I try to feel smart by means of

[keithy_19]

books. I like to read books. But it has only dawned on me recently that I'm reading some books just to say that I've read them. Last year, I read Kafka's Metamorphosis and Dante's Inferno in the span of two weeks. There was no reason for this, other than I felt intellectual because I was reading the 'classics'. I recently picked up Dostoyevsky's The Idiot just because if I read it, I will be thought of as a smart guy who could impress people at dinner parties.

[Don Stugots]

isnt that the only reason to read?

[Doctor Z]

I'd read if it wasn't so much damn work.

[BoondockSaint]

I used to do that, too.  Then I realized that I am smart and I didn't care who I impress.  So now I just read books that I enjoy. 

[sailor]

<font size="2">did you at least enjoy those works?&nbsp; if you did, then your motivation doesn't matter.<br /></font>

[johnniewalker]

It's tough for me to read.&nbsp; To really get something out of a book, for me, I have to read and reread, think about it, and write something about it.&nbsp; I have to do something to really question the ideas of the book otherwise I don't think you get into the mind frame of how the original author thought.&nbsp; It takes a lot of work to do that.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You could speak really short and terse, and make people try to figure out what your talking about.&nbsp; And then mock them when they don't understand.&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm good at that.

[keithy_19]

<strong>sailor</strong> wrote:<br /><font size="2">did you at least enjoy those works?&nbsp; if you did, then your motivation doesn't matter.<br /></font><p>I loved the Inferno. Metamorphosis was weird for me. It wasn't bad, but it left questions in my mind. That being said, I did enjoy it.</p><p>I have a thing for European litterature. Just how much history is in it too. How Dante would put people in hell, and how it reflected his political views. The Idiot is heavily laced in political motivation as well. That also may be a reaosn I want to read it. Plus, it's also considered one of the greatest novels ever written.</p>

[weekapaugjz]

i think its good to go back and read classics.&nbsp; ive understood so many more references in culture to those works that if you didnt read them, you would have know idea what they were even there.

[lleeder]

<p><font size="3">Why read when you have this :</font></p><p><img src="http://drbacchus.com/library/covers/book/book311.jpg" border="0" width="154" height="221" /></p>

[Snoogans]

<strong>keithy_19</strong> wrote:<br />books. I like to read books. But it has only dawned on me recently that I'm reading some books just to say that I've read them. Last year, I read Kafka's Metamorphosis and Dante's Inferno in the span of two weeks. There was no reason for this, other than I felt intellectual because I was reading the 'classics'. I recently picked up Dostoyevsky's The Idiot just because if I read it, I will be thought of as a smart guy who could impress people at dinner parties. <p>&nbsp;That's just sad. I find it kinda sad to do anything JUST to try to impresspeople or just to be liked more or thought better off by other people.</p><p>I don't live my life for other people. You should do what you like. If you like reading this craziness, then keep reading it, and keep learning, cause thats a good thing. But if you are just doing it so you can say you read them, just get books you actually wanna read.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>To this day the book I have most enjoyed reading was Dennis Rodman's first book. I read it cause I felt like it. I read prob 500 books that were actually better books that I didn't enjoy because I had to read them.&nbsp;</p>

[PhishHead]

<strong>keithy_19</strong> wrote:<br />books. I like to read books. But it has only dawned on me recently that I'm reading some books just to say that I've read them. Last year, I read Kafka's Metamorphosis and Dante's Inferno in the span of two weeks. There was no reason for this, other than I felt intellectual because I was reading the 'classics'. I recently picked up Dostoyevsky's The Idiot just because if I read it, I will be thought of as a smart guy who could impress people at dinner parties. <p>&nbsp;the idiot is not that good compared to the brothers karamazov or notes from the underground...read those instead </p>

[keithy_19]

<strong>PhishHead</strong> wrote:<br /><strong>keithy_19</strong> wrote:<br />books. I like to read books. But it has only dawned on me recently that I'm reading some books just to say that I've read them. Last year, I read Kafka's Metamorphosis and Dante's Inferno in the span of two weeks. There was no reason for this, other than I felt intellectual because I was reading the 'classics'. I recently picked up Dostoyevsky's The Idiot just because if I read it, I will be thought of as a smart guy who could impress people at dinner parties. <p>&nbsp;the idiot is not that good compared to the brothers karamazov or notes from the underground...read those instead </p><p>But I already bought the idiot! </p><p>And snoogans, it's not really that I'm trying to impress people. Though, in my original statement it did sound like that. </p><p>But, looking back at the statement, I haven't told many people the books I've read. Maybe it was for my own self satisfaction. In my mind I feel like a better person because I read books that other people may shy away from. Not that I'm better than anyone else. Just that it gives me some satisfaction. </p>

[johnniewalker]

<strong>keithy_19</strong> wrote:<br /><strong>PhishHead</strong> wrote:<br /><strong>keithy_19</strong> wrote:<br />books. I like to read books. But it has only dawned on me recently that I'm reading some books just to say that I've read them. Last year, I read Kafka's Metamorphosis and Dante's Inferno in the span of two weeks. There was no reason for this, other than I felt intellectual because I was reading the 'classics'. I recently picked up Dostoyevsky's The Idiot just because if I read it, I will be thought of as a smart guy who could impress people at dinner parties. <p>&nbsp;the idiot is not that good compared to the brothers karamazov or notes from the underground...read those instead </p><p>But I already bought the idiot! </p><p>And snoogans, it's not really that I'm trying to impress people. Though, in my original statement it did sound like that. </p><p>But, looking back at the statement, I haven't told many people the books I've read. Maybe it was for my own self satisfaction. In my mind I feel like a better person because I read books that other people may shy away from. Not that I'm better than anyone else. Just that it gives me some satisfaction. </p><p>Not to go too deep here,&nbsp;I think its no doubt satisfying to read these books but i don't think it should be just admiration.&nbsp; These are books with well developed arguments and theories that don't mesh well with others.&nbsp;&nbsp; Plato and <font size="1">Nietzsche don't go together, and too often we think we can pick and choose between theories.&nbsp;I think that's how schools teach us to think.&nbsp; There is no&nbsp;pure utilitarians anymore for example.&nbsp; Its often a mix of&nbsp;many theories and where shortcomings exist, people bend for another theory where&nbsp;they see fit.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;I definately think it should be a search for what you truly believe in.&nbsp; I don't know if its not wanting to categorize yourself or what, but I don't think its&nbsp;unoriginal that someone 1000 years ago came up with the same idea you might have intuitively came up with the other day.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Its a good hobby to have, keep it up Keithy.&nbsp; You are far ahead of most.&nbsp; </font></p><p><font size="1">&nbsp;Two of my favorites are No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre if you want something kind of short and fun, and my most favorite is the Discourses on Livy by Machiavelli.&nbsp; Its a cool philosophical and historical take on ancient Roman Society.&nbsp; It's not too long either, and really interesting.&nbsp; </font></p>

[Recyclerz]

<dt><font size="2">Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.</font> </dt><dt></dt><dd class="author"><strong><a href="http://www.ronfez.net/quotes/Oliver_Wendell_Holmes/">Oliver Wendell Holmes</a></strong><br /></dd><p class="author">Nice work Keith.&nbsp; Keep going with it.</p><p class="author">&nbsp;</p>