John Dickerson’s Notebooks: The Meaning Behind All This Navel Gazing

Navel Gazing

In this week’s essay, John discusses instinct versus obligation, his daughter’s wit, how he has changed since episode one, and more.

Notebook Entries:

Notebook 58, page 10. September 16, 2021

“You don’t measure your life the way you measure your writing.” - Nan

Notebook 75, page 46-47. September 2021

When your dog dies and son goes to college and you are confronted with your life’s work it all boils down to one alarm: the clock is ticking. If a scream is better than a thesis, I was hearing some kind of scream, but what was the thesis?

References:

Everything Is Copy – HBODocs 

 The Power of Regret – Daniel Pink

The Mezzanine – Nicholson Baker 

“The Creative Process” – James Baldwin

Slouching Towards Bethlehem – Joan Didion

“Three Paths Toward the Meaning of Life” - Arthur Brooks for The Atlantic

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

Email us at navelgazingpodcast@gmail.com

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