David Brooks - NYT OP-ED Columnist Interview on Being Humble

Yes I Have Balls · Post by **Yes I Have Balls** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 5:19 pm

I read this guy every week, and don't nearly agree with 25% of his opinions - ones that admits to sometimes having to take to get more hits, page views, emotion stirred up - but this sentence resonated with me, so listened to the interview. It's probably worth 8 minutes of your day.

'What's the weakness that I have that leads to behavior that I'm not proud of?' ... I still have the core sin of wanting everybody to love me and avoiding conflict. And so I have to look at that every day and figure out: How can I be a little better on that?"

bennyonesix · Post by **bennyonesix** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 5:27 pm

Oh this rotten son of a bitch. I can't stand him. All time humble brag bullshit fuck.

The premise of his new book is: I looked around at myself and realized I was a complete and utter success at life EXCEPT I was ONLY a good person and not as good a person as I was a student and writer at which I was EXTRAORDINARY so I set out to become EXTRAORDINARILY GOOD at being EXTRAORDINARILY GOOD. And now I have written a book about it because everything that happens to me is important and others need to know and benefit from my existence.

Blech.

Kazuya Mishima · Post by **Kazuya Mishima** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 5:42 pm

"Buy my book, goyim." - David Brooks

DrDonkeyLove · Post by **DrDonkeyLove** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 7:28 pm

Yes I Have Balls wrote:I read this guy every week, and don't nearly agree with 25% of his opinions - ones that admits to sometimes having to take to get more hits, page views, emotion stirred up - but this sentence resonated with me, so listened to the interview. It's probably worth 8 minutes of your day.

'What's the weakness that I have that leads to behavior that I'm not proud of?' ... I still have the core sin of wanting everybody to love me and avoiding conflict. And so I have to look at that every day and figure out: How can I be a little better on that?"

Good stuff. At least Brooks is usually thoughtful. Ross Douthat is almost always good. Krugman, Rich & Bruni suffer from some kind of hysterical mania disorder.

My takeaway quote was:

My favorite statistic about this is that in 1950 the Gallup organization asked high school seniors: Are you a very important person? And in 1950, 12 percent said yes. They asked again in 2005 and it was 80 percent who said they were a very important person. So we live in a culture that encourages us to be big about ourselves, and I think the starting point of trying to build inner goodness is to be a little bit smaller about yourself.

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 7:42 pm

I heard this yesterday while I was in the garage squatting. Sure, he's trying to sell a book, but he seemed sincere and I thought it was good stuff. Generally, when he's been on NPR, I've thought he's pretty reasonable about his political/social opinions - even if I might not agree. I'll take a look at it the next time I'm at B&N.

Turdacious · Post by **Turdacious** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 7:43 pm

I wonder if Paul Krugman wrote the forward.

Blaidd Drwg · Post by **Blaidd Drwg** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 7:46 pm

Not sure I understand the blowback in the intial posts. Of course Brooks thinks much of himself, only people with an inflated sense of self worth get to do interviews and write op-ed pieces.

I guess Benny and Kaz have more accurately ascertained their value in the world and post on message boards with the rest of us humble fuckers.

bennyonesix · Post by **bennyonesix** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:01 pm

I still have the core sin of wanting everybody to love me and avoiding conflict. And so I have to look at that every day and figure out: How can I be a little better on that?

THIS DOES NOT WARRANT A BOOK ABOUT HOW YOU CHANGED YOUR LIFE.

And oh I admit it. That guy rubs me the wrong way and any chance I get I will rant about whatever fuck-up he commits.

-EDIT-

His CORE SIN is wanting everyone to love him and avoiding conflict. That is his CORE SIN. He wrote an entire book about how he had to come to terms and deal with this core sin. And it wasn't even fucking up his life!

Why is this not worthy of mockery?

Blaidd Drwg · Post by **Blaidd Drwg** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:20 pm

Meh...

maybe it is worthy of mockery but you're just not very good at it?

The Venerable Bogatir X · Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:36 pm

Don't be humble... you're not that great.

Golda Meir

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quote ... iakU5zd.99

Oy.

bennyonesix · Post by **bennyonesix** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:08 pm

I am to mockery as Brooks is to humility.

bennyonesix · Post by **bennyonesix** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:22 pm

In Recompense for Thine Mighty Deeds of Heroism and The Pureness of Thine Heart. I do dub thee Sir Blaidd Drwg. Thane of IronGarm and Defender of All Those Meek and Humble who live within and without the Confines of This Our Internet. Go Forth Noble Knight and Striketh at Those who Show Not The Meekness Thou Lovest So...

Blaidd Drwg · Post by **Blaidd Drwg** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:28 pm

bennyonesix wrote:In Recompense for Thine Mighty Deeds of Heroism and The Pureness of Thine Heart. I do dub thee Sir Blaidd Drwg. Thane of IronGarm and Defender of All Those Meek and Humble who live within and without the Confines of This Our Internet. Go Forth Noble Knight and Striketh at Those who Show Not The Meekness Thou Lovest So...

You're not wrong Benny, you're just an asshole.

bennyonesix · Post by **bennyonesix** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:31 pm

Well then consider yourself un-Knighted fuckbrain.

Gary John · Post by **Gary John** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 10:31 pm

No respect for Brooks until he strangles Mark Shields.

rjudo · Post by **rjudo** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 11:31 pm

Blaidd Drwg wrote:
bennyonesix wrote:In Recompense for Thine Mighty Deeds of Heroism and The Pureness of Thine Heart. I do dub thee Sir Blaidd Drwg. Thane of IronGarm and Defender of All Those Meek and Humble who live within and without the Confines of This Our Internet. Go Forth Noble Knight and Striketh at Those who Show Not The Meekness Thou Lovest So...
You're not wrong Benny, you're just an asshole.

Sangoma · Post by **Sangoma** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 12:18 am

Glamorous discourse. Attention seeking method No.1: look at me, I am so awesome. Method No.2: look at me, I am such an asshole. Which means that I am so awesome.

The Venerable Bogatir X · Wed Apr 15, 2015 12:25 am

Smet wrote:Glamorous discourse. Attention seeking method No.1: look at me, I am so awesome. Method No.2: look at me, I am such an asshole. Which means that I am so awesome.

It's the IGx way.

buckethead · Post by **buckethead** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 5:12 am

bennyonesix wrote: rant

Bob Wildes · Post by **Bob Wildes** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 5:24 pm

Gary John wrote:No respect for Brooks until he strangles Mark Shields.

Do you remember when it was Shields and Gigot?

Gary John · Post by **Gary John** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 7:08 pm

Yep. Watched that program before the intronet. Not as left as the BBC at the time, nor was Cuba.

IGX

David Brooks - NYT OP-ED Columnist Interview on Being Humble

David Brooks - NYT OP-ED Columnist Interview on Being Humble

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