The Decision Of The Walter Lippmanns

According to an interview in The Paris Review long ago, Gore Vidal encountered the Walter Lippmanns one time and found them to be in a particularly good mood. When he inquired as to the source of their euphoria, Mrs. Lippmann replied, “because we have decided that we shall never go to Japan.” She described the decision as “such a relief!”

I know somewhat of which Mrs. Lippmann speaks. A decision that has been up in the air for some time can be a debilitating burden. Finalizing a decision can be liberating, especially if the resolution reduces the level of effort that is required to proceed.

For example, I’m sure that I would profit from a clear decision never to finish the novel that I started five years ago. I wrote almost half of a first draft, about 45,000 words. Some of the chapters were re-written and looked pretty good; others were rough.

It was, maybe it still is, a labor of love. I have noticed something in my life that I believe most people overlook: when people are judged by the criteria that society generally applies, many good people may be judged to be very bad, and many bad people may be judged to be very good. I’m not speaking personally here, but I have seen this misguided logic in action.

Another point that I find worth illuminating is that my generation was subjected to pressures that were greater than many of us could stand. Society back in the Sixties and Seventies really had its panties in a twist, and many of us felt less than welcome. Many teenagers just decided to opt out. Not like the Hippies, with their “turn on; tune in; drop out,” although the ones who opted out of society did turn on. This was more of a silent sinking beneath the surface of ordinary reality. No tuning in was involved, more of a tuning out really. I’m not sure that this phenomenon has been adequately examined by the artistic temperaments of our times.

To me, this whole thing has the makings of a good story, or several.

Time will tell if I decide to finish the thing. Novels are such a huge amount of work that I’m surprised that any of them are ever finished. It might be worth it though. Who knows? Maybe a hundred people would read it.

If I ever do decide that I shall never finish it, I’m sure that I’ll feel a sense of relief very similar to that of the Lippmanns regarding Japan.