Philosophy in David Foster Wallace's Fiction

My Novel Lionel Lancet and the Right Vibe is out now.

Review of my book from Phillip Freedenberg, Author of America and the Cult of the Cactus Boots: A Diagnostic

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In this video, I talk about postmodern philosophy, post-postmodern philosophy, and David Foster Wallace's fiction, specifically the story "My Appearance," which appears in a collection called Girl With Curious Hair. I also mention Broom of the System, his first novel.

This video is heavily indebted to Levi Bryant's Lecture on Object Oriented Philosophy and Speculative Realism:

Here are some other resources on Post-Modernism that go into great detail:

[offthewallnovels]

I’m releasing a novel on August 15 called Lionel Lancet and the Right Vibe. It was undoubtedly inspired by David Foster Wallace and the stories mentioned in this video.

[derektrudelle]

This is relevant:

"Projection makes perception; the world you see is what you gave it, nothing more than that. But though it is no more than that, it is not less. Therefore, to you it is important. It is the witness to your state of mind, the outside picture of an inward condition. As a man thinketh, so does he perceive. Therefore, seek not to change the world, but will to change your mind about the world. Perception is a result and not a cause. And that is why order of miracles is meaningless. Everything looked upon with vision is healed and holy. Nothing perceived without it means anything. And where there is no meaning, there is chaos." ~A Course in Miracles [CE T-21.I.1]

Also, you can give up on knowing anything in this world because perception is not knowledge, and perception is a funtion of a split mind. Only a whole mind can know.

[Misserbi]

Thanks for the construct explanation. I imagined the idea of a soft warm comfortable pair of socks and was able to both feel it in my hands as I pressed it and then lie it back down on my bed and move on to a point of interest. This process has baffled me since childhood. I just figured I was not being my truest self (being interrupted) but then again why judge yourself while trying to understand something? Experience is king.

[mrpablox]

Dude, great video, I'm watching from Colombia. Very, very good materia. New suscriber here. I always has apathy towards North American writters (latinoamerican Envy, maybe) but videos like these are helping me change my mind.

[phillylifer]

This video is a diamond deep under the surface of the earth. I have been waiting a decade for something like this to find my timeline.

[autofocus]

Awesome video again! Have you read Succeeding Postmodernism by Mary K. Holland? Sounds similar to what you are getting at. DFW is the man.

[Bookspine]

Finished reading Infinite Jest not too long ago. Great novel and I learned a whole lot. Currently I am reading and enjoying The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin.

[silentm]

You deserve a lot more views. Maybe you could talk about the uselessness of irony and DFW over cute cat videos?

[michaelpemulis]

Cool video - I was looking for someones thoughts on E Unibus Pluram.

[AllyGale]

Thank you! This was a great, clear, and thought-provoking synthesis.

[Bookspine]

Cool easter egg : a Nintendo unit. :)

[mikeg]

the levi bryant video chanel is ex nihilo