/lit/ - Literature

>>6998

sometimes i find myself in the same situation. it used to bother me very much and still does, but i let it run its course. eventually i wake up one day and someone mentions something i find interesting and before i know it i'm reading about it.

unless you are working on something in your free time that requires acqiring a certain kind of knowledge , you should not forget the pleasurable aspect of reading.

trying to force yourself will just suck the joy out of it.

There is only so much reading one can do and if you are in school you are almost certainly reading as a part of the coursework. Your brain will only give you about eight hours a day, max, for this sort of thing.

This makes the assumption you are taking worthwhile classes that are demanding of your attention.

Lower your expectations for reading and go for smaller works during your windows of opportunity. Finish school and move on.

>>7010

>worthwhile classes that are demanding of your attention

lol. I'm in HS underage b&. My English teacher is a new age occultist, and would rather talk about maximizing your aura than literature.

>lower your expectations

That's good advice. I always knew Plato was way too ambitious, but maybe I should tone down my expectations even further, and get into some easy fantasy. I read Dune last break, and even that was too deep/thought-provoking for me to read during the school year.

>>7001

a modern masterpiece

>>7008

I'm only trying to force myself because I don't have the motivation/brain capacity to do it otherwise. Plenty of times I hear something, or see a book recommended and say "that's interesting!", and then I go and borrow the book or find the ebook and I can't get myself to read it. I spend 30 minutes on the first page trying to wrap my useless overstuffed brain around what it says, and barely comprehend the meaning of the page. It frustrates me to no end to feel retarded.

This happens to be during the school year, but I nevertheless read at least ten pages or a chapter before I go to sleep. A little bit is better than nothing.

>>7011

>I'm only trying to force myself because I don't have the motivation/brain capacity to do it otherwise. Plenty of times I hear something, or see a book recommended and say "that's interesting!", and then I go and borrow the book or find the ebook and I can't get myself to read it. I spend 30 minutes on the first page trying to wrap my useless overstuffed brain around what it says, and barely comprehend the meaning of the page. It frustrates me to no end to feel retarded.

again, i sort of know the feeling.

sometimes i find myself buying a book out of interest and then end up not reading it and maybe i end up reading a book that had been on my shelves for years. oftentimes, when i finish a book, i spend a good week or more deciding what to read next and my room becomes a mess with the amount ot books around my bed.

all this to tell you are not the only one feeling this, that you're not retarded or both of us are. it would not surprise me.

don't underestimate the benefits of maximizing your aura.

and you might like plato's symposium. it's sort of light and it's sort of divided in smaller sections.

I can't speak for what other people do but I find plenty of time for reading fiction because I don't study anything related to it. I probably 6 hours a day on reading/doing problems for school but I do econ/math. I don't have a problem switching gears and reading fantasy (currently WoT) after reading something dense.

When I'm in school reading has to be more like a hobby rather than interest in that I get out of class and go straight to opening my book and then read until I have to do my homework. If you have class all day, then get out and start browsing the internet to kill time then it's hard to get into reading something. I only browse chans when I have a period of time to fill that's too short to read another chapter in my book.

I don't know, different strokes for different folks. IMO people who actually enjoy reading make time for it regardless of what else they're doing.

The practice of quieting my mind alone serves as motivation for me to do things that I don't feel particularly motivated to do. My focus can often become a dense pinpoint of consciousness, but mundane tasks that don't excite me (reading for work, chores, whatever) give me the opportunity to diffuse my thinking, widen my vantage. It doesn't matter what I am doing - it is the practice of this cognitive skill that makes my efforts worthwhile. If you feel like your thinking diffuses more often, then let the practice of reading help strengthen your ability to focus.

Separate yourself from your expectations of enjoyment. Do the difficult work of the self. It might not always be entertaining (though it can be), but it is infinitely rewarding.

>>7049

>Separate yourself from your expectations of enjoyment

have you ever felt the feeling when some maybe obvious(not this case) statement is for you the right words at the right moment?

this is the case for me now.

thanks anon.

>>6998

Damn OP, I just read your post and it sounds exactly like something I would write. I'm in the exact same situation as you right now. During the week I have to spend most of my day listening to (mostly) boring and useless rubbish, and then work on assignments and learn for the next day. This not only wastes most of my time but puts me in a state where I can't really think deeply about things or do anything valuable.

I have time on weekends and only then I can finally think about things and work on self improvement. I've been wanting to start reading for a few weeks now but I just don't know where to start.

As someone who knows that feel I recommend meditating. I mean taking as few as 5 minutes to sit still, eyes shut, letting your thoughts flow and so on. It keeps off my mental fog and whatever irritations for a good while and helps me focus.