Infinite jest Quote by David Shields
““IT’S HARDLY a coincidence that “Shipping Out,” Wallace’s most well-known essay, appeared only a month before Infinite Jest, his most well-known novel, was published. Both are about the same thing (amusing ourselves to death), with different governing données (lethally entertaining movie, lethally pampering leisure cruise). In an interview after the novel came out, Wallace, asked what’s so great about writing, said that we’re existentially alone on the planet—I can’t know what you’re thinking and feeling, and you can’t know what I’m thinking and feeling—so writing, at its best, is a bridge constructed across the bridge of human loneliness.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “Shipping Out,” 1996; novel: Infinite Jest, 1996
Both works critique how entertainment distracts us, highlighting loneliness and the need for authentic connection through writing.
In simple terms: Entertainment distracts; writing bridges loneliness.
Key Takeaway
Seek genuine connection beyond entertainment.
Themes
loneliness
entertainment
authenticity
writing
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- reading
- writing workshops
- media consumption
- social gatherings
Key Concepts
existentialism
media criticism
human connection
Questions to Reflect On
- What does authentic connection look like for you?
- How can you balance entertainment with deeper engagement?
A Different Perspective
Entertainment can also provide meaningful community.
![“You know, I don't want to be offensive. But 'Infinite Jest' [regarded by many as Wallace's masterpiece] is just awful. It seems ridiculous to have to say it. He can't think, he can't write. There's no discernible talent.” quote by Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/129/harold-bloom-3350_awful_you-know-i-don-t-want-to-be-offensive-bu_754760.jpg)
![“The root of addict in latin is the word addicere, which means religious devotion. It was an attribute of beginning monks. There is an element in the book [Infinite Jest] in which various people are living out something that I think is true, which is that we all worship. We all have a religious…” quote by David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/007/david-foster-wallace-161_home_the-root-of-addict-in-latin-is-the-word_251032.jpg)
