David Foster Wallace's Addictions Explained

David Foster Wallace was a recovering addict or addict throughout his entire career but refused to talk about it during interviews and his non-fiction work. In this video, I explore different psychological, social, and biographical theories that led to Wallace refusing to hide his personal life. I also discuss how we can learn from Wallace's mistakes and live happier, healthier, and more balanced lives as writer!
Discover over 100 of David Foster Wallace's favorite books and the three books he wrote with by his side below
writeconscious.ck.page/8956ce...

[@assembly2593]

This dude really uploaded an hour and a half of content today. He did that for us. What a legend.

[@IM2L84F8]

His usage of the metaphor 'crocodile' for old-timers in AA is pure perfection.

[@elis8185]

Great video. I'm really looking forward to hearing about your experiences here. Appreciate the channel and what you're doing!

[@light1908]

You’re such a badass, WC. Thanks so much for all you do here, so informative and helpful!

[@WriteConscious]

Thanks brotha!

[@Snarflelocker]

I love the call to arms. "We need 50,000 great thinkers, we don't need one, it's not about you." Love it.

[@exili]

“Plotted to kill her husband, stuff like that nothing too crazy” ….

[@toddjacksonpoetry]

I keep hearing David Bowie's "Heroes" as this video's background jam.

[@josephpetersen2734]

17:38, so good. I remember a Robert A. Johnson talk where he mentioned an author (i think owen barfield) who described the "idolatry of literalism" in relation to Christianity. I look forward to the Robert A. Johnson content.

[@WriteConscious]

Here is 3 hours of Robert A. Johnson content I've already done! kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6WbpHtqh7edq68&pp=ygUgcm9iZXJ0IGEgam9obnNvbiB3cml0ZSBjb25zY2lvdXM%3D kzbin.info/www/bejne/rF7Gg4h-hLRqrNk&pp=ygUgcm9iZXJ0IGEgam9obnNvbiB3cml0ZSBjb25zY2lvdXM%3D kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmfdkp2Zq9mqis0&pp=ygUgcm9iZXJ0IGEgam9obnNvbiB3cml0ZSBjb25zY2lvdXM%3D

[@bjwnashe5589]

Throwing someone out of a moving car is “nothing too crazy?”

[@leonardodavinci5902]

he didn’t admit it because in his eyes the entire book was about addiction to entertainment etc so focusing on only one thing like drugs was missing the point of what he was trying to say. also he wasn’t ever addicted to drugs any more than he was to tv or snack food

[@reaganwiles_art]

You're talking to me. Too much to comment on. Almost everything you said applies to my life today.

[@AJPzaworld]

Addicts tend to not admit their own addiction-going through this right now with my FWB and her addictions-whether they are aware of the problem or not, it tends to matter not, they are mentally immature people reliving their mind and traumas and don’t know how to fix their own minds. It’s difficult. Human consciousness is an amazing thing, but the problem with it is the folly of “cogito ergo sum”, namely the ergo being the sum of our kenōsis failings. That tandem of impulse and overthinking enters the cycle of madness-which gets worse when you have two addicts, two codependent people, acting absolutely insane with each other because there is a level of honesty there that enters like no other. It’s trauma bonding, and those types are the worst kind of chemistry: toxic. They are awful for each other, but the intoxication of being wild with one another, hating each other, it’s a high like no other. You become Werther, you become Ottilie, you become Faust and you bargain for the sake of your innermost primacy taking command, and that is oft confused with nothingness; overthinking with higher conscience…. It’s mankind’s folly. For myself, it’s my anger, my lust, and my obsession with love. I desire to be loved, I desire to be understood, and mine own weakness comes for a lack of love with myself, quite a massive flow of anger-and that’s hard for most people to admit, nonetheless to fix. I’m still trying. I have wasted 20 years of my life to realize such a thing… but I walk down this road, reflecting all the same. Sudden enlightenment, momentary truth, aphorism of living, it reminds you are as water: you are infinite. You have countless possibilities before you, and the truth of the world, is that anything is possible. Good and bad. Water floods, deluges, yet garners the crops, cleanses us of our filth. Water is never one thing.

[@arodvaz1528]

11:10 12:10 I think the author you're discussing had a completely different view on this. It's easy to come up with solutions to deal with a person we know is suffering, but there's the autonomy thing. People have to accept our help and love and worry, otherwise it'll be just antagonizing and antagonizing and sterile discussions.

[@Misserbi]

I am reaching 13 years being completely sober and 25 years clean and smoke free. I have attended a handful of MA meetings and from my estimation when you are subjected to a habit that is viewed critically by society you learn quickly about freedom and liberties like no one else. For those who think a drink is an answer tell me why my 12 years told me different? It is about responsibility and sustainability aside from health and social circles. Yes, there is a take away. No, everyone's experience is not the same. DFW must have hit a wall. I believe his hubris was ego. He felt he was lowering himself and deserved to be treated better than others. His thing was making geniuses out of others so they realize his. I think that is what Mary Karr stuck him with by keeping him at a distance. She knew he had room for improvement.

[@YvesThePoet]

A coffee table? That’s a new one

[@CINEMARTYR]

I wonder if some of it had to do with the fact that there is an injunction against promoting recovery in the rules too 🤔 …or perhaps he used it as a convenient excuse…

[@Snarflelocker]

As a Christian, if you ever apologize for a religious joke, I'm unsubscribing.

[@WriteConscious]

Haha, thanks for being cool brotha!