1. “38 Ways to Win an Argument”—AKA “How to Be a Major Dickhead at Parties“—from Arthur Schopenhauer’s The Art of Controversy
#38 is timeless:
Become personal, insulting and rude as soon as you perceive that your opponent has the upper hand. In becoming personal you leave the subject altogether, and turn your attack on the person by remarks of an offensive and spiteful character. This is a very popular technique, because it takes so little skill to put it into effect.
2. “‘It just doesn’t matter!”: The philosophy of Bill Murray”
(Thanks, Marc, for the link.)
3. William Deresiewicz’s “Carded” in The New Republic, about Vladimir Nabakov’s The Original of Laura*
4. Greg Beato’s “Love Means Never Having to Say 404 Error” in The Smart Set
5. vanceperry‘s a cappella multitrack cover of Jay Sean’s “Down”
—
* I have not read it yet. I still have Ada, or Ardor waiting for me on the shelf.
