How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
One of the most popular items on Forbes, it seems, is this article by one Jessica Hagy: How to be more interesting in ten simple steps. The most interesting thing about it is that the article itself is astonishingly boring. Read it, you'll see what you mean. It's like contemplating a pile of UNICEF holiday greeting cards.
The popularity of the article suggests, however, a great public hunger for advice about how to be more interesting. Fortunately, Ricochet is here to advise you properly. You can become more interesting in one step. All you have to do is read Boswell's Life of Johnson, and commit the best lines to memory.
Let's test this advice. This thread is now open for everyone either to share a line from Dr. Johnson, or to follow one of the steps advised by Forbes, such as "do something. Anything."
First, Dr. Johnson:
I described to him an impudent fellow from Scotland, who affected to be a savage, and railed at all established systems. JOHNSON. 'There is nothing surprizing in this, Sir. He wants to make himself conspicuous. He would tumble in a hogstye, as long as you looked at him and called to him to come out. But let him alone, never mind him, and he'll soon give it over.'
I added, that the same person maintained that there was no distinction between virtue and vice. JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir, if the fellow does not think as he speaks, he is lying; and I see not what honour he can propose to himself from having the character of a lyar. But if he does really think that there is no distinction between virtue and vice, why, Sir, when he leaves our houses let us count our spoons.'
Now I'm off to do "something. Anything." Then I'll "embrace my innate weirdness." Then I'll illustrate the results with a meaningless graph, like the one on the right.
At the end we can all decide with whom we'd prefer to have dinner, Dr. Johnson or the disciples of Jessica Hagy.
- Comment (29)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (3)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments :
Mar '11
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
It's worth pondering whether that's still a universal sentiment, especially in Europe and America. Military-aged males in the Middle East, on the other hand--definitely still true.
The inane Forbes advice goes against Johnson on that one, to its discredit. Even if he wasn't sure of himself, he certainly spoke and wrote as if he was.
Aug '10
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
It is very simple - When confronted with indescribable weirdness, I first look into the wisdom that is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
for example:
The Universe, Some tips to help you live in it.
4. Population: none.
It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.
You should read the entry on Galactic currency.
The inscription on my class ring is "Don't Panic"
The phrase in my yearbook is: "any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination."
Yeah Claire - I don't know what you are really asking for...
Peace
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
Jackal
I think it's ultimately still very true.
Aug '11
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
Take that graph to HHS and it's probably worth a year in Tahiti.
May '10
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
I can't think of anything more tedious than time spent with someone trying to be interesting.
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
Why, Sir, that is true.
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
Don't Sir, accustom yourself to use big words for little matters. It would NOT be TERRIBLE.
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
Benjamin Franklin to Dr. Johnson: "Man is by nature a tool-making animal" -- quoted by Karl Marx in a footnote to Das Kapital.
Oct '10
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
Jackal
I think it's ultimately still very true. · Jan 16 at 3:39am
And yet:
Dec '10
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
I have always taken "Man more often needs to be reminded than taught" as key advice when it comes to interacting with others. While this is not explicitly advice on being interesting, I suspect it helps.
Mar '11
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
Jackal
I don't know. Jessica Hagy had at least one good point in that essay.
Mar '11
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
My own personal favorite Johnson, which comes to mind every time I have a deadline: "Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully."
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
Percival
Jackal
I don't know. Jessica Hagy had at least one good point in that essay. · Jan 16 at 4:47am
His popularity, Sir, is chiefly owing to the peculiarity of his manner. He would be followed by crowds were he to wear a night-cap in the pulpit, or were he to preach from a tree.
Oct '10
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
You beat me to it, Karl. This advice occurs to me regularly.
Mar '11
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
Percival
Jackal
I don't know. Jessica Hagy had at least one good point in that essay. · Jan 16 at 4:47am
His popularity, Sir, is chiefly owing to the peculiarity of his manner. He would be followed by crowds were he to wear a night-cap in the pulpit, or were he to preach from a tree. · Jan 16 at 5:22am
Of the decline of reputation many cause may be assigned. It is commonly lost because it never was deserved; and was conferred at first, not by the suffrages of criticism, but by the fondness of friendship, or servility of flattery. The great and popular are very freely applauded; but all soon grow weary of echoing to each other a name which has no other claim to notice, but that many mouths are pronouncing it at once.
Aug '11
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
Her online bio: "Jessica Hagy is an artist and writer best known for her award-winning blog, Indexed. A fixture in the creative online space, Jessica has been illustrating, consulting, and speaking since 2006."
So let's cut to the chase: If Ms. Hagy is such an expert in being interesting, how come I've never heard of her or her "award-winning blog"?
Aug '11
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
"How to Be More Interesting" is pretty much the flip-side of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People, the jist of which is "be interested in others."
Sep '10
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
My favorite quote from Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson is from Boswell himself:
Sep '10
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
A more perfect description of the "Occupy Wall Street" crowd cannot be found. If everyone had ignored them, they would soon have given it over; but the press loved them, of course, so they stayed for months.
Apr '11
Re: How to Be More Interesting in a Simple Step
DrewInWisconsin: Her online bio: "Jessica Hagy is an artist and writer best known for her award-winning blog, Indexed. A fixture in the creative online space, Jessica has been illustrating, consulting, and speaking since 2006."
So let's cut to the chase: If Ms. Hagy is such an expert in being interesting, how come I've never heard of her or her "award-winning blog"? · Jan 16 at 6:39am
Because you are not Hip enough...shes can't you guys smell the pungent odder of hipster emanating from that article. I bet it was written in a coffee, huka bar on an iPad that's how hipster it is.