America certainly is a scam for most of its inhabitants, particularly the younger ones. Accordingly, four years ago, I moved to Canada. Now, I'm living the Canadian scam - it's 20% less scammy! (At least we have "socialized medicine".)
"An increasingly popular retirement plan is figuring civilization will collapse before you have to worry about it.": I'm hoping to die before I have to worry about it. (I've already lived longer than I expected. When my father died of a heart attack, he was ten years younger than I am now. And I inherited his cholesterol metabolism.) Of course, the collapse of civilization could help that along.
"I have a shameful confession to make: Secretly, I am not lazy.": Not me - I truly am lazy. My life's ambition remains to become as unreservedly indolent and hedonistic as a typical cat. (So I highly approve of the cartoon at the top of this post.)
Sure, it would be nice to have a worthwhile project in which to invest some effort - when and only when I felt like it - but after many years of bitter experience, I'm persuaded nobody will ever pay me for anything of the sort. Also, "worthwhile project" has devalued somewhat, in view of the impending collapse of civilization.
"One important function of jobs is to keep you too preoccupied and tired to do anything else.": In his essay "On the phenomenon of bullshit jobs", David Graeber argued that's the primary function of many jobs:
"The ruling class has figured out that a happy and productive population with free time on their hands is a mortal danger (think of what started to happen when this even began to be approximated in the '60s)."
Became aware of your existence about an hour ago on NYT. Enjoyed your 2012 opinion as much as your 2022. You got my attention mister. Might try to read your book too. If I am not too busy being busy, of course.
Huge admirer of your essays... loved both We Learn Nothing and I Wrote ..... absolutely looking forward to your Substack and hope there’s another collection of essays out soon. Thank you 😊
Love your work—I can't count the number of times I've linked your "Guns Are for Pussies" essay to people—but I look at all these people in the world who are constantly distracted and miserable and aggrieved, and then I look at the set of people that have TikTok accounts, and the uncanny intersection between the two, and can't help but feel like a lot of our problems are self-inflicted. To paraphrase Eleanor Roosevelt, no one can make you a lazy, incurious dipshit without your consent.
Loved your books Tim, looking forward to seeing more!
America certainly is a scam for most of its inhabitants, particularly the younger ones. Accordingly, four years ago, I moved to Canada. Now, I'm living the Canadian scam - it's 20% less scammy! (At least we have "socialized medicine".)
"An increasingly popular retirement plan is figuring civilization will collapse before you have to worry about it.": I'm hoping to die before I have to worry about it. (I've already lived longer than I expected. When my father died of a heart attack, he was ten years younger than I am now. And I inherited his cholesterol metabolism.) Of course, the collapse of civilization could help that along.
"I have a shameful confession to make: Secretly, I am not lazy.": Not me - I truly am lazy. My life's ambition remains to become as unreservedly indolent and hedonistic as a typical cat. (So I highly approve of the cartoon at the top of this post.)
Sure, it would be nice to have a worthwhile project in which to invest some effort - when and only when I felt like it - but after many years of bitter experience, I'm persuaded nobody will ever pay me for anything of the sort. Also, "worthwhile project" has devalued somewhat, in view of the impending collapse of civilization.
"One important function of jobs is to keep you too preoccupied and tired to do anything else.": In his essay "On the phenomenon of bullshit jobs", David Graeber argued that's the primary function of many jobs:
"The ruling class has figured out that a happy and productive population with free time on their hands is a mortal danger (think of what started to happen when this even began to be approximated in the '60s)."
(https://www.strike.coop/bullshit-jobs/)
So, I appear to be the 73rd person roped in by your piece in the Times. Looking forward to more.
Me too… 10?
Became aware of your existence about an hour ago on NYT. Enjoyed your 2012 opinion as much as your 2022. You got my attention mister. Might try to read your book too. If I am not too busy being busy, of course.
Huge admirer of your essays... loved both We Learn Nothing and I Wrote ..... absolutely looking forward to your Substack and hope there’s another collection of essays out soon. Thank you 😊
“Time passes. Memory fades, memory adjusts, memory conforms,” she writes, “to what we think we remember.”
I'll go for it! even while remembering my guru George Carlin's famous saying; "It's all bullshit, and its 's bad for ya!"
That recent NYT gem got me here: I took the bait!
Excellent essay in the times today, sir. Looking forward to more. But, you know, just keeping an eye out-not actively engaged in the search itself.
Can you and Tim Urban be in that threesome?
Stick with the threesome fantasy -- it doesn't disappoint.
Hah! I do believe I might want to see more of your stuff.
Love your work—I can't count the number of times I've linked your "Guns Are for Pussies" essay to people—but I look at all these people in the world who are constantly distracted and miserable and aggrieved, and then I look at the set of people that have TikTok accounts, and the uncanny intersection between the two, and can't help but feel like a lot of our problems are self-inflicted. To paraphrase Eleanor Roosevelt, no one can make you a lazy, incurious dipshit without your consent.
I'm a huge fan of your work. Looking forward to The Loaf. :)
I encourage anyone who's new to Tim's work to buy his books. They are full of witty, entertaining observations and stories.
The line about sadistic codicils was so on point and creatively funny I hit the subscribe button for more, good luck Tim with this endeavor
FINALLY. 👏