm anonymously arguing with someone.... errrugh Thats so fucked up. why have I never seen a comment like this. why does no one just say "fuck it, sorry I'm wrong" I've literally never seen a comment like this before even though people do it all the time in real life.
Or:
We are not true Homo Sapiens: We are the domesticated variant of that species
@jonathan flynn yes but I would say that it is more a conditioned state of acceptance of the cage than being okay with it. Otherwise the bird would not be conveying distaste to any degree... Irony is a compromise between said passionate rebuke of its helplessness to change its condition and the deafening silence of not acknowledging it at all.
Then irony would also be Stockholm syndrome.
Wow. This is so compelling to our world now.... from 20 years ago. This man is a prophet
This man was living in the future somehow, what a legend. Rip
This whole interview and the RUclips comments accompanying it are a great source of education and multiple insights, I feel.
Not to make it about myself, but I rewatched this interview, probably for the 4th time, and I almost burst into tears. What a brilliant, brilliant man. I don't know if he is the greatest but he will always be my favourite author. That little winch at 13:00 , then moment of realisation that he said the truth, and that's all he can do. Even his job. I wish I knew him, so I could have told him that everything was going to be ok.
But its NOT ok! 1:13
i deeply appreciate this is unedited. And all the parts in the end are here
Best DFW interview out there by far!
I wish he could have lived in today in the age of podcasts, I could listen to him for hours.
and what is even sadder is that the podcast boom would happen like only 5 years after his death. And I think David Foster Wallace would have found satisfaction not only in the process and the reception he got but would probably feel invigorated to keep living life.
I wonder if the explosion of social media associated with the rise of podcasts would've disgusted him or made him uncomfortable to the point of not wanting to participate. I believe there's something in Wallace's writing (particularly Infinite Jest) that has a strong aversion to the media-obsessed culture we now exist in.
Also, he's been attacked posthumously many times for supposedly being a misogynist (even though he wrote Brief Interviews with Hideous Men). Can you imagine if he had to respond to a Twitter brigade every other week?
@@nightofthehunt2236 exactly, he wouldn't have been into "podcasting" at all.
Seems so odd that after watching this interview, someone would even think THAT was the thing we all missed out on! His podcast!!
@@mightytaiger3000 what we missed out on is an alternative world where he wouldn't have felt the necessity to commit suicide out of a sense of nihilistic irony suffused throughout a statistical society like water slowly filling a container ship and the damp clouding everything long before.
Infinite jest was about endless entertainment
Not sure he would have advocated for endless listening
Always good to come and watch this interview from time to time to get your bearings. Thank you for capturing this for all to see in the future. Each time it turns the mind different. Helps the mind to breathe.
First two minutes of the interview: You know a person is focused, a TRUE listener, and pays attention to detail when a boom mic almost hits them in the face and they didn't even know it was there.
That audio guy was a proper cunt. Around 10:00 made me angry.
This is a treasure trove of brilliance. I’m so grateful that I discovered your channel.
The hero of us all.
What is awesome to see, is a video of an interview from 2003 have such an active comments thread - for me this indicates that there are so many people out there who are feeling lost in life, and a sense of unease about the current state of our wonderful world; the increase in numbers on this thread / video represents a growing desire to turn the ship so to speak, and head in a different direction where we can build real relationships, with real people, connect on an intimate level with the world around us and give as much time is necessary to things such as art and love, which are so easily rushed and dismissedin this extremely fast-paced global and somewhat artificial society we have all somehow managed to fall victim to.
This man was such a light, he will never be forgotten...rest in peace
What I love about David is his point that everyone worships. While we have some control over what we worship, there is no denying our propensity toward worship. Religion is an outgrowth of this inbred desire to worship. I love 19:10 where he talks about American individualism and self-gratification.
Such a beautiful human being.
Except for the physically abusive, stalkery side.
@@deancj1 Isn't it weird how people have more than just one side to them? It's too bad he took his own life and thus robbed us of an opportunity to shame him into oblivion.
@@andrewzakku3526being an abusive stalker isn't just a personality quirk or just one side of someone's personality. Celebrate his work but there are too many people deifying this guy.
@@deancj1 I agree that, generally, it's not a good idea to deify anybody, same is with demonizing people. And abusive behavior is definitely not something to be treated lightly. In this case it may have been indicative of DFW's disturbed mental state, and so were his suicidal tendencies. But, watching this interview, I fail to notice any insincerity or hypocrisy, and I find it kind of reassuring that even a deeply flawed and troubled person can still behave in a gentle and loving way, if they choose to do so.
I find it unpleasant when people have plenty to say about someone who is dead, particularly when they are busy promoting themselves. It may or may not be true but Wallace is not here to explain, refute or face judgement for these alleged toxic behaviours/plagiarism accusations. A lot of it reads as unverified, malicious gossip, the main source of which is Mary Karr, who Wallace left for Karen Green. You do not know what motivates it all.
medium.com/@devonprice/a-brief-on-hideous-things-about-david-foster-wallace-72034b20de94
This guy is so profound and precise with his words but still worries that everyone will understand him. He’s a Genius
What a meaningful and expansive conversation. Realllllll talk.
What a pleasing interview (exchange) to watch. He embodies all that he observes. ... "Does that make any kind of sense?"
Yes.
I love this interview! Such a brilliant mind.
It's interesting, at 9:58 you can sort of see the guilt he carries around with him, regardless of how arbitrary the situation was that caused it. It's almost like a split second insight into his brain. Sad, really.
damn
the intention was the problem, its annoying, an unprovoked and unexpected set of jabs. when done intentionally it typically pisses people off.. bet he was sad bc he did not want to get defensive but also could help but to be pissed.. peace
When you are depressed you feel guilt all the time because you question your reactions, knowing how fragile and irritable you feel. Also when you see everything he is talking about, you just feel like you are shattering the illusions that help people cope in this sick society. You feel like a mistake, the culture that everyone is participating in causes you pain, but to take away the illusions is to invite others into that.
“I wish I was like you, easily amused” - Kurt Cobain
@@lorettagreen6794 well said.
man I remember watching this like 5 years ago and that moment has stuck with me ever since. i didn't even need to click the timestamp. i mean I did take the precaution, but I was nearly certain anyways
"you know what will help me, is if we do this like a conversation" - is another one I think about. it just felt really sweet and unexpected. and i don't think he was just saying it either. like the format structure of an interview and him being the sole subject of interest just genuinely felt bizarre and alien to him. there are so many moments here like that too. just these little, gentle rebellions against the presence of a camera and the expectations of how to act with one on you.
good lord, he's brilliant.
2:20, 15:20, 18:33, 29:55, 39:14, 43:30, 53:18, 57:18, 1:00:25 - main ideas for myself, enjoy the wisdom errbody.
just watch the whole thing, it’s all great
You can tell he thought deeply about his answers. Respect that.