Jack Kerouac: still roadworthy after 100 years

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/mar/13/jack-kerouac-still-roadworthy-after-100-years

by pseudolus • 4 years ago

11 5 4 years ago

gozzoo• 4 years ago

Jack Kerouac is a hot mess, in other words. And, really, aren’t we all? Does anyone know who or what they’re meant to be in the modern world? Gender is increasingly fluid, identity is a shifting concept, labels are meaningless.

loudtieblahblah• 4 years ago

People should stop being concerned with their labels and where they fit and more concerned about their character, actions in how they care for themselves and treat others, and their accomplishments

Obsession with identity is narcissistic by its very nature. It was one thing when kids were worried about being goth or skaters, ravers or metal heads, yuppies or hip hoppers. Eventually you grew out of that shit

But now that political, gender, racial, sexual identity is ALL IMPORTANT people spend endless amounts of time on it. Adults do. Endless. My HR department sends me invites to speeches on this garbage at least 2x a month.

The only thing identity obsession is good for is an empty life with lots of time advocating for political shit that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, and some increased time with your therapist.

Your labels don't matter. None of them. No one cares except those staring at themselves in the mirror.. Oh I'm sorry it's 2022. In their own tiktok vids.

k1rac• 4 years ago

Amen

wolverine876• 4 years ago

The parent is free to ignore their identity (or so the comment implies). People who are LGBTQ+, black, female (in many situations), immigrants, etc. are not - those identities are imposed on them constantly by the people and society around them. They can't walk down the street, go to work, turn on a movie or the news, or even watch porn without people defining them by stereotypes. Their lives are often defined by it - their safety, their career options, their wealth, who will marry them, etc. The people who actually experience it keep telling you that - they can't ignore it, it's oppressive, brutal - why don't you believe them? Who are you to know better?

The obsession with identity is not in its subject, but in the majority observers.

Obsession with identity is narcissistic by its very nature.

Ironically, actual narcisissm isn't focused on oneself as much as focus on everyone else - everyone else in the family, the organization, etc. has to be exactly what the narcissist wants them to be, to make the world exactly what the narcissist needs to feel safe.

That is similar to the identity situation we are discussing: The narcisissm is in the observer, who insists that the subjects should behave and act as the observer wishes.

Jack Kerouac: still roadworthy after 100 years

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