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Ask HN: Life Changing Books?

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Re: Ask HN: Life Changing Books?

#221

Post by teekert »

unmole wrote: post #197
teekert wrote: post #194

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OP asked for novels that changed people. I give examples and support them. I knew I’d get downvotes because Ayn Rand on HN = downvotes. I’d say if a novel elicits so much consistent response it’s already worth reading. I didn’t find it cringy I couldn’t put it down. Especially during John Galts speech. Just brilliant if you ask me. There are cetainly things I don’t agree with but OP asked for novels that changed me.…

> knew I’d get downvotes because Ayn Rand on HN = downvotes. There are comments on this very thread that recommend Atlas Shrugged that haven't been downvoted. The best way to get downvoted on HN is to complain about being downvoted. > I’d say if a novel elicits so much consistent response it’s already worth reading. That is a bizzare take. I'm pretty sure Mein Kapf would elicit a more consistently negative response.…

Ah, didn’t realize we downvote opinions we don’t agree with here, I was always voting based on how constructive a post was.

Re: Ask HN: Life Changing Books?

#223

Post by jabl »

s0rr0wskill wrote: post #178
jwx48 wrote: post #103

Dune, by Frank Herbert. Bear with me on this. It was a bridge into politics, ecology, religion, and economics, as well as an amazing world-building narrative. It got me interested in philosophy and literature, and the roles they play in creating, describing, or influencing cultures. It is my keystone book.

I've been holding out on reading it, is it really that influential?

I wouldn't say it's THAT influential. It's a very good SF book though. Too much SF and fantasy writing is dorks geeking out on space travel or witchcraft or whatever, with very little literary quality in the writing itself. Dune bucks that sad trend.

Re: Ask HN: Life Changing Books?

#224

Post by jabl »

UncleMeat wrote: post #159
devnull255 wrote: post #149

Moral Politics, by George Lakoff: this book offered a new perspective on not just the discussion and language of politics, but sent me down the rabbit hole of cognitive linguistics and "embedded mind" in books he authored or co-authored, such as "Metaphors We Live By", "Philosophy in the Flesh", and "Where Mathematics Comes From". Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond: Gave me a deeper insight into the geographic un…

Notably, GGS is not held in especially high esteem by academic historians. If you are interested in a widely loved piece of geographic history, Braudel's The Mediterranean is considered a classic.

Tainter's Collapse of Complex Societies is a modern classic in the genre.

Re: Ask HN: Life Changing Books?

#225

Post by throway453sde »

rg111 wrote: post #130

English: Do you consider having a new layer in your thinking process "life changing"? Then, I would say- 1. Deep Work and So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport. He goes against famous ideas such as "follow your passion" and provides you with alternative actionable advice. 2. Black Swan by N. Nicholas Taleb. It makes you aware of unhinged "platonistic thinking" where stuff are "explained" looking back. And peop…

How popular is the practice of keeping Ganesha idol temporarily during Ganesha festival before dissolving it compared to the rest of India. I heard the reason for starting the practice of Ganesha Idol temporarily is to counter the spread of Buddhism by inventing this festival as entertaining. I am trying to find the correlation b/w popularity of Buddhism and temporary Ganesha idol.

Re: Ask HN: Life Changing Books?

#226

Post by privacyonsec »

tayo42 wrote: post #112
palencharizard wrote: post #18

A few have stood out: - "The Defining Decade: Why Your 20's Matter and How to Make The Most of Them Now": it motivated me to find a fulfilling a career in tech (among other things). - "On the Shortness of Life" (Seneca) - Really made me take a hard look at my life, for the better. - "Eat and Run" - Interesting read about an Ultramarathoner. Inspired me to find the motivation for doing "tough things" in general.

> "The Defining Decade: Why Your 20's Matter and How to Make The Most of Them Now": Being 31, still feeling lost, this title stresses me out

Maybe you will find out that you didn't miss your 20's ?

Re: Ask HN: Life Changing Books?

#227

Post by DantesKite »

reducesuffering wrote: post #182
DantesKite wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Naval was born poor.

He attended one of the best high schools in the entire US, Stuyvesant. That's a privileged upbringing where it counts.

Students get into Stuyvesant based on an exam. Those who score highest (regardless where they come from, race, ethnicity, or income level) are allowed in.

That's a "privilege" he earned.

Re: Ask HN: Life Changing Books?

#228

Post by xydinesh »

orcul wrote: post #19

'Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance' by Robert Pirsig.

I started reading this, while I enjoyed the aspects of the ride, I found the philosophical discussion is rather boring. I may be lack the philosophy background to really appreciate the discussion.

Re: Ask HN: Life Changing Books?

#229

Post by hattori31 »

tayo42 wrote: post #112
palencharizard wrote: post #18

A few have stood out: - "The Defining Decade: Why Your 20's Matter and How to Make The Most of Them Now": it motivated me to find a fulfilling a career in tech (among other things). - "On the Shortness of Life" (Seneca) - Really made me take a hard look at my life, for the better. - "Eat and Run" - Interesting read about an Ultramarathoner. Inspired me to find the motivation for doing "tough things" in general.

> "The Defining Decade: Why Your 20's Matter and How to Make The Most of Them Now": Being 31, still feeling lost, this title stresses me out

Have read the book, took most of the advice, have gone trilingual, have gone fit and healthy, reached 6 digit salary, gone on most of the places I wanted to visit. Im almost done with 20s. Still feel lost as hell

Re: Ask HN: Life Changing Books?

#230

Post by rg111 »

throway453sde wrote: post #225
rg111 wrote: post #130

English: Do you consider having a new layer in your thinking process "life changing"? Then, I would say- 1. Deep Work and So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport. He goes against famous ideas such as "follow your passion" and provides you with alternative actionable advice. 2. Black Swan by N. Nicholas Taleb. It makes you aware of unhinged "platonistic thinking" where stuff are "explained" looking back. And peop…

How popular is the practice of keeping Ganesha idol temporarily during Ganesha festival before dissolving it compared to the rest of India. I heard the reason for starting the practice of Ganesha Idol temporarily is to counter the spread of Buddhism by inventing this festival as entertaining. I am trying to find the correlation b/w popularity of Buddhism and temporary Ganesha idol.

> How popular is the practice of keeping Ganesha idol temporarily during Ganesha festival before dissolving it

Very popular.

> compared to the rest of India.

But not compared to the rest of India. This is how majority of worship is done.

In West Bengal (state where Kolkata/Calcutta is), there is Durga Puja, in Maharashtra (Mumbai) there is Ganesh puja.

Idols are made out of clay, then worshipped for a day (4 in case of Durga), then they are dissolved in water, preferably in the Ganges.

But environment laws and enforcement are getting stringent, and so the bigger statue is often not worshipped according to rituals, and a much, much smaller one is worshipped, and that is dissolved.

And mind you, these statues are no jokes. They are very carefully created by sculptors, some are work of higher art, and gets awarded by the President.

Indians are known to have many festivals. But there are different dominant festivals in different parts of India.

Moreover, not only statues, but elaborate decorations are created where the statue resides. There are some committees that spend US$100k-$200k for 1-5 days of the festival. These are now often corporate sponsored.

The total GDP of 4 days of Durga Puja in Calcutta is assumed to be US$4.2bn [0]. Although many holistic estimates (including parlor visits, etc. from one month before) put it at as high as $25-$30bn.

You could look at pictures [1][2][3] of these events, and I highly encourage you to do so.

Just note, whatever you see in those, are temporary, and kept for 5-15 days only.

Although these are religious in paper, they are practically secular.

[0]: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/creative...

[1]: https://youtu.be/yaOju_xXy-I

[2]: https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/what-s-hot/story/top-5-d...

[3]: https://www.tripsavvy.com/famous-kolkata-durga-puja-pandals-...

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