Definition: noun a theory holding that the self can know nothing but its own modifications and that the self is the only existent thing; also: extreme egocentrism
Etymology: Latin solus alone + ipse self
Quotation: “Two later collections of stories — ‘Brief Interviews With Hideous Men’ (1999) and ‘Oblivion’ (2004), which both featured whiny, narcissistic characters — suggested a falling off of ambition and a claustrophobic solipsism of the sort Mr. Wallace himself once decried.”
- from Exuberant Riffs on a Land Run Amok, an article honoring the work of David Foster Wallace in The New York Times
David Foster Wallace is no longer with us, but his work remains. I spent numerous hours reading “Infinite Jest”, Wallace’s gigantic opus, and now I have just started “Oblivion”. While I cannot claim a thorough understanding of Wallace’s works, I can certainly recognize his talent. As a bonus, DFW was never afraid to bust out some impressive words. Potential readers should be sure to keep a dictionary nearby.
5 responses so far ↓
1 bp // Nov 19, 2008 at 1:52 am
he’s suffocated solipsistic cat!
http://alessonislearned.com/index.php?comic=34
2 admin // Nov 21, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Hmm, that cartoon must be part of a series because I don’t get it.
3 gillenium // Nov 23, 2008 at 4:25 pm
didn’t know there was a word for this belief.
4 bp // Dec 1, 2008 at 2:47 pm
“3. Peanuts, Charles Schulz. Everyone talks about Charlie Brown’s pining for the little red-haired girl, but the most poignant unrequited love in Peanuts, for my money, is Peppermint Patty’s crush on Charlie Brown. Patty, tough and funny and loyal as a dog, is the only girl who sees something to love in that awkward hard-luck case—but he doesn’t care, he doesn’t even notice, because he’s hypnotized by some disinterested beauty floating just off the edge of the panel border.
I’ve loved my share of nerdy guys, and perhaps I relate to this scenario a little too much. Anyway, the saddest sequence of Peanuts strips is that in which Patty tells Linus about finally meeting the little red-haired girl and crying because she realizes she’ll never be able to compete with someone so pretty. There is nothing in the world sadder than those strips. Charlie Brown thinks he’s suffered in love? You’re a solipsistic ass, Charlie Brown.”
-http://www.comixology.com/articles/158/Ten-Comics-That-Made-Me-Cry
(just thought I’d bring a little “emo” to your blog.)
5 admin // Dec 1, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Man, that’s a sweet quote. I’m not very familiar with the CB strips, but based on the description here I’d say he needs to pull his head out of his solipsistic ass.
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