Sydney > Recent Status Updates

Prof keeps calling Henry “dickish” but have we considered he might just be autistic?

“It doesn’t take long to persuade each other to stop seeing a person as a person. And when enough people are quiet for long enough, a handful of voices can give the impression that everyone is screaming.”

Picked up this book thinking it was about one thing, and it is very much about another. In the matter of a few chapter this book has reached into the depths of my soul, ripped my insides out, and put them back in. And by GOD does Backman writes teenagers with such nuance, understanding, and empathy. Incredible to think someone could still be so in tune with that at his age.

SLOW start, but I’m starting to get into it. Character building is absolutely fantastic.

I actually cannot stand this man. It’s driving me insane.

Unexpected Murfreesboro mention

Belief that future media would refer to a Hitler-esq character as a “charismatic, neoconservative upstart,” fear about decreased attention spans, an Amazon.com mention, AND a Ukraine mention? Welcome back 2024!

Reading things in retrospect is always so interesting to me because this man has no idea that the comic his colleague wrote about knowing Jeffrey Dahmer will go on to be a movie in 14 years and the Dixie Chicks will simply be known as "The Chicks" in 17.

Was NOT expecting a Nashville Scene mention.

Man whose entire lifeblood is being a media culture critic fails to understand how media could dramatically alter someone’s life.

I think the Chuck Klosterman of 2003 would have really benefited from the notes app.

Not sure why this guy is so obsessed with the idea that drunk driving is actually cool and anti-establishment

This essay started with him drunkenly driving home to watch the Pam Anderson Tommy Lee sex tape before devolving into 14 pages of comparing her and Monroe to analyze the evolution of the American sexual icon. One star.

Last chapter was VERY Jon Ronson. I love Jon Ronson.

Anthony Bourdain famously said you’d be kicked out his kitchen for playing Billy Joel. I wonder what the outcome of electing to write a 12 page essay on him would be?

Ok, possible redemption arc. The essay on The Real World and the effect of reality tv on individual personality weirdly parallels discussion around modern-day “TikTok aesthetics,” and I actually quite enjoyed it.

Oh this has quickly become a stubborn hate read.

Not sure if the annoyance I’m feeling after the first chapter is from being called out or faced with the reality of a grown man’s internal dialogue.