David Marchese

And how would, you know, if somebody goes to their parent and says, you know, I think you were an emotionally immature parent, and the parent disagrees, how would a parent ever disprove that they're emotionally immature?

has emotionally immature parents and they've tried to address their relationship in whatever fashion. And then they conclude that the relationship is still ultimately harmful to them. When is estrangement sort of the best option for someone?

has emotionally immature parents and they've tried to address their relationship in whatever fashion. And then they conclude that the relationship is still ultimately harmful to them. When is estrangement sort of the best option for someone?

Right, they didn't realize it was a possibility.

Right, they didn't realize it was a possibility.

And the book had the COVID era boost, but it continues to be popular, particularly on social media. What might the book's ongoing popularity say about the culture now?

And the book had the COVID era boost, but it continues to be popular, particularly on social media. What might the book's ongoing popularity say about the culture now?

But is there – I think it's fair to say that one of the real problems with contemporary life is the way we label other people in ways that are reductive or sort of don't really acknowledge human beings' multidimensionality, whether it's right or left or a believer versus a nonbeliever.

But is there – I think it's fair to say that one of the real problems with contemporary life is the way we label other people in ways that are reductive or sort of don't really acknowledge human beings' multidimensionality, whether it's right or left or a believer versus a nonbeliever.

Is there any part of you that thinks, like, maybe it's not a good thing for the two million people or whoever many people have read your book to be thinking, like, oh, you're emotionally immature, and that is what defines you now?

Is there any part of you that thinks, like, maybe it's not a good thing for the two million people or whoever many people have read your book to be thinking, like, oh, you're emotionally immature, and that is what defines you now?

And, you know, this – I'm not sure quite how to bring this up, but it's sort of to do with, like, where compassion for the harmful person fits into all of this. Because I'll use a personal example. So, you know, I have – very distant relationship with my biological father. You know, there's a lot of pain there. You know, I honestly have seen him twice in the last 20 years.

And, you know, this – I'm not sure quite how to bring this up, but it's sort of to do with, like, where compassion for the harmful person fits into all of this. Because I'll use a personal example. So, you know, I have – very distant relationship with my biological father. You know, there's a lot of pain there. You know, I honestly have seen him twice in the last 20 years.

Maybe we email four times a year or something like that. It's sort of a distant relationship through my choosing. But I don't think that that relationship is evidence of any, like, great... moral position on my part or particularly ethical, or I don't think that it really is showing the best side of who I am.

Maybe we email four times a year or something like that. It's sort of a distant relationship through my choosing. But I don't think that that relationship is evidence of any, like, great... moral position on my part or particularly ethical, or I don't think that it really is showing the best side of who I am.

I think somebody who's more developed and more compassionate would probably figure out a way to have a relationship that isn't so distant. How do we think of the idea of compassion in that kind of example?

I think somebody who's more developed and more compassionate would probably figure out a way to have a relationship that isn't so distant. How do we think of the idea of compassion in that kind of example?

Yeah, what's the answer?

Yeah, what's the answer?

I think there's some fundamental level on which, like... Really, this is all about happiness. How should people set expectations for happiness in their lives? Because, you know, they could decide, hey, like this, my unhappiness has to do with being raised by emotionally immature parents. And I'll work on that.