Debbie and I watched The Invite this week. Seth Rogan and Olivia Wilde star in the movie as a forty-something couple, miserable with themselves and each other.
Thank you David. A needed, reflective piece for a Saturday morning. Comparisons are fraught. They can be aspirational. But they can also be defeating. Plus, when looking at someone else, we often just focus on the one apparent quality where we believe we fall short. It pays for all of us to focus on our blessings and good fortune. We all have some. We all also have challenges, I’m not ignoring that. But we get to choose where we direct our attention.
Appreciate this thoughtful dive into The Invite, David. Watched recently and really enjoyed it - such a funny film, though it exposes the characters’ self-doubts. Even Hawk (Edward Norton) isn’t as breezily confident as he at first seems. It’s one I’ll re-watch as it is nuanced and so sparky, and I love a drama that takes place in just one setting.
The comparison of our youthful expectations versus what we (and our partners) become is so interesting. The song that sprung to my mind was the Pina Colada song, as Angela (Olivia Wilde) and Joe (Seth Rogan) are not so alienated as they think they are.
Comparisons should be a commandment. Thou shalt not compare. But I suppose it falls under the envy commandment which seems to be a theme in many of your essays.
I love the depth you gave this movie juxtapose your own life. Well done.
I didn’t see the movie, although I know about it, but I think you are on to something here. From my mid-40s or so, I was so much more successful professionally than ever expected of me by anyone, including me but excepting my lovely Ray, that I have been very relaxed. And happy ‘in myself’ as the British say. I find it so interesting that I have been writing a post on the subject.
Thank you David. A needed, reflective piece for a Saturday morning. Comparisons are fraught. They can be aspirational. But they can also be defeating. Plus, when looking at someone else, we often just focus on the one apparent quality where we believe we fall short. It pays for all of us to focus on our blessings and good fortune. We all have some. We all also have challenges, I’m not ignoring that. But we get to choose where we direct our attention.
💯
Appreciate this thoughtful dive into The Invite, David. Watched recently and really enjoyed it - such a funny film, though it exposes the characters’ self-doubts. Even Hawk (Edward Norton) isn’t as breezily confident as he at first seems. It’s one I’ll re-watch as it is nuanced and so sparky, and I love a drama that takes place in just one setting.
The comparison of our youthful expectations versus what we (and our partners) become is so interesting. The song that sprung to my mind was the Pina Colada song, as Angela (Olivia Wilde) and Joe (Seth Rogan) are not so alienated as they think they are.
Comparisons should be a commandment. Thou shalt not compare. But I suppose it falls under the envy commandment which seems to be a theme in many of your essays.
I love the depth you gave this movie juxtapose your own life. Well done.
Respect the grapple.
Absolutely admire this topic! Compassion is a killer but our brains are functioning that way!
I didn’t see the movie, although I know about it, but I think you are on to something here. From my mid-40s or so, I was so much more successful professionally than ever expected of me by anyone, including me but excepting my lovely Ray, that I have been very relaxed. And happy ‘in myself’ as the British say. I find it so interesting that I have been writing a post on the subject.