Tom Wolfe:
An intellectual is a person who is knowledgeable in one field but speaks out only in others.
February 22, 2011
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First she wanted to “talk”. Fine. I could tune it out. Then she wanted to be “listened” to. Fine. I could pretend. I was finally asked to “understand” , “share”, and “communicate”. I did until my voice was hoarse from mumbling nonsense. Then came the “rules” - shoes here, newspaper there, shower curtain unfolded to avoid mold growth, sofa turned away form the TV, meat in the left back side of the second from the top (not bottom) refrigerator shelf, and “instructions” left on the fridge door with the “orders for the day”. Utter misery. Half an hour of pleasure a day is not worth 23. 5 hours of misery.
The food now tastes better and is warmer (McDonalds), the socks can sit in the middle of the living room for days without provoking imputations, the beer tastes great, and I don’t have to read those God awful poems or admire some silly floral arrangement out loud. I am looking forward to the day when in vitro reproduction becomes norm. Too much misery is created by and effort invested in producing some offspring that will end up, together with the house, salt shakers, and the cars in the hands of some selfish “mother”.
Like the Virginia Slims commercial used to declare - “You’ve come a long way baby”.
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