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AZ's avatar

Reading Umberto Eco's "On Ugliness" was an illuminating experience, at least in a personal way. I thought I could identify what was beautiful and what was ugly to me, and I still think I can, sort of, but while reading it I found that all his examples of ugliness were deeply pleasing to me, exciting and arousing and beautiful. I began to lose a sense of what the concept of "beauty" means, like when you repeat one word many times in a row and it becomes meaningless.

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Naomi Kanakia's avatar

Great recommendation, thank you!

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Cecily Carver's avatar

Thank you for the mention! Vertigo is actually a major favorite of mine, and I loved reading BDM's essay as well.

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Virginia Postrel's avatar

This is an amusing typo: "Anyway, the trashes multiplied--each of them connected to my own actions."

If you've never read this wonderful essay on the light of L.A., you should: https://lawrenceweschler.com/library/article/the-light-of-la

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Frank Dent's avatar

So many great lines in Eighth Grade. I think my favorite are from Kayla’s self-help videos, for example when she says: “Being yourself can be hard, and it’s like, aren’t I always being myself? And yeah, for sure.”

Of course, these lines really shine when Elsie Fisher delivers them. What a good casting choice.

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Naomi Kanakia's avatar

Omg right, that's a good one too. Her videos are amazing.

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Stirling S Newberry's avatar

Slate has gone downhill.

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Joshua Doležal's avatar

Thanks for the mention :).

I agree with Stirling -- Slate comes up on my News app with totally tabloid stuff. I've pitched some op-eds to them in the past, but realized that my stuff isn't smutty enough or clickbaity enough.

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Naomi Kanakia's avatar

You've gotta be reading those advice columns instead!

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