bacarolle

How much do you identify with (or don't identify with) the hedonism, nihilism, and materialism of the characters in your stories? You've painted such evocative pictures of rich LA kids becoming part of a machine of exploitation (as an example), that I wonder how much you've dived into that drug-fueled nihilistic feeding frenzy. I do see your work as an intense criticism of some of America's exploitation machines, but I do think the lifestyle and malign sense of agency one has in these exploitative environments is seductive.

These days, I'm hearing a lot of people referencing the "horseshoe theory" (the idea that the extreme left and extreme right converge in a demented ideological space). I think this invective is often used by centrists/status quo lovers to paint anyone who doesn't agree with mainstream consensus as a lunatic, whether left or right.

Could you detail what you think are the biggest ideological differences preventing the "horseshoe theory" from being an actual reality?

Also, do you think super lefty progressives and principled conservatives can work together in any meaningful way (are there any points of commonality you see aside from "the system is shitty")?

Hi Daniel -- there are a lot of jokes about how a society where weed is legalized will reduce violent crime, since cannabis tends to chill people out compared with alcohol. I'm not sure if I agree that marijuana goes hand-in-hand with peace n' love, but do you know if there are any studies that have been done to look into the effects cannabis usage and/or legalization has on violent crime and any other societal issues?

Thanks for the info!