The Radical Act of Enjoying This Life | The Ezra Klein Show

It it feels to me that one of the It it feels to me that one of the arguments you've quietly been making and arguments you've quietly been making and arguments you've quietly been making and then making more loudly in your then making more loudly in your then making more loudly in your non-fiction non-fiction non-fiction is it it is a radical act to in a bodily is it it is a radical act to in a bodily is it it is a radical act to in a bodily physical way physical way physical way just enjoy this life. just enjoy this life. just enjoy this life. >> Right. >> Right. >> Right. >> So so first like what is sensualism to >> So so first like what is sensualism to >> So so first like what is sensualism to you? you? you? >> Well, first of all it's not even just >> Well, first of all it's not even just >> Well, first of all it's not even just about the senses. It is in a more about the senses. It is in a more about the senses. It is in a more Buddhist or meditative way if you want Buddhist or meditative way if you want Buddhist or meditative way if you want to take it that way it is enjoying to take it that way it is enjoying to take it that way it is enjoying what's happening in the present moment. what's happening in the present moment. what's happening in the present moment. >> I am I bet right? >> I am I bet right? >> I am I bet right? >> [laughter] >> [laughter] >> [laughter] >> Very nice pandering but also I know that >> Very nice pandering but also I know that >> Very nice pandering but also I know that there's some probably Buddhist there's some probably Buddhist there's some probably Buddhist listeners out there and I love all of listeners out there and I love all of listeners out there and I love all of you. I do a little little headspace here you. I do a little little headspace here you. I do a little little headspace here and there and there and there when when life requires it but I do when when life requires it but I do when when life requires it but I do you know I was walking here today and you know I was walking here today and you know I was walking here today and mostly I'm in the summer upstate but I mostly I'm in the summer upstate but I mostly I'm in the summer upstate but I came down for this interview and I'm came down for this interview and I'm came down for this interview and I'm walking down Broadway and I looked up walking down Broadway and I looked up walking down Broadway and I looked up and I'm just noticing these beautiful and I'm just noticing these beautiful and I'm just noticing these beautiful mansard roofs of some of these mansard roofs of some of these mansard roofs of some of these buildings. Now I spend half my year in buildings. Now I spend half my year in buildings. Now I spend half my year in New York. I forgot all about these New York. I forgot all about these New York. I forgot all about these mansard roofs. I'm like damn somebody mansard roofs. I'm like damn somebody mansard roofs. I'm like damn somebody did something right architecturally. New did something right architecturally. New did something right architecturally. New York is such a hodgepodge of good and York is such a hodgepodge of good and York is such a hodgepodge of good and bad architecture. Maybe that's one of bad architecture. Maybe that's one of bad architecture. Maybe that's one of the things that makes it such a cool the things that makes it such a cool the things that makes it such a cool city is that it's not beautiful city is that it's not beautiful city is that it's not beautiful beautiful it's just this beautiful it's just this beautiful it's just this >> I Michael Kimmelman when I moved here >> I Michael Kimmelman when I moved here >> I Michael Kimmelman when I moved here which was only a couple years ago I read which was only a couple years ago I read which was only a couple years ago I read Michael Kimmelman Michael Kimmelman Michael Kimmelman his book on the intimate city and he his book on the intimate city and he his book on the intimate city and he says the beauty of New York is the says the beauty of New York is the says the beauty of New York is the juxtaposition of this with that.

juxtaposition of this with that. juxtaposition of this with that. >> Yes this with that that's this with >> Yes this with that that's this with >> Yes this with that that's this with that. that. that. >> And that like allowed me to see the >> And that like allowed me to see the >> And that like allowed me to see the beauty of New York. It was like a single beauty of New York. It was like a single beauty of New York. It was like a single sentence that reshaped how I looked at a sentence that reshaped how I looked at a sentence that reshaped how I looked at a whole place. whole place. whole place. >> This with that this with that. So look >> This with that this with that. So look >> This with that this with that. So look I agree with that I agree with that I agree with that wonderful man wonderful lunch date. Um wonderful man wonderful lunch date. Um wonderful man wonderful lunch date. Um this and that I'm I'm I'm going down the this and that I'm I'm I'm going down the this and that I'm I'm I'm going down the street and this and that is creating street and this and that is creating street and this and that is creating fear of great pleasure in me. But you fear of great pleasure in me. But you fear of great pleasure in me. But you know recently I got a dachshund which is know recently I got a dachshund which is know recently I got a dachshund which is the world's best dog clearly and this the world's best dog clearly and this the world's best dog clearly and this giant sausage completely out of control giant sausage completely out of control giant sausage completely out of control and his great sense of smell obviously. and his great sense of smell obviously. and his great sense of smell obviously. So he will walk down the street and So he will walk down the street and So he will walk down the street and there's a corner where every dog pees on there's a corner where every dog pees on there's a corner where every dog pees on and he approaches it like a Talmudic and he approaches it like a Talmudic and he approaches it like a Talmudic scholar you know and he scholar you know and he scholar you know and he he sniffs here and he sniffs there. Yes, he sniffs here and he sniffs there. Yes, he sniffs here and he sniffs there. Yes, Rocco was here at 12:30. That's right. Rocco was here at 12:30. That's right. Rocco was here at 12:30. That's right. That's right. Let's remember that. You That's right. Let's remember that. You That's right. Let's remember that. You know, he loves and his tail is wagging know, he loves and his tail is wagging know, he loves and his tail is wagging away. He's just enjoying the hell out of away. He's just enjoying the hell out of away. He's just enjoying the hell out of life. He enjoys this more than I mean, life. He enjoys this more than I mean, life. He enjoys this more than I mean, he loves food, obviously, but So, we all he loves food, obviously, but So, we all he loves food, obviously, but So, we all have this part in us that is able to have this part in us that is able to have this part in us that is able to enjoy things on this crazy level. enjoy things on this crazy level. enjoy things on this crazy level. It's most of it is free. Some of my It's most of it is free. Some of my It's most of it is free. Some of my hobbies are slightly expensive, but most hobbies are slightly expensive, but most hobbies are slightly expensive, but most of this stuff is wonderfully free. It's of this stuff is wonderfully free. It's of this stuff is wonderfully free. It's all around us, you know. So, the more all around us, you know. So, the more all around us, you know. So, the more and the more I live also, I find in some and the more I live also, I find in some and the more I live also, I find in some ways ways ways that the sense of ambition that, you that the sense of ambition that, you that the sense of ambition that, you know, that younger people have know, that younger people have know, that younger people have diminishes in some good ways. As I sort diminishes in some good ways. As I sort diminishes in some good ways. As I sort of see what the rest of my life will of see what the rest of my life will of see what the rest of my life will look like, I'm fine with it. Maybe good look like, I'm fine with it. Maybe good look like, I'm fine with it. Maybe good things will happen. Maybe some terrible things will happen. Maybe some terrible things will happen. Maybe some terrible things will happen. But, I'm more or things will happen. But, I'm more or things will happen. But, I'm more or less okay with it as long as that sense less okay with it as long as that sense less okay with it as long as that sense of enjoyment doesn't leave me.