Listphilia

Listphile member luftyluft has created one of the more idiosyncratic and fun lists on Listphile: The Dude Abides. Indulge us in a romping interview with luftyluft as he elaborates his love for all things Lebowski.

What inspired you to create The Dude Abides and what the hell is this list all about?

I’ve always liked movies and stories that are quirky or a little off-key in their comedic style. I think The Big Lebowski falls in those genres and was one of those movies that I liked after watching the first time, even though I didn’t really know why. I think its one of those movies where if you’re not put out by the eccentricities you invariably end up watching again at some point just to try to get a better handle on the characters and what exactly is going on with the plot. That’s where the fans get hooked - picking up on the genius in the subtleties in the characters and their interactions. As I’ve gotten older and wiser, I’ve also tuned in to the underlying political references and social metaphors that are artfully woven in.

I’ve been meaning for some time to create my own sort of shrine to the movie. I’d love to see a Lebowski Encyclopedia or Directory so that all of the urban achievers out there will have somewhere to go whenever they feel that darkness is washing over them. Seeing as how I’m one of the laziest guys in Los Angeles County (which puts me in the running for laziest worldwide), the only way it will ever happen is with help from others. When I came across Listphile, my thinking on this whole case became much less clouded. Listphile provides a simple, easy to use platform for collaboratively collecting information. Thus, The Dude Abides was born. The initial content is a hodge podge of “Cliff Notes” style breakdowns of memorable scenes, trivia, and links to a few Lebowski sites of interest. My vision is for the list to become a comprehensive reference of all things Lebowski - movie facts, trivia, commentary, symbolic references, character analysis, etc. I’m curious to see what connections other people make between aspects of the movie and the great human comedy itself. The collaborative nature of the site should also bring together people who share a common interest in the movie.

How many times have you watched The Big Lewbowski?

I imagine I’ve watched it several times per year over the last several years. Sometimes after a long week it just seems like the appropriate thing to put on to unwind with. Probably something about the way The Dude encounters people and situations of all types and always seems to stay true to himself. I’ve also heard rumors of a party game where you partake in whatever The Dude happens to be accommodating himself with in the current scene - be it a Caucasian, an oat soda, or a J.

Can you tell us about The Big Lebowski cult following on the web
and beyond? Do people get together in person to appeciate The Dude?

There is an entire world of Lebowski out there on the web. I’ve seen sites devoted to everything from movie quotes, essays, merchandise, games, and poetry. One can become an ordained priest in “Dudeism” at www.dudeism.com. There are a number of clever movie mashups on YouTube such as The Big Lebowski - the F****** Short Version (rated R). Over the last several years groups have people have managed to come together for Lebowski Fests. I have not the pleasure of attending one yet but hope to soon. In fact, the next one is on Oct. 12-13. Apparently some of the Lebowski Fest attendees have even compiled a book and it made the LA Times Bestseller list - I’m a Lebowski, You’re a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski, and What Have You. I hope that my Listphile list can both complement the book and extend the legend of The Dude.

Anne Zelenka over at GigaOM just posted an interesting rumination on a shift that she says is happening. She posits that we are undergoing a transformation from an Information Age, where knowledge workers work in more formal organizations of people (read: corporations) on proprietary projects with desktop software for money to a Connected Age where individuals or ad hoc groups of people work in bursts of discontinuous productivity on projects with open business models for attention, rather than money.

This thinking is consistent with what we’re trying to build with Listphile. Please let us know how we can do it better. And thanks to Anne for pointing out something that seems so obvious in hindsight, but is not necessarily so until someone like her has the acuity to collect her thoughts and publish them.

If you are like most human beings, you probably like words, and use them quite a bit each day. Wordie.org, a website created by my friend and cohort John McGrath, is a site made for logophiles everywhere. The site is super fast and fun to use, and it has a growing, vibrant community of smart folks who create lists of words, and do all sorts of other interesting things. In the words of Wordie:

“Wordie is for talking about language. Start by making lists of words: practical lists, words you love, words you hate, whatever. See who else has listed the same words, add citations and comments, and discuss. Try checking out a random word.”

Wordie is a lot of fun, it’s easy to use, and making a list of words is a snap. Hats off to you John.