Perspective is the Most Important Word in Life

Roger Berkowitz

Jerry Seinfeld talks to Bari Weiss about how comedy is so important because it demands honesty and, above all, the effort to see the world from the perspective of others. Hannah Arendt defines thinking as an enlarged way of thinking, of being able to imagine the world as others see it. Thinking is a conversation one has with oneself, a two-in-one, in which the thinker tests their own opinions against all the possible counter thoughts imaginable by others. Seinfeld’s approach to comedy is, surprisingly, deeply Arendtian. It is no accident, therefore, that when Weiss asks Seinfeld who his hero is, he answers Marcus Aurelius, because he is someone who demands one think with perspective: “Perspective [is] the most important single word in life.” Seinfeld also speaks about how we are “tribal animals,” echoing the theme of the Arendt Center’s upcoming conference Tribalism and Cosmopolitanism. Listen to the interview here. 

BW: A huge part of the way you think about comedy is how the audience never lies. 
 
JS. Right
 
BW. But what happens if a lot of people are wrong. In other words, I don't think Jews do well in an age of mobs. and I feel that right now in our culture, it is really easy to form mobs. 
 
JS. Yes, really easy. 
 
BW: When does the audience tip into the mob? Do you see where I am going?
 
JS. I do, I do. 
 
BW: There is something Elon Musk tweets a lot, which I think is one of the wrongest things that's ever been said: He tweets  vox populi vox Dei, the voice of the people is the voice of God. It is a populist moment.  I think that is the opposite of the truth.
 
JS. Yes
 
Bw: But for someone who relies on the truth telling of the audience to tell you if something is funny, does that same principle apply to a mass of people?
 
JS. Well, you can't act like we don't see this every day in many realms. Let's just talk politically left and right. You're watching mobs, they are mobs, believing their own crap. Right? That's what a political party is. We are going to make up a bunch of nonsense and we'll all agree to it, Right? Right. Let's print up some bumper stickers and get out there kids. That's politics. 
 
We are tribal animals. We are social creatures. We look for agreement and consensus. We are driven by agreement and consensus and mob rule gives us comfort, gives us certainty. It's all B.S. It's all B.S. 
 
BW: I think there is something almost genetic about comedians that makes them allergic to that. 
 
JS: Yeah
 
BW: Where does that come from inside of you?
 
JS: Here's where it comes from. The thing you are incredibly fortunate to have if you spend your life in comedy, the gift you were given, is that you see through the surface of everything, of everything. Life itself. 
 
BW: What's the most important thing your parents taught you?

JS: Be independent
 
BW: Who's your hero. 

JS: Marcus Aurelius. 

BW: Why. 

JS: Perspective. The most important single word in life.