American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis on finding happiness with age and life after a midlife crisis

"I think I’m actually much happier now at this point in my life on a continuing basis, just because you just get older and you kind of get it more."

Despite being well-known for his controversial takes, Bret Easton Ellis had some surprisingly heart-warming advice for those of us who may be going through the inevitable midlife crisis stage of our lives. A topic that many millennials and 'Gen-Zers' alike will relate to, Bret states that with youth comes an abundance of posing; posing to be liked, posing to be attractive and, of course, posing to have sex. Needless to say, social media has played a significant role is our need to portray a certain degree of happiness and satisfaction to our loyal followers. Bret explains; "You're displaying yourself on social media. You're exhibiting yourself. So there is a performative aspect to it. How far do some people take it? How real is it for some people? I don't know. It seems to be pretty fake for many who want to present an idealised version of their lives." The American Psycho author appeared on this week's episode of Ireland Unfiltered and spoke to Dion about the happiness he has found with age and breaking free from his pose for society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It29INlFGo4 You can read what he had to say below: Dion: Do you think about happiness? Do you think about your own happiness much? Do you think it matters? Bret: I think I’m actually much happier now at this point in my life on a continuing basis, just because you just get older and you kind of get it more or you’re used to it. And you’re not worried about things, you don’t feel you have to hold the pose. There’s no pose anymore. You’re posing a lot before. And you’re posing because you want to be attractive and you want to meet people and you want to have sex and all this stuff. And then at a certain point you just go; “I just got to be myself”. Dion: You say that about the midlife crisis, I think when you’re talking about other people in the book, you say that they don’t have to maintain the pose. Bret: They don’t have to maintain the pose. And that is freedom. That is freedom. Ireland Unfiltered, brought to you in partnership with Carlsberg Unfiltered, will be available everywhere you get your podcasts and on YouTube every Tuesday.