Critics Quote by James Purdy
“Feeling is taboo, especially in New York. I read in some little magazine the other day that The New Yorker and The New York Times were sclerotic, meaning, "completely turned to rock." The critics here are that way.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The New Yorker Review, 1970s, Magazine Article
The quote critiques the cultural climate of New York, suggesting emotional expression is discouraged and mainstream media have become rigid and unoriginal.
In simple terms: New York suppresses feeling; media are stale.
Key Takeaway
Embrace authenticity despite conformity.
Themes
culture
media criticism
emotional expression
urban life
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
observational
critical
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- journalistic practice
- personal relationships
- artistic communities
Key Concepts
conformity
authenticity
cultural stagnation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does fear of feeling shape creative work?
- What spaces in New York foster genuine expression?
A Different Perspective
The view may overgeneralize and ignore vibrant subcultures.
![“Nearly all the writing of our time is likely to disappear in a hundred years. Certainly most readers - and nearly all critics - feel that [Kurt] Vonnegut started to repeat himself, to grow increasingly self-indulgent and meandering, and to sometimes just blather in his later work. But his books up…” quote by Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ed7/michael-dirda-3414_1960s_nearly-all-the-writing-of-our-time-is-li_13506.jpg)