Because I haven't read The Corrections (my current book is "American Dirt" which is heartachingly chilling), I will muse on the TV content. I'm beginning to think there is something wrong with me because I absolutely hate SATC. Also Friends and Gray's Anatomy. I almost hurl everytime my girls start watching an episode of these shows (also How I Met Your Mother but interestingly not That Girl). But I'm becoming (always have been?) a cranky old curmudgeon who takes a dim view of self-absorbed white first-world young affluent adults and their obsession with fulfilling their dream of finding a "hottie" that makes them feel like the center of the universe. These characters strike me as psychic vampires who suck the feelings out of those they encounter while shrieking "It's all about me!". I'll take an episode of The Walking Dead over all of them any day...
Grumph, grumph, grumph...
But, I love the perspective and insights you provided and know my viewpoint is deeply rooted in my childhood and parental efforts to squelch attention seeking or affection as these were considered inappropriate and selfish. Of course my girls love these show because my wife and I made sure they always knew that they were the most important people in the world. I've a theory that the so called Silent Generation (my parents born at the start of the great depression) raised Boomer kids who either went crazy (hippies and other deviants) or became hyper-sensitive empaths who then raised Millenial kids that became the self-centric selfie-generstion. Not sure what's next but it all might be mute as the little emperors of China's one-child policies of the 80s through the oughties gain influence in the world order. Something to look forward to!
I haven’t thought about The Corrections in years, it had such an impact. The dynamic of the repressed parents Enid and Albert and their grown children. The parents were so exposed and raw. Love that in juxtaposition with the frivolity of Sex and the City. I’m not sure I could rewatch it. I think I’d cringe at what I once glamorized and viewed as the height of sophisticated living. How times have changed. Can’t imagine how they’ll update the show and if they’ll pull it off.
I reread the corrections about 5 years ago, when I was starting my second book and trying to revisit different structures for novels with several PsOV (please pronounce this as "peas-o-vee"). I'd first read it maybe two years after it came out, when I was much younger. Such a different reading experience, the second time. What still stands about those two readings is that Denise barely registered as a character to me the first time, and the second, she was THE character to me.
Oh my goodness--same! I looooove Denise and her sections captivated me--the whole flashback to the affair with the guy at her dad's railway company? Her restaurant and the affair with the financial backer's wife?! It's all so good. Why didn't they resonate last time around, I wonder?
This is making me want to re-read The Corrections-- I haven't read it since it came out either, and the only thing I remember is.... the enema scene??? And a general feeling of intense angst??
I ALSO recently decided to start re-watch SATC... I think bc I noticed it was free ("free") on Prime? I can't really succinctly describe my emotional reaction to watching it now. Something like nostalgic enjoyment mixed with anthropological fascination mixed with horror that this is what I immersed myself in at age 21!
Because I haven't read The Corrections (my current book is "American Dirt" which is heartachingly chilling), I will muse on the TV content. I'm beginning to think there is something wrong with me because I absolutely hate SATC. Also Friends and Gray's Anatomy. I almost hurl everytime my girls start watching an episode of these shows (also How I Met Your Mother but interestingly not That Girl). But I'm becoming (always have been?) a cranky old curmudgeon who takes a dim view of self-absorbed white first-world young affluent adults and their obsession with fulfilling their dream of finding a "hottie" that makes them feel like the center of the universe. These characters strike me as psychic vampires who suck the feelings out of those they encounter while shrieking "It's all about me!". I'll take an episode of The Walking Dead over all of them any day...
Grumph, grumph, grumph...
But, I love the perspective and insights you provided and know my viewpoint is deeply rooted in my childhood and parental efforts to squelch attention seeking or affection as these were considered inappropriate and selfish. Of course my girls love these show because my wife and I made sure they always knew that they were the most important people in the world. I've a theory that the so called Silent Generation (my parents born at the start of the great depression) raised Boomer kids who either went crazy (hippies and other deviants) or became hyper-sensitive empaths who then raised Millenial kids that became the self-centric selfie-generstion. Not sure what's next but it all might be mute as the little emperors of China's one-child policies of the 80s through the oughties gain influence in the world order. Something to look forward to!
I haven’t thought about The Corrections in years, it had such an impact. The dynamic of the repressed parents Enid and Albert and their grown children. The parents were so exposed and raw. Love that in juxtaposition with the frivolity of Sex and the City. I’m not sure I could rewatch it. I think I’d cringe at what I once glamorized and viewed as the height of sophisticated living. How times have changed. Can’t imagine how they’ll update the show and if they’ll pull it off.
I reread the corrections about 5 years ago, when I was starting my second book and trying to revisit different structures for novels with several PsOV (please pronounce this as "peas-o-vee"). I'd first read it maybe two years after it came out, when I was much younger. Such a different reading experience, the second time. What still stands about those two readings is that Denise barely registered as a character to me the first time, and the second, she was THE character to me.
Oh my goodness--same! I looooove Denise and her sections captivated me--the whole flashback to the affair with the guy at her dad's railway company? Her restaurant and the affair with the financial backer's wife?! It's all so good. Why didn't they resonate last time around, I wonder?
This is making me want to re-read The Corrections-- I haven't read it since it came out either, and the only thing I remember is.... the enema scene??? And a general feeling of intense angst??
I ALSO recently decided to start re-watch SATC... I think bc I noticed it was free ("free") on Prime? I can't really succinctly describe my emotional reaction to watching it now. Something like nostalgic enjoyment mixed with anthropological fascination mixed with horror that this is what I immersed myself in at age 21!
THE ENEMA! I had totally blocked it out the first time. Re-read and let me know what you think.