Published on Jewcy.com (http://www.jewcy.com)
We'd All Rather Be Liked Than Known
By Ben Karlin
Created 05/12/2008 - 17:10

From: Ben Karlin
To: Elizabeth Wurtzel

Posh Spice plus Birkin: Is it better to be known, or loved? Or does having a really expensive purse trump both those things?Posh Spice plus Birkin: Is it better to be known, or loved? Or does having a really expensive purse trump both those things? The words in your last e-mail all make sense. And they all seem true and heartfelt. But to me, everything boils down to simple want. Every word human beings speak is laden with desire. The engine of socialization coats our language and teaches us moderation and technique, but we are animals striving to survive and thrive.

I started out these exchanges with you pleading for you to like me. That was laid out in the form of a joke, but it was fundamentally true. I didn't plead for you to "know" me. Because ultimately, I don't think that's what most people want. It's why we dress up to go out. It's why we hope and pray that a person has fallen for us before they find out some of the dark, unpleasant shit. Could you imagine leading with, "Hello my name is Ben. I snore, have psoriasis and can be simultaneously imperious and childish"?

I haven't figured out anything about life or love. I really haven't. But my overwhelming suspicion is that is a lot simpler than 99% of all people make it. Unfortunately, simple does not mean easy. And honesty isn't always the best policy. Would that it were.

So the natural question is, what do you want? Besides that bag, of course.



Other Posts In This Series

  1. http://www.jewcy.com/post/are_emotional_affairs_new_infidelity
  2. http://www.jewcy.com/post/married_people_have_three_kinds_affairs
  3. http://www.jewcy.com/post/buy_me_birkin_then_tell_me_your_secrets
  4. http://www.jewcy.com/post/describe_your_life_six_words
  5. http://www.jewcy.com/post/dont_hate_me_living_brooklyn
  6. http://www.jewcy.com/post/can_married_people_be_friends_their_exes
  7. http://www.jewcy.com/post/can_married_people_be_friends_their_exes_0
  8. http://www.jewcy.com/post/how_relationships_end
  9. http://www.jewcy.com/post/wed_all_rather_be_liked_known
  10. http://www.jewcy.com/post/do_you_being_married
  11. http://www.jewcy.com/post/why_you_should_bring_sunglasses_your_wedding

Source URL (retrieved on 11/23/2008 - 05:57): http://www.jewcy.com/post/wed_all_rather_be_liked_known

Links:
[1] http://www.jewcy.com/user/bkarlin
[2] http://www.jewcy.com/post/are_emotional_affairs_new_infidelity
[3] http://www.jewcy.com/post/married_people_have_three_kinds_affairs
[4] http://www.jewcy.com/post/buy_me_birkin_then_tell_me_your_secrets
[5] http://www.jewcy.com/post/describe_your_life_six_words
[6] http://www.jewcy.com/post/dont_hate_me_living_brooklyn
[7] http://www.jewcy.com/post/can_married_people_be_friends_their_exes
[8] http://www.jewcy.com/post/can_married_people_be_friends_their_exes_0
[9] http://www.jewcy.com/post/how_relationships_end
[10] http://www.jewcy.com/post/wed_all_rather_be_liked_known
[11] http://www.jewcy.com/post/do_you_being_married
[12] http://www.jewcy.com/post/why_you_should_bring_sunglasses_your_wedding
[13] http://www.jewcy.com/post/how_relationships_end