Donald Margulies

In a quiet, late-night moment, David Foster Wallace opens up to journalist David Lipsky about the nature of his past mental breakdown. He describes the experience not as a chemical issue, but as a profound spiritual crisis and the terrifying realization of the 'American' delusion of achievement.

During a tense car ride, a journalist challenges a famous novelist's 'everyman' persona, accusing him of hiding his intelligence to appear more relatable. The writer defends his desire for genuine connection over intellectual performance, leading to a raw confrontation about ego, authenticity, and the nature of their interview.

During a late-night conversation, acclaimed author David Foster Wallace reflects on the existential emptiness of modern entertainment. He challenges his interviewer, Lipsky, to consider the spiritual cost of a life consumed by screens and the growing difficulty of resisting 'unalloyed pleasure' as technology advances.