Late to the party, I know, and slightly off piste, but your comment reminded me of the semi-lament in this intro to a (wonderful) Paul Giamatti reading of A Noiseless Patient Spider:
"So much contemporary poetry is full of playful irony and irreverent humor – which, personally, I love. But when I go back and read Walt Whitman, the grandf…
Late to the party, I know, and slightly off piste, but your comment reminded me of the semi-lament in this intro to a (wonderful) Paul Giamatti reading of A Noiseless Patient Spider:
"So much contemporary poetry is full of playful irony and irreverent humor – which, personally, I love. But when I go back and read Walt Whitman, the grandfather of American poetry, I feel like a post-modern fool in the face of Whitman’s totally sincere, un-ironic vision."
I think it has, yes, and just self-consciousness about appearing earnest generally. Plus artistic 'sophistication' comes into play as well, the desire to avoid any explicit nod to the underlying essence of all stories: 'And the moral of the story is...'
The work of some of George's friends like Dave Eggers and David Foster Wallace has been labelled the New Sincerity. Perhaps George too, though I'm less sure of that.
Late to the party, I know, and slightly off piste, but your comment reminded me of the semi-lament in this intro to a (wonderful) Paul Giamatti reading of A Noiseless Patient Spider:
"So much contemporary poetry is full of playful irony and irreverent humor – which, personally, I love. But when I go back and read Walt Whitman, the grandfather of American poetry, I feel like a post-modern fool in the face of Whitman’s totally sincere, un-ironic vision."
Has irony robbed us of the honesty you mention?
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/podcasts/74670/looking-for-god-with-ar-ammons
I think it has, yes, and just self-consciousness about appearing earnest generally. Plus artistic 'sophistication' comes into play as well, the desire to avoid any explicit nod to the underlying essence of all stories: 'And the moral of the story is...'
Absolutely. I wonder if a new earnestness is possible, whether events can/will eventually revive it.
The work of some of George's friends like Dave Eggers and David Foster Wallace has been labelled the New Sincerity. Perhaps George too, though I'm less sure of that.
Aha, interesting – thank you, Sean! George, do you consider yourself Newly Sincere? :)
This quote is great. Thank you!
Glad you like it too, Sara.