Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Wonderful Wednesday

This Wednesday I bring you a quote from a very intriguing writer. I read this in Time Magazine 2/12/18 issue. 

Food for thought to fill this Wednesday.  It was provocative enough for a discussion with my writer friends at a Sunday gathering.  What do you think?

Zadie Smith, literary author, has a new collection of essays, Feel Free. In one essay she writes,

      When I find myself sitting at dinner next to someone who knows just as much about novels as I do but has somehow also found the mental space to adore and be knowledgeable about opera, have strong opinions about the relative rankings of Renaissance painters, and encyclopedic knowledge of the English Civil War, of French wines - I feel an anxiety that nudges beyond the envious into the existential. How did she find the time?

 We all agreed that we've been there. We think we've read quite a bit, we can speak about quite a lot, and then we are flummoxed by that person who seems to know it all.......dang. 

Inferiority complex, heck yeah!

How about you?  Have you felt so smart, and then really dumb on occasion?
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12 comments:

  1. Nilanjana BoseFebruary 21, 2018 at 6:31 AM

    Been there, done that!

    Mostly on a binge-fest of inadequate... :)

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    1. JoanneFebruary 21, 2018 at 7:13 AM

      hey, let's sit next to each other at that dinner table.

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  2. Sue McPeakFebruary 21, 2018 at 9:28 AM

    Let's just say those with a head full of topics from opera to Civil Wars as writers do lots of research...as dinner companions...I'd be envious of their French wine knowledge. Just sayin'...from one who has a head full of what husband calls 'Useless Information' when it comes to 'What's for dinner'.

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    1. JoanneFebruary 21, 2018 at 5:48 PM

      useless info serves an excellent purpose. I'd enjoy sitting next to you and chatting

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  3. Alex J. CavanaughFebruary 21, 2018 at 12:22 PM

    Some people just find more opportunities. And time of course!

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  4. Pat HattFebruary 21, 2018 at 4:13 PM

    Some have less life things, like kids, pets, work hours, and can do that. Power to them.

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    1. JoanneFebruary 21, 2018 at 5:49 PM

      exactly. And some folks can retain more. I can't quote obscure things, but I might have read about them...just interesting perspective

      Delete
  5. Annalisa CrawfordFebruary 22, 2018 at 1:55 PM

    I very rarely feel smart, to be honest :-)

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    1. JoanneFebruary 22, 2018 at 4:47 PM

      but I have no doubt you are very fun to chat with. It's all in perspective. I am sure that Zadie Smith is quite fascinating, but cool that she has such insecure feelings at times too.

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  6. Susan Flett SwiderskiFebruary 23, 2018 at 7:49 AM

    I've never had that experience. When I've been in conversation with people who seem to know it all, I've found that they're often more full of BS than they are of knowledge.

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  7. ConnieMarch 1, 2018 at 2:10 PM

    I feel dumb all the time. Ha! I just keep on keeping on. :-)

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