on intellectual generosity

“we’re like: let’s see what happens if i do this thing,” aliza said over drinks in her apartment. “it bespeaks our intellectual generosity.” she meant that we have a penchant for being curious about unlikely objects and will follow them wherever they lead, and that this impetus is equally applicable to our lives as to the subjects of our seminar papers. it’s true that i like to pursue the potentially illogical, and that i enjoy being called intellectually generous, and that i think letting 4 sentences you read 20 years ago—or a moment that is unexpectedly visceral, or any other experience in a seemingly minor key—direct the rest of your life is actually a very nice way to be.