71–80 of 290 posts
It would be nice to afford to practice that art. Most people are practicing the art of putting food on their tables. Most researchers are doing it for a living and they might want to pursue other activities in their free time. Other people do not possess the skill level. Science and research is harder than it was centuries ago.
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Actually, I'm somewhere in between about Audio books. First of all, for some books, that's great. Esp, if read by a good voice actor. It can convert a book to radio theater, that's magic. However, if you're listening while you're driving, or being distracted, you lose the some parts of the picture. Lastly, not all books are good audio books. Some of them need stopping, reflecting, and some re-reading sometimes. So, h…
I'm paying more attention to an audiobook in my car than at a book in a busy place.
I finished my Ph.D. in a Starbucks and thanked them to have me till closing for quite some time in my manuscript, too!
I think reading is an essential skill, but we also need to get reading out of the pedestal. Because a lot of the time these arguments come across as some sort of literary elitism. Like if you're not ingesting information through reading, it doesn't count. This month I spent many hours listening to lectures on youtube about geopolitics on the Asian continent from the naval war college. Sure I could have read it, but n…
This is a personal take. I agree if you are actively participating and grappling with the material in your mind. One reason I like reading is that, if I don't understand I cannot move on to next step. So, it forces me to actively participate, argue and understand the text. In audio and visual medium, it is somewhat easier to trick myself into following the flow without actually understanding. I heard, that is why Fey…
I think reading is an essential skill, but we also need to get reading out of the pedestal. Because a lot of the time these arguments come across as some sort of literary elitism. Like if you're not ingesting information through reading, it doesn't count. This month I spent many hours listening to lectures on youtube about geopolitics on the Asian continent from the naval war college. Sure I could have read it, but n…
Postulating that a particular kind of activity might be better suited to a particular kind of goal isn't elitism. Is it "elitist" to claim that one sorting algorithm is faster than another?
People are so individualistic and sensitive these days that they take any proposed alternatives that don't align with their own habits and modes of consumption as a direct affront against them. I don't think this article is claiming any sort of superiority—it's lamenting a previous modality of information exchange and reflection that seems to be on the decline. Sure, you might argue that claiming civilization is in crisis is a form of elitism, but I interpret it more like an elaboration of a perceived problem and not a value judgement about the superiority of some alternatives.
I don't like riding in cars. I prefer to walk. Plenty of people would be right to tell me taking a car is often more efficient, I don't think of them as "car elitists".
I think reading is an essential skill, but we also need to get reading out of the pedestal. Because a lot of the time these arguments come across as some sort of literary elitism. Like if you're not ingesting information through reading, it doesn't count. This month I spent many hours listening to lectures on youtube about geopolitics on the Asian continent from the naval war college. Sure I could have read it, but n…
This is a personal take. I agree if you are actively participating and grappling with the material in your mind. One reason I like reading is that, if I don't understand I cannot move on to next step. So, it forces me to actively participate, argue and understand the text. In audio and visual medium, it is somewhat easier to trick myself into following the flow without actually understanding. I heard, that is why Fey…
Yes, you can. You can even skim—or entirely skip—whole sections.
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I'm paying more attention to an audiobook in my car than at a book in a busy place.
We are all different, and that's OK. Listening stuff while driving is impossible for me, but I can tune out pretty well while reading something. I finished my Ph.D. in a Starbucks and thanked them to have me till closing for quite some time in my manuscript, too!
I love working from cafés. That mention in your manuscript is a lovely touch.
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Could you please recommend some history books?
A people's history of the united states is a good one. Most history is written by the generals and leaders. This account is colored by the oft ignored people.
It doesn’t help that most of these folks are 1. So sold into the “American intelligence bad” narrative that they look at every left wing crack point and act like nothing bad happened under them.
Even Allende, the classic example of a “good Marxist” leader, was a total asshole and likely deserved to be shot. Zinn isn’t going to tell you that or about when the US IC got it right… they also won’t mention that the ultra conservative death squads were still often the lesser of the two evils.
Sorry, but Howard Zinn is post modern neo Marxism. Might as well go read Deleuze or Foucault.
Also sad to realize that the left in general has been extremely neutered. The plot to “Canadian Bacon” by Micheal Moore is happening IRL and no one even knows that movie exists except random old American leftists.
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Could you please recommend some history books?
A people's history of the united states is a good one. Most history is written by the generals and leaders. This account is colored by the oft ignored people.
I think reading is an essential skill, but we also need to get reading out of the pedestal. Because a lot of the time these arguments come across as some sort of literary elitism. Like if you're not ingesting information through reading, it doesn't count. This month I spent many hours listening to lectures on youtube about geopolitics on the Asian continent from the naval war college. Sure I could have read it, but n…