I thought of Bill Hicks again when I read the title.
I'll be totally honest, I go through times of reading books, and then long times of not reading any. I suppose I read more, and a lot more consistently, when I was younger. It's definitely an effect of how much time I spend at the computer, which has increased as I've gotten older. I didn't actually have the computer when I was younger, or more specifically, the internet, so there's definitely a correlation, although at the same time, not being a sufficient excuse.
I do read a bit, on my computer - and being on substack, that reading from the screen has increased. It's good sometimes reading from the screen, while sitting at the desk. It has to be a good setup though - an ergonomic setup, and a decent size screen, with text as big as needed for comfortable reading and the page full screen, without other distractions on the page.
I did finish the books I started when I was younger - though I cannot say that's the case now. I've started quite a few books, and moved onto other ones before finishing - which is a pain, because I need to 're-read' a lot when I eventually go back to unfinished books.
I'm definitely aware of the effect of the internet in absorbing my attention via less than valuable content. I have learned a lot though in the last few years from the internet...probably!
A couple of years ago, I started the Ayn Rand book, 'Atlas Shrugged' - I maybe got quarter way through, and I left it behind when I moved to a different place. I may buy that book again and finish it, and 'The Fountainhead' too after your recommendation Sam. I bought 'Imperium' by Frances Yockey as a recommendation of yours also - which is another one I'm definitely going back to, as I've made a decision to organise my time better and read (books) more regularly.
I wanted to mention all of that in relation to making the point of the internet being a cause of less attention going to valuable sources, and more attention going on to things that have slowed me down in my critical reasoning.
Thanks as always for the invaluable advice and information Sam.
I recently have started learning cursive handwriting from a book I bought. Why am I doing this? Firstly, it is because I noticed that due to the encroachment of technology in our daily living, I feel the urge to at least retain what might and eventually will be lost soon: writing on paper.
Secondly, it helps me to stay calm and it is meditative.
Same goes to books, and I agree with Sam that books will be the Internet when everything else goes to 💩.
PS: I am concurrently reading War and Peace (a lot of characters in this book and its hard to keep up with who’s who!) and The Technological System (which is a difficult read!).
I have read War and Peace in the original — or at least nearly all of it. I died in the last couple of hundred pages as most people do; in my case at the battle of Borodino (if I remember correctly).
I think even Tolstoy himself gets lost a few times with the character names. I was reading for Pyotr / Pierre Bezukhov. The rest is a bit of blur.
The story goes that when Tolstoy presented the first draft to the publisher, the publisher told him it was too long and that he had to cut it down. He came back some months with the revised script.
Ah this overly-lengthy writing reminds me of Ayn Rands convoluted style of writing in Atlas Shrugged especially the 60 pages of John Galt’s speech. Well, different strokes for different strokes.
PS: I shall await for your Propaganda exposition today, Sam!
Prior to delving into the study of the Quran, I had amassed a substantial library. However, since then, I have deliberately streamlined my collection to include primarily technical books on subjects such as building, electrical engineering, and mechanics, among others. Curiously, I have noticed a decline in my enthusiasm for conventional books, as I perceive them to be merely reiterations of existing concepts and ideas.
This realization has led me to believe that cultivating independent thought requires liberating oneself from an excess of external influences, including an overreliance on a multitude of books. The Quran, being an exception, holds a special place in this regard. Instead, I now prioritize seeking truth and understanding from the world around me and within myself. By doing so, I avoid becoming excessively attached to specific authors or volumes, thus fostering a more open and insightful mindset.
I also read "in tandem" — a main book with a "chaser".
Currently, my main book is a re-read of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, and the chaser is Serpent in the Sky by John Anthony West (which is a primer to the work of De Lubicz).
'Looks like we got ourselves a readahh'
I thought of Bill Hicks again when I read the title.
I'll be totally honest, I go through times of reading books, and then long times of not reading any. I suppose I read more, and a lot more consistently, when I was younger. It's definitely an effect of how much time I spend at the computer, which has increased as I've gotten older. I didn't actually have the computer when I was younger, or more specifically, the internet, so there's definitely a correlation, although at the same time, not being a sufficient excuse.
I do read a bit, on my computer - and being on substack, that reading from the screen has increased. It's good sometimes reading from the screen, while sitting at the desk. It has to be a good setup though - an ergonomic setup, and a decent size screen, with text as big as needed for comfortable reading and the page full screen, without other distractions on the page.
I did finish the books I started when I was younger - though I cannot say that's the case now. I've started quite a few books, and moved onto other ones before finishing - which is a pain, because I need to 're-read' a lot when I eventually go back to unfinished books.
I'm definitely aware of the effect of the internet in absorbing my attention via less than valuable content. I have learned a lot though in the last few years from the internet...probably!
A couple of years ago, I started the Ayn Rand book, 'Atlas Shrugged' - I maybe got quarter way through, and I left it behind when I moved to a different place. I may buy that book again and finish it, and 'The Fountainhead' too after your recommendation Sam. I bought 'Imperium' by Frances Yockey as a recommendation of yours also - which is another one I'm definitely going back to, as I've made a decision to organise my time better and read (books) more regularly.
I wanted to mention all of that in relation to making the point of the internet being a cause of less attention going to valuable sources, and more attention going on to things that have slowed me down in my critical reasoning.
Thanks as always for the invaluable advice and information Sam.
I recently have started learning cursive handwriting from a book I bought. Why am I doing this? Firstly, it is because I noticed that due to the encroachment of technology in our daily living, I feel the urge to at least retain what might and eventually will be lost soon: writing on paper.
Secondly, it helps me to stay calm and it is meditative.
Same goes to books, and I agree with Sam that books will be the Internet when everything else goes to 💩.
PS: I am concurrently reading War and Peace (a lot of characters in this book and its hard to keep up with who’s who!) and The Technological System (which is a difficult read!).
I have read War and Peace in the original — or at least nearly all of it. I died in the last couple of hundred pages as most people do; in my case at the battle of Borodino (if I remember correctly).
I think even Tolstoy himself gets lost a few times with the character names. I was reading for Pyotr / Pierre Bezukhov. The rest is a bit of blur.
The story goes that when Tolstoy presented the first draft to the publisher, the publisher told him it was too long and that he had to cut it down. He came back some months with the revised script.
It was twice as long.
Ah this overly-lengthy writing reminds me of Ayn Rands convoluted style of writing in Atlas Shrugged especially the 60 pages of John Galt’s speech. Well, different strokes for different strokes.
PS: I shall await for your Propaganda exposition today, Sam!
Prior to delving into the study of the Quran, I had amassed a substantial library. However, since then, I have deliberately streamlined my collection to include primarily technical books on subjects such as building, electrical engineering, and mechanics, among others. Curiously, I have noticed a decline in my enthusiasm for conventional books, as I perceive them to be merely reiterations of existing concepts and ideas.
This realization has led me to believe that cultivating independent thought requires liberating oneself from an excess of external influences, including an overreliance on a multitude of books. The Quran, being an exception, holds a special place in this regard. Instead, I now prioritize seeking truth and understanding from the world around me and within myself. By doing so, I avoid becoming excessively attached to specific authors or volumes, thus fostering a more open and insightful mindset.
Very interesting on all points.
I also read "in tandem" — a main book with a "chaser".
Currently, my main book is a re-read of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, and the chaser is Serpent in the Sky by John Anthony West (which is a primer to the work of De Lubicz).