Monday, July 13, 2009

A transparent craving on the part of the authors to appear likable

So the picture? From an icon of a commenter on Politico. When I image Googled "Transparent Craving", it was one of only 3 images that came up. And I like it.

So, in theory, this quote is from Loitering with Intent by Muriel Spark. The problem is that it was in the preface of another book that I didn't notate. I thought it was in An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England, but in the nifty little "Look Inside!" feature on Amazon, I don't see it. So, I can neither confirm nor deny with certainty it's origin.

Tangentially? I was really looking forward to The Arsonist's Guide... I know there are still people out there who refuse to leave a book unfinished. I am not one of them. If it hasn't caught me in the first 100 or so pages, I've got to be really bored to continue. I figure life is too damned short to read/watch/listen to crap. If my answer to "Do I give a rat's ass how this ends?" is anything other than "yes"...next! That book was like that. As the Bastard Neil would put it, a lot of navel gazing. Or maybe it was something about foot gazing, I'm not sure. You get the gist. Debi thought the book sucked ass. However, Loitering with Intent might be good.

The quote spoke to me. I guess I feel like I've always had a transparent craving to be liked...I suppose some folks will look at that and laugh, so perhaps it isn't SO transparent. I do so desperately want to be liked and always have. I suppose I've just come a bit more to terms with the fact that I'm an acquired taste with some HIGHLY annoying habits (even to myself). Doesn't mean I don't spend time in therapy over it, but this is Seattle. If you're not in therapy, you're weird. So next time you see me, make sure you tell me how likable I am. Not you, Mom. You're biased.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well I LIKE you - a lot. So there! And we ALL want to be liked. It's a biological imperative. For if we cannot attract others to us, we cannot attract a mate, we cannot pop out progeny.

But civilization can win out over evolution in the thought that, if some people DON'T like you, that's THEIR problem.

As the character in this week's Nurse Jackie said, toasting her death"

Here's to you and here's to me
If we should ever disagree
Fuck you and here's to me.

deedee51 said...

I am "chemically biased" as a mom to LOVE you, daughter dear -- however, I really really LIKE you too!

We all, as human beings, have annoying bits -- people who like us are the ones who can overlook the annoying parts because they know the rest makes up for it.