Jia Tolentino

I don't think that Frank experiences anything as inherently better than the other. Like, I think he probably understands sobriety as something that is a necessary structure for his life to be clear about himself and his flaws and the danger zones. But I don't think he's beating himself up at the temple the next day as he's bowing.

I don't think that Frank experiences anything as inherently better than the other. Like, I think he probably understands sobriety as something that is a necessary structure for his life to be clear about himself and his flaws and the danger zones. But I don't think he's beating himself up at the temple the next day as he's bowing.

I think he's just like, wow, the great wheel of life contains multitudes. And that was me and this is me and I'm a terrible person and I am a transcended person. Right.

I think he's just like, wow, the great wheel of life contains multitudes. And that was me and this is me and I'm a terrible person and I am a transcended person. Right.

He is under zero illusions about who he is. You know? Like, he is not bullshitting himself. He's scrubbed out all of his bullshit. And I don't know, there's something to be said for that. Like, there's obviously a hard limit to where self-knowledge will get you morally, but...

He is under zero illusions about who he is. You know? Like, he is not bullshitting himself. He's scrubbed out all of his bullshit. And I don't know, there's something to be said for that. Like, there's obviously a hard limit to where self-knowledge will get you morally, but...

within the framework of the people we've been presented with this season, there is like a profound freedom he has in this absolute self-knowledge of his failures and his freedoms, kind of.

within the framework of the people we've been presented with this season, there is like a profound freedom he has in this absolute self-knowledge of his failures and his freedoms, kind of.

There's something interesting about how Piper and Saxon almost switch places. There's a symmetry in the way that they begin the season, and Saxon is like, I'm American Psycho. I'm a man of the world. I'm about money. I'm about conquest. I'm about sex. Piper is like, I'm wearing a white nightgown. I have pure thoughts. I transcend my position.

There's something interesting about how Piper and Saxon almost switch places. There's a symmetry in the way that they begin the season, and Saxon is like, I'm American Psycho. I'm a man of the world. I'm about money. I'm about conquest. I'm about sex. Piper is like, I'm wearing a white nightgown. I have pure thoughts. I transcend my position.

I merely wish to be a beautiful flower floating on the wind. directing my thoughts towards peace or whatever. And then by the end, Piper is like, hmm, like, I'm going to text my girlfriends and set up cocktail night or whatever, you know?

I merely wish to be a beautiful flower floating on the wind. directing my thoughts towards peace or whatever. And then by the end, Piper is like, hmm, like, I'm going to text my girlfriends and set up cocktail night or whatever, you know?

Yeah, she floats back down to earth. She's like, okay, what if actually I just stay rich and volunteer biweekly? And like, perhaps that's like the version of life that I... And Saxon is like, what if... everything I've ever believed is wrong and I need to find love and a soul. And that's fascinating, they slinch.

Yeah, she floats back down to earth. She's like, okay, what if actually I just stay rich and volunteer biweekly? And like, perhaps that's like the version of life that I... And Saxon is like, what if... everything I've ever believed is wrong and I need to find love and a soul. And that's fascinating, they slinch.

I think, I mean, really specifically within the dynamic of female friendship that these ladies have been, you know, playing out this entire season, um, It's extremely important that the way she does that is by instantly unlatching them from mandatory happiness, which is the main thing that has caused all of the characters to deceive themselves.

I think, I mean, really specifically within the dynamic of female friendship that these ladies have been, you know, playing out this entire season, um, It's extremely important that the way she does that is by instantly unlatching them from mandatory happiness, which is the main thing that has caused all of the characters to deceive themselves.

The sort of layered, mirrored, reflecting self-consciousness and self-righteousness kind of builds into this nuclear relationship. arms race of just perpetual escalation of like, no, I'm happy and I've done it right and this is actually what I've always hated about you or whatever.

The sort of layered, mirrored, reflecting self-consciousness and self-righteousness kind of builds into this nuclear relationship. arms race of just perpetual escalation of like, no, I'm happy and I've done it right and this is actually what I've always hated about you or whatever.

There are lots of different versions of the life you have, but you've chosen very specifically some relationship to the things that Lori says she's placed her religion in, right? In work, in love, in motherhood, in their beauty.

There are lots of different versions of the life you have, but you've chosen very specifically some relationship to the things that Lori says she's placed her religion in, right? In work, in love, in motherhood, in their beauty.