CarrollBlog

I know someone who hates public speaking. To them, the worst thing in the world is having to get up in front of an audience and make a speech. For this person doing that is like the bottom circle of Dante's Inferno. Yesterday I called them and said immediately, "What if for some magical reason, you had to be John Stewart tonight? Still yourself, but you're in his body." My friend asked what are you talking about? I said John Stewart is hosting the Oscar presentation tonight. A billion people will be watching him. And abracadabra--you just turned into him-- for tonight only. There was a pregnant pause on the other end of the line. Finally they said in a haunted voice, "That would be like Room 101 in *1984*. Where you're forced to face your worst fear." I said wouldn't that be an interesting idea for a story? In some fantasy world, you are punished for wrongdoing by having to become the person doing what you hate or fear most; like having to become John Stewart hosting the Oscars. But only for that one night. Then you return to your real self. In contrast, when you do something right, you're rewarded in the same way: You get to be Brad Pitt going to bed with Angelina Jolie tonight.