If I May Be Self Absorbed For A Moment

Am I too self-absorbed?

One of the reasons why I love George's website (and man has he been cookin' with grease lately) is that he discusses theater, which he himself practices, without constantly becoming an insufferable self-obsessed bore. How does he do this? By actually talking about theater more than himself and then relating it to himself when it's relevant.

I've tried to do this in the past, and I am, in fact, breaking with this little guideline for my latest installment of Lifting Up The Curtain. But the question remains... am I becoming unreadably self-absorbed?

There is one site I read which, when I first started reading it was mainly about the person's experiences in viewing art and theater, opinions etc. Now it is a catalogue of daily things in his world of awesomeness, and I find it a labor to read. I try to make sure this site doesn't do that. But I worry that I am slipping into it.

Hopefully I can take at least one thing that happened to me in each diary entry and abstract it to a level where it can become a discussion of something broader than little ole me.

If all of this is tiresome to you, dear reader I promise you that I will try to post on other things as well, and that it will all be done March 1.

(PS: is there anything more meta-self-absorbed than writing a post wondering if you're too self-absorbed?)

Comments

[A.C. Douglas]

"There is one site I read which, when I first started reading it was mainly about the person's experiences in viewing art and theater, opinions etc. Now it is a catalogue of daily things in his world of awesomeness, and I find it a labor to read."
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Gee. I wonder which site that could be.

FWIW, I agree with you.

ACD

[Laura]

Personal experience is devalued in intellectual circles and I've often wondered why. I'm guessing it's a latent form of sexism since throughout history women were responsible for more personalized stories. "Women's writing" is usually marked by the use of personal experience. Most likely, this comes from a tradition stemming from gender discrimination in education. Back in the 1950s, women were viewed as being "too emotional", "too uncertain", "incapable of intellectual thought" and the always humorous, "going to college for her MRS degree."

You're right. Self indulgence is a bore. The 80s produced some wretchedly indulgent and egotistical art. But I think that period of time was ultimately good because the pendulum needed to swing in the other direction to achieve a future balance.

I've been experimenting with writing memoir-type material. My blog has largely been an exercise in doing that. People need to know what directors think about and go through... At least I do.