Does The Informers say different things about the L.A. culture than Less than Zero?
I think it’s a different book because it’s probably better written. I’m not really interested about what those books say about L.A. When I wrote Less than Zero, I don’t know if I wanted to capture Los Angeles as much as the feeling of the end of empathy in society. But also everything I’ve written is a critique of the rich. Being appalled at how they abuse their freedom. But you live in the Hamptons? I’m out here this summer. I don’t live here. And I’m totally non-defensive about being out in the Hamptons [laughs]. Yes, I’m very defensive about it. Do you choose to live among the rich? I think if you go to Manhattan, it’s sort of not avoidable. You’re basically born into a certain class and you go to certain schools and you end up becoming friends with people from those schools. And when you’re out of school you tend to gravitate towards people in those schools. And other artists and other writers. So I don’t know if I’m interested in hanging out with rich people, which I’m usually not
