". . . an American idea, and not a universal one but one I think kids get exposed to very early: that you are the the most important. And that what you want is the most important. And that your job in life is to gratify your own desires. That's a little crude to say it that way, but in fact it's something of the ideology here. And it's certainly the ideology that's perpetrated by television and advertising and entertainment, and the economy thrives on it."

". . ."

". . . this is one enormous engine and temple of self-gratification and self-advancement and in some ways it works very, very well. In other ways it doesn't work all that well because -- at least for me -- it seems as if there are whole other parts of me that need to worry about things larger than me that don't get nourished in that system."

". . ."

-- Dave "David Foster" Wallace

My own transcription from an unedited, awkward (and, to me, beautiful) interview for German TV. Part one of the interview may be seen here. I would recommend watching all nine parts.