One thing Nevada the novel was really strong on is the seductiveness of other people's problems, and the urge to mentor and advise. Other people's problems as an opportunity to feel worldly and wise, chasing the pleasure of making someone else experience fresh epiphanies that have become old news to you, other people's problems as an exercise in philosophizing about life in a context where you won't pay the costs of any conclusions you recommend, other people's problems which look so clear and simple and tractable next to your own, other people's problems which feel so pleasantly low stakes because you don't actually care as much as you think you do.
















