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June 18, 2007
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April 23, 2007
April 16, 2007
April 9, 2007
April 2, 2007
March 26, 2007
March 19, 2007
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March 5, 2007
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Every Monday, Joe posts answers to questions he receives over at the Frankophiles Forum. Ask your question now, and come back Monday, to see if it was answered.
April 26, 2007
From drjoe:
I am a psychiatrist here in LA. I started listening to your shows back in around 1989 on WBUR while in college in Boston, and I haven't managed to stop since. I... have heard you perform live 4 or 5 times, and continued to be inspired, haunted, and warped by your work.
A. Warped? My apologies.
Remaining unintentionally but not miserably single into my late 30's... I am curious about your latest philosophy of women, dating, marriage and the like... Would you share your personal feelings about staying unmarried and childless throughout your life? Regrets? Relief? Loneliness?
A. I've usually had girlfriends. So I've rarely been lonely. And when I see the emotional and physical demands children make on my married friends, I'm relieved not to be burdened with those responsibilities-especially because my work is too consuming and important to me.
What was it Vonnegut said... "all the damaging excesses of Americans in the past were motivated by loneliness rather than a fondness for sin."
A. I had no idea we committed genocidal crimes against Native American Indians and overthrew democratically elected governments in Iran and Chile because we were lonely. Or, for that matter, because we were "fond of sin." These are extraordinary revelations, courtesy of the intellectual rigor of one of our most recently dead authors.
What with your advancing age and medical issues of late, do you have any updated feelings about death, dying, etc.
A. I remain opposed to death.
My own thinking is that we as human beings see ourselves at a discrete point with the arrow of time, but that the underlying reality is that everything (past, present, and future) exists independent of time. The secret to immortality therefore is to exist (or realize that we already do exist) outside of time.
A. Excuse me. I have to break off for an hour. It's noon and I must not be late for my appointment with Marcel. I should be back by three, after I have my watch repaired.
I'm wondering if you have any... revelations about the afterlife
A. I remain hopeful but not optimistic.
