Reality Hunger

Last year,  David Shields visited my college campus as part of an annual writing series. While attending his lecture, I tried to be an attentive audience member. I scribbled notes in my Moleskin, jotted quotes, and wrote down a few of his publications. After fifteen minutes, my notes turned to doodles. Shields' dry and pompous personality was too much to bear. The more he spoke, the more I wanted to gorge his eyes out of their sockets. He was a complete and utter asshole. When his lecture ended, I thought I was done with Shields forever. But, when I saw his name while prosing the library shelf, curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to know what Shields' was like as a writer and if the whole "asshole" bit was an attempt to seem intellectual and untouchable by the common man. I ended up taking his book, "Reality Hunger," home with me.

"Reality Hunger" is Shield's manifesto about modern culture's desire to experience reality through artistic media. As I read through each lettered section and numbered manifest, I developed a bipolar relationship with Shields. At times I loved him. I wrote down his little quotes about art evolving, telling stories, embracing an artistic life, and making interesting choices. I laughed out loud and praised this man. Then, there were other times I hated Shields, his bluntness and cocky nature. He wrote exactly what he thought, no matter how rude or outrageous. He hates novels due to their "predictability." He names certain writers incompetent. He believes nonfiction rules the literary world. Not to mention his frequent use of the "I am better than you" tone. I wanted to punch him in the face, purely for being a dick.

But, despite my loathing for the evil-pessimistic side of Shields, I have to give the man some credit. He is living his manifesto. He writes what he thinks without filter. He challenges people to defend their opinions. He doesn't make excuses. He values intelligence and beauty. Maybe that is why I hate him so much. He pushes boundaries in ways I cannot, or think I cannot because I am young and inexperienced. Though I have my apprehensions and uncertainties about many things in the world, I will say this: "Reality Hunger" is inspirational and eye-opening. I praise the book unconditionally. However, I still think David Shields is an asshole.