Proustian Questionnaire
Oct. 13th, 2010 12:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rinueI do not recall what led me to decide to do this, although it was mere moments ago, but I have decided to answer the Vanity Fair variation on the Proust Questionnaire. (For the record, their online "interactive" version won't let you save your answers and makes facile and unsubstantiated comparisons in the hopes of selling you a book. Avoid it.)
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
To be celebrated for who I am and given the social and monetary support to continue my efforts. To be surrounded by people who are talented, capable, courteous, inventive, practical, comforting, delightful, diverse, and uplifting.
2. What is your greatest fear?
(a) millipedes. (b) that I will discover I am not useful to anyone and am in fact tedious and they are humoring me out of social obligation.
3. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Duchamp, a bit. I have a lurking suspicion I would have done similar things given the opportunity.*
4. Which living person do you most admire?
Barack Obama.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Many of my emotions are frightening and hard to deal with, and I suspect I take them out on other people as well as giving myself psychosomatic illnesses.
6. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Hubris.
7. What is your greatest extravagance?
Food. I hardly need to eat as well as I do.
8. On what occasion do you lie?
When someone asks me how I feel and I don't wish them to know.
9. What do you dislike most about your appearance?
I have hollows under my eyes at all times.
10. When and where were you happiest?
When Ciro and I first got together and I was about to leave for film school, in his apartment.
11. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would have more faith.
12. If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
I would like my uncle to be well enough off I don't have to worry about him.
13. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I am still here. I continue to produce artwork that I believe has value.
14. If you died and came back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
Probably a dog. I don't especially like dogs, but I don't think I would get to be a person again, and I think I could use practice at being a pack animal.
15. What is your most treasured possession?
I care a good deal more about skills than possessions, although I enjoy the fine things I own. I quite like my coffee cup.
16. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Intervals of true anarchy, where there is no way to be safe or get ahead.
17. Who are your herores in real life?
Scientists who are joyful philosophers
18. What is it that you most dislike?
Being told about a horrible situation I can't affect at all
19. How would you like to die?
Quite old, still in good health, with my affairs settled and people ready to carry on after me.
20. What is your motto?
It gets better.
* The real answer to this question is "John Stuart Mill." It's not something I think about actively or strive for, but I never had to study his work because when tests happened I could just think "what would I say here, and how would I say it?" and that was the right answer. This was also a strategy employed by Val, Patrick, and Ciro. "Have I heard Romie talk about this topic?" I think this might be evidence that I invent a time machine in a few years. I didn't remember this while I was answering the questionnaire, but did remember a few days later. Duchamp sounds better, though.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
To be celebrated for who I am and given the social and monetary support to continue my efforts. To be surrounded by people who are talented, capable, courteous, inventive, practical, comforting, delightful, diverse, and uplifting.
2. What is your greatest fear?
(a) millipedes. (b) that I will discover I am not useful to anyone and am in fact tedious and they are humoring me out of social obligation.
3. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Duchamp, a bit. I have a lurking suspicion I would have done similar things given the opportunity.*
4. Which living person do you most admire?
Barack Obama.
5. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Many of my emotions are frightening and hard to deal with, and I suspect I take them out on other people as well as giving myself psychosomatic illnesses.
6. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Hubris.
7. What is your greatest extravagance?
Food. I hardly need to eat as well as I do.
8. On what occasion do you lie?
When someone asks me how I feel and I don't wish them to know.
9. What do you dislike most about your appearance?
I have hollows under my eyes at all times.
10. When and where were you happiest?
When Ciro and I first got together and I was about to leave for film school, in his apartment.
11. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would have more faith.
12. If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
I would like my uncle to be well enough off I don't have to worry about him.
13. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I am still here. I continue to produce artwork that I believe has value.
14. If you died and came back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
Probably a dog. I don't especially like dogs, but I don't think I would get to be a person again, and I think I could use practice at being a pack animal.
15. What is your most treasured possession?
I care a good deal more about skills than possessions, although I enjoy the fine things I own. I quite like my coffee cup.
16. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Intervals of true anarchy, where there is no way to be safe or get ahead.
17. Who are your herores in real life?
Scientists who are joyful philosophers
18. What is it that you most dislike?
Being told about a horrible situation I can't affect at all
19. How would you like to die?
Quite old, still in good health, with my affairs settled and people ready to carry on after me.
20. What is your motto?
It gets better.
* The real answer to this question is "John Stuart Mill." It's not something I think about actively or strive for, but I never had to study his work because when tests happened I could just think "what would I say here, and how would I say it?" and that was the right answer. This was also a strategy employed by Val, Patrick, and Ciro. "Have I heard Romie talk about this topic?" I think this might be evidence that I invent a time machine in a few years. I didn't remember this while I was answering the questionnaire, but did remember a few days later. Duchamp sounds better, though.
