The Schlemiel

As I mentioned in my last post, I have what would probably be called an unhealthy obsession with pain and suffering. Though I envy and deeply respect the mass of men that shrug off pain and courageously take all things in stride, I also have a philosophical and emotional interest in suffering itself. The brightest men I know seem to put much concentration here. Indeed, suffering has to be one of the chief concerns and questions on our mind. All else is illogical.

Perhaps the great contradiction in my worldview is the strong inner pull toward two conflicting approaches to pain. I call it Woody Allen vs. The Church.

I owe Nick for introducing me to the great modern Jewish comedians, specifically Woody and Jerry Seinfeld, though I must admit that when I "met" them I found them eerily familiar. The first time I watched Annie Hall my girlfriend turned and stared at me with a look that could only be described as half pity and half disgust saying over and over, "Oh my gosh. That is sooo you." If this sounds prideful, perhaps it is, but I am only happy to be lumped into this sorry clique because I so greatly identify with it. Indeed, any person hoping for an answer of Woody Allen when asking a loved one who they reminded them of would be deemed a very pitiful creature.

But alas, we are who we are. Now, I speak of Woody Allen vs. The Church not because one gives suffering a prominent place in their worldview while the other doesn't. They both are focussed very much on the idea of pain, but they approach the topic in vastly different ways. I could wax poetically about the differences, but let's be pithy. The Church sees suffering as a means to perfection, the greatest sign of love, and the center of human contact with a Divine Savior that suffered completely selflessly for men who reject Him. Woody Allen whines alot.

Perhaps it was my upbringing or genetics or some combination of both, but I must admit that it is within my nature to feel very sorry for myself. Woody Allen is a self-centered, anxiety ridden, neurotic hypochondriac. Unfortunately I identify completely. But because of all his difficulties with pain, modern living, women, social situations, love, loss, fitting in, and being happy I view him absolutely as my anti-hero of choice. Woody Allen (and his louder, but equally depressed and hapless brother George Costanza) feel what I feel and think what I think. They are the only ones who are worth a serious conversation with in this world.

I bring this up only because I find it interesting and because perhaps those who know me will understand me, and thus this blog, better because of it. One of my favorite moments in cinema is the first moments of Annie Hall. He sums up life so well.




I'm not sure what creates the melancholy, introspective, socially uncomfortable & eccentric, self-induced nervosa type, but there appear to be a number of people out there who know how I feel. Maybe Nick is the only one reading this blog who gets it. I'd like to be able to explain it, but when you watch and listen to Woody Allen you either completely understand every word and feeling that he expresses or you think he's annoying. That's about all there is to that.

Of course, the greatest men that I've come into contact with seem to take Woody's obsession with suffering and turn it into something positive instead of self-pity, which some of us are so easily inclined to do. Instead of thinking how others mistreat them and how the world misunderstands them they let go of themselves and try to figure out how to serve others. As far as I'm concerned, this is where every human being needs to be, but getting rid of Woody isn't easy, and even so, I think there is something appealling about a guy who knows just what's wrong with life and how to sum it up in an intelligent and funny way. I also think there is something to be said for a grave distaste for those who are truly considered charming, handsome, beautiful, funny, classy, sophisticated, rich, famous etc. (See above picture). Detractors will say it's jealousy, but that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, maybe we can salvage something even greater from Woody. It is my opinion, that his view of the world is much healthier than many others in the modern world. He focusses on things of importance and calls a spade a spade. He has the great cosmic problem of suffering fueling all of his questions and concerns in life. He just doesn't know exactly yet how to properly view it and use it. In my last post I mentioned Catholicism and Buddhism being the two religions of suffering. Woody's head is stuck in the sands of Buddhist philosophy (whether he knows or it or not), but he may very well be one look upward from finding peace and that, in my opinion, is more than you can say for most people.


Perhaps all of this about Woody Allen vs. The Church can be best described by Woody himself...




Though I would certainly disagree with him about many things, Woody Allen is as smart as he is funny. He's one theological step (albeit a very big one) from having the potential to be holier than either.

Long live the Schlemiel!

Dominus Vobiscum,
Taylor

P.S. Again, many thanks to Semenas. He discovered the Schlemiel in our group of friends and it is his picture I used for this post. For that I am forever in his debt.

"Why do I get pesto? Why do I think I'll like it? I keep trying to like it, like I have to like it. Everybody likes pesto. You walk into a restaurant, that's all you hear: pesto, pesto, pesto. Where was pesto ten years ago?"