It's easy for me to tell when I'm reading something by someone who is putting on airs when I find myself becoming intensely bored by the second or third paragraph. The kind of bored where I just start skimming for anything interesting instead of actually reading it and taking it in word for word. It's painful to read anything where the author talks only about his or her good points and keeps silent about their faults, or only the victories but not the defeats that may have lead to them. This kind of writing puts a distance between the writer and his or her human audience. Putting on airs causes the essay, as a medium of discovery, to fall far short of its potential.
This pretended behavior is something I struggle with in my own writing. Being unpretentious goes against the instincts of how we think a great writer should be. It's not always easy to expose yourself or to admit that there are things you may not appreciate or fully understand. Montaigne succeeds in this by beginning his essay "On Books" admitting he is no master of the craft and goes on to say that he may not totally appreciate or understand the works of some authors right away. He also admits he cannot tolerate reading anything that is very long and not to the point without needing a break or it all becomes too difficult to process. I am right there with him on that. Discussing a subject in realistic terms like this is a good way to connect with the audience while coming to understand what makes something work, or not work.
Glad to see you're sampling the wares!
ReplyDeleteDo you think some people "put on airs" because they think their real self is boring? Is "putting on airs" like getting dressed up? Are we only our "real" selves when we're wearing a t-shirt and sweats at the house?
I think that's definitely true because it's hard to get into that mode of honesty when you're thinking there's really nothing to tell, so you feel like you might need to sound "greater." But flaws are what make you sound more interesting and relatable to other people. It is kind of like getting dressed up because you're putting yourself in a better light than reality probably would. It's pretty impossible to be your "real" self in front of any type of audience but I agree with the book about trying to drop past your psychic defenses toward deeper levels of honesty (p. xxv).
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