Things Jonathan Franzen Likely Finds Cowardly, In Ascending Order of Their Convenience and Cowardliness
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I Was Briefly the Face of an Unemployed Generation
Three months ago, I posed for my college graduation photo-the official one in front of an American flag, diploma in hand, ready to face the world. Since then the photography company has emailed me almost weekly, offering discount upon discount and before-it's-too-lates. But when the picture was taken, just seconds after I had crossed the stage and shaken hands, I was too delirious to smile, so instead I bit my lower lip. I mean I almost swallowed it. I don't know how it happened. Normally, I have no trouble smiling. But I remember at that moment that the muscles would not contract into a casual, triumphant smile, that my [...]
