--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "whynotnow7" <whynotnow7@...> wrote:
>
> Yeah the gratuitous bashing really took away from what could
> have been a fine piece of writing.
It's not just the constant, compulsive putdowns, it's the
relentless, monotonous, smug "I'm so special" drumbeat of
self-exaltation that accompanies the putdowns. I mean, he
can't even write a little travelogue that doesn't follow
this pattern:
--He's special because sightseeing, visiting museums, and
sitting in cafes is his ("but not everybody's") idea of
a holiday.
--He's special because he prefers watching women to watching
beggars and sadhus (unlike his friend in Arunachala).
--He's special because he appreciates good beer (unlike
Purusha).
--He's special because he finds mussels with fries and beer
satisfying (but "some wouldn't").
He can't just say, "I did this and I enjoyed it. I ate that
and I enjoyed it." He has to make himself *special*, better
than other people, because of what he likes to do (even
though what he likes to do is actually quite ordinary).
He can't give his opinion on anything without letting you
know how special he thinks he is to have that opinion and
how inferior he considers anyone who has a different one.
And then from time to time he'll go on one of his rants
about how ridiculous it is for anybody to think of
themselves as special--and how special *he* is not to
think of himself as special.
