This is how love works—you may begin for pure reasons, or egocentric and performative reasons, but in the end it has to be earnest. Our lives are short. We should read what we love and spend time with those we love. And if the world is full of writers who can model a kind of “reverse poptimism,” an unfeigned enthusiasm for the greatest works—then,... See more

Writing is a method of paying attention to the experience of being alive. More than just putting words on the page, it is about engaging with the world in an attuned, open, and curious way. Whether it’s writing essays, painting, dancing, or cooking — it’s all variations of the same act: A way to show your work as you figure out how to be alive.

I think that people come alive when they’re serious about what they love—when they choose to pay careful attention to what feeds and sustains them. I love this one Heather Havrilesky line about how crushes are often just misplaced ambition. Of course crushes are more than that—they’re about nostalgia and magic and futures we’ll never access—but I... See more