For a long time, I punished myself, thinking I wasn’t intelligent enough because I couldn’t remember what I read in books. Then one day, I realized that the real value of reading was in the lessons I took away from them. That realization was a relief, and I finally made peace with myself.
A cousin of mine who has a triple major from UCLA on Political Science, History and Arabic, told me some years ago that he remembered very little of what he studied (particularly in History), but that he still retains the skills, such as paper writing and analysing political circumstances. Great quote. 'I cannot remember the books I've read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.'
"In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you." - Mortimer J. Adler, How to Read a Book
Quotes like these always make me think of what Machiavelli wrote in one of his letters, saying when he returns home from his day and redresses himself into better attire, he enters his library in order to "speak" to the ancients. I think if you consider reading as a chance to converse with the author, to pose a question and seek an answer for it in their work, it'll make your growth much more authentic -- same as you would learn from talking to a wiser elder in your family and so on.
To me your point harkens back to what I've heard of "independent thinkers": "The essence of an independent mind is HOW it thinks, and not WHAT it thinks" To me this is what reading books is all about, it's not to memorise some passages (though I do jot down my favourite quotes, and the occasional poem), but it's broadening your horizons, thinking about the world and life through a different lens by borrowings someones mind for a while.
I found this video really affirming - illness has fried my memory over the years, and I've never been able to be That Kind of reader that can endlessly quote. (My reading journal and commonplace are invaluable tools.) Being 'well-read' has gone from my immature thinking of 'I need to read a lot', to 'I want to improve my ability to read, and to thoughtfully engage with what I'm reading'. It's been a wonderful journey, and will only get better as I continue to improve.
Great video. This is why I keep a list of books that I finish throughout the year. I just note down the title and the date when I finished it. Whenever I revisit the list I'm reminded of the really great books that had an impact on me.
A worthwhile book in the philosophy of education is Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Best way to oppress someone is to make them think true learning is memorization and that the teacher knows everything. If anything, we are all equals in the face of the immeasureable knowledge in all the books we read. That being said, I'll always remember all the nasty things Catullus (16... cough...) has said, wink wink! I'll also live by Plato's ending in the Phaedrus when he prays to Pan: "let me only possess as much gold as I can carry." My favorite thing is when I'm deep in thought and some book I read a decade ago somehow becomes relevant again. Pure pleasure!
Funny enough this video has reminded me of a quote by Donna Tartt, “It is better to know one book intimately than a hundred superficially.” I think I'd much rather be able to quote a few good scrips of literature that I deeply understand and feel than something that would make me stand out in conversation
I agree 100%!There are very few texts I consider flawless enough or filled with enough emotion for me to want to memorise them. But oh, is it magical when you come across a text like that!btw correct me if I'm wrong, but was that quote not from a character paraphrasing Seneca?
Reminds me of Hadot’s Philosophy as a Way of Life. The Greeks didn’t see philosophy as only happening in the mind, they also see it as a spiritual practice to be embodied in their daily life. Through that, they are able to share their thoughts and experiences in a genuine and authentic way that continues to resonate with people to this day.
The way you talked about internalizing the ideas and kind of make it your own kind of relates to what I have read about some of the meanings of creativity where you take two ideas, combine them in any way and create a new one. Please make more videos like this, you have a unique voice and would love to hear more about your opinions. Great video Robin.
This reminds me of Picasso, his later abstract work has many people think they could emulate it. But in reality he was able to do that abstract work because of his mastery with the basics and hyper-realism. I'm a software developer, and I dissect code by how readable and performant it is. Most of my work is done by instinct, I can tell when a code base needs to be refactored to allow for future collaboration (even if it's my own, as I could always come back to it months/years later and have no idea what it's doing) and when the code is technically correct, but could be re-written in a more efficient manner. I believe we must collect knowledge first, then deconstruct that knowledge and use it to inform our future decisions.
But also because he had a visual memorized library of the African art that he was… referencing heavily! Aside from a total hack (and there are very smart people who would argue that Picasso was one, I’m ambivalent on the topic), there is some balance.
I like to take note of page numbers where an argument is presented, categorized by rethorical appeals (Ethos, Pathos, Logos, Kairos). It teaches me about ways to approach an idea or problem, I suppose
I thought listening to this was it is good to read many books. Reading many books can help one see life and topics from different perspectives that can help build upon each other. I will say I like memorization to a degree. Musicians that perform memorized pieces, one can tell they care deeply about that piece, and they want to share that feeling with others. I have found that memorizing some lines from books or poems helps me to ponder them. I can then find more meaning in the symbolism or view them from different theories or perspectives, which can help me in my own thinking and knowledge. It relates to math in a lot of ways, you sometimes need to sit with an idea or a problem until it clicks. I think memorization, when used properly, can help one be "well-read".
What a bunch of normies in the comments. The point of the video wasn't a very nuanced point. It's what we all discovered back in high school itself. The currency of being interesting is to be well-read. Read widely and chase curiosity, not what is expedient. You'll grow a taste for high-quality writing eventually if you follow your interests.
You have to prioritize reading. A book a week. In this modern day, there’s no excuse - audiobooks make it incredibly easy. To Robin’s point, it’s not about paying extremely close attention, remembering every part of the book; it’s about ingesting slow-form content that forces you to imagine the material you’re hearing, and then processing it by thinking. I will never remember every book I read each year in minute detail, but having read that much will result in me having evolved to a new level of enlightenment and understanding of myself and the world around me.
I seem not to be able to retain barely anything from audio books, also the way in which they are orated is pretty bad in many cases. Books for me are far superior, and it has to be in the physical form not digital.
My first thought was everyone approaches this topic as a correction of their previous excess. You saw an excess of memorization in your early college education, so it tracks that now you would speak against it. And then I cackled when it got to you don’t need to memorize because the internet and AI (my words) holds it for you. In 15 years you will likely not be on TH-cam both because the world will have moved on but also because this is a current excess for you, and I would bet dollars to donuts you will be standing in the corner of a coffee shop giving a recital to an audience that does not understand the importance of having a passages of literature available to memory. Because it is true, we’ve all met the fool who thinks only knowing the words is enough (generally from some proscribed list of “classics” that imparts superiority on the memorizer), but there is some value to it, ESPECIALLY in the age of the internet and AI where this very human was of having knowledge experience is devalued.
Hi, I'm not sure whether you've talked about this, have you tried to contemplate on the question of what is good information? Or, how to know if a work or a book is a great book? Maybe one for fiction and another for non-fiction. 6:07
This is still one of those unsolved mysteries in literary criticism. I’m still gathering my thoughts on this topic and I’ll share it when I have something solid.
I use to read a lot before computers and youtube came along gave me more instant information. But i use to feel guilty what i forgot to read even now if i started a book then left it for awhile i start to forget all its details should i start again or just finish it off where i left it. Is there any harm in reading a book several times ?
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For a long time, I punished myself, thinking I wasn’t intelligent enough because I couldn’t remember what I read in books. Then one day, I realized that the real value of reading was in the lessons I took away from them. That realization was a relief, and I finally made peace with myself.
"Making peace with yourself " is sign of a true intelligent individual you are
what if i forget the lessons in the book lol
@@maqeelafzal ❤️
A cousin of mine who has a triple major from UCLA on Political Science, History and Arabic, told me some years ago that he remembered very little of what he studied (particularly in History), but that he still retains the skills, such as paper writing and analysing political circumstances.
Great quote. 'I cannot remember the books I've read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.'
یہ بات آپ نے صحیح فرمائی، کبھی کبار بندہ منزل پا تو لیتا ہے پر اسے صرف اس منزل تک پہنچنے کا سفر ہی یاد ہوتا ہے۔
"In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you."
- Mortimer J. Adler, How to Read a Book
Quotes like these always make me think of what Machiavelli wrote in one of his letters, saying when he returns home from his day and redresses himself into better attire, he enters his library in order to "speak" to the ancients. I think if you consider reading as a chance to converse with the author, to pose a question and seek an answer for it in their work, it'll make your growth much more authentic -- same as you would learn from talking to a wiser elder in your family and so on.
To me your point harkens back to what I've heard of "independent thinkers":
"The essence of an independent mind is HOW it thinks, and not WHAT it thinks"
To me this is what reading books is all about, it's not to memorise some passages (though I do jot down my favourite quotes, and the occasional poem), but it's broadening your horizons, thinking about the world and life through a different lens by borrowings someones mind for a while.
I found this video really affirming - illness has fried my memory over the years, and I've never been able to be That Kind of reader that can endlessly quote. (My reading journal and commonplace are invaluable tools.) Being 'well-read' has gone from my immature thinking of 'I need to read a lot', to 'I want to improve my ability to read, and to thoughtfully engage with what I'm reading'.
It's been a wonderful journey, and will only get better as I continue to improve.
❤
Robin "Well Read" means "Not Remembering" the name of the Author, while falling in love with the book and text of the book.
Great video. This is why I keep a list of books that I finish throughout the year. I just note down the title and the date when I finished it. Whenever I revisit the list I'm reminded of the really great books that had an impact on me.
A worthwhile book in the philosophy of education is Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Best way to oppress someone is to make them think true learning is memorization and that the teacher knows everything. If anything, we are all equals in the face of the immeasureable knowledge in all the books we read.
That being said, I'll always remember all the nasty things Catullus (16... cough...) has said, wink wink! I'll also live by Plato's ending in the Phaedrus when he prays to Pan: "let me only possess as much gold as I can carry."
My favorite thing is when I'm deep in thought and some book I read a decade ago somehow becomes relevant again. Pure pleasure!
Funny enough this video has reminded me of a quote by Donna Tartt, “It is better to know one book intimately than a hundred superficially.” I think I'd much rather be able to quote a few good scrips of literature that I deeply understand and feel than something that would make me stand out in conversation
I agree 100%!There are very few texts I consider flawless enough or filled with enough emotion for me to want to memorise them. But oh, is it magical when you come across a text like that!btw correct me if I'm wrong, but was that quote not from a character paraphrasing Seneca?
Reminds me of Hadot’s Philosophy as a Way of Life. The Greeks didn’t see philosophy as only happening in the mind, they also see it as a spiritual practice to be embodied in their daily life. Through that, they are able to share their thoughts and experiences in a genuine and authentic way that continues to resonate with people to this day.
The way you talked about internalizing the ideas and kind of make it your own kind of relates to what I have read about some of the meanings of creativity where you take two ideas, combine them in any way and create a new one. Please make more videos like this, you have a unique voice and would love to hear more about your opinions. Great video Robin.
this video was very reaffirming. Thank you for putting this out on the internet :)
This reminds me of Picasso, his later abstract work has many people think they could emulate it. But in reality he was able to do that abstract work because of his mastery with the basics and hyper-realism. I'm a software developer, and I dissect code by how readable and performant it is. Most of my work is done by instinct, I can tell when a code base needs to be refactored to allow for future collaboration (even if it's my own, as I could always come back to it months/years later and have no idea what it's doing) and when the code is technically correct, but could be re-written in a more efficient manner. I believe we must collect knowledge first, then deconstruct that knowledge and use it to inform our future decisions.
But also because he had a visual memorized library of the African art that he was… referencing heavily! Aside from a total hack (and there are very smart people who would argue that Picasso was one, I’m ambivalent on the topic), there is some balance.
@@spoonierv1543 pretty trendy to hate on the greats for clout atm
Thank you for framing knowledge from reading like this.
just more proof rory gilmore is not a well read character. reads tons of books yet no character development. btw great content thanks for the upload!
Great stuff! I'll have to remember this now!
this channel means so much to me
I love your channel and videos, but since i only read for myself and for my pleasure, this one doesnt resignate with me.
A doctor studies the human body. A literary scholar studies the body of human work.
Love this!
I like to take note of page numbers where an argument is presented, categorized by rethorical appeals (Ethos, Pathos, Logos, Kairos). It teaches me about ways to approach an idea or problem, I suppose
I thought listening to this was it is good to read many books. Reading many books can help one see life and topics from different perspectives that can help build upon each other. I will say I like memorization to a degree. Musicians that perform memorized pieces, one can tell they care deeply about that piece, and they want to share that feeling with others. I have found that memorizing some lines from books or poems helps me to ponder them. I can then find more meaning in the symbolism or view them from different theories or perspectives, which can help me in my own thinking and knowledge. It relates to math in a lot of ways, you sometimes need to sit with an idea or a problem until it clicks. I think memorization, when used properly, can help one be "well-read".
Thanks for reminding me of this.
"I speak the minds of others only to speak my own mind better."
(Shooting for the most ironic/meta comment award).
I follow your videos. Thank you for the beautiful video.
Excellent message!!
What a bunch of normies in the comments. The point of the video wasn't a very nuanced point. It's what we all discovered back in high school itself.
The currency of being interesting is to be well-read. Read widely and chase curiosity, not what is expedient. You'll grow a taste for high-quality writing eventually if you follow your interests.
You have to prioritize reading. A book a week. In this modern day, there’s no excuse - audiobooks make it incredibly easy. To Robin’s point, it’s not about paying extremely close attention, remembering every part of the book; it’s about ingesting slow-form content that forces you to imagine the material you’re hearing, and then processing it by thinking. I will never remember every book I read each year in minute detail, but having read that much will result in me having evolved to a new level of enlightenment and understanding of myself and the world around me.
I seem not to be able to retain barely anything from audio books, also the way in which they are orated is pretty bad in many cases. Books for me are far superior, and it has to be in the physical form not digital.
Well said man
My first thought was everyone approaches this topic as a correction of their previous excess. You saw an excess of memorization in your early college education, so it tracks that now you would speak against it. And then I cackled when it got to you don’t need to memorize because the internet and AI (my words) holds it for you. In 15 years you will likely not be on TH-cam both because the world will have moved on but also because this is a current excess for you, and I would bet dollars to donuts you will be standing in the corner of a coffee shop giving a recital to an audience that does not understand the importance of having a passages of literature available to memory.
Because it is true, we’ve all met the fool who thinks only knowing the words is enough (generally from some proscribed list of “classics” that imparts superiority on the memorizer), but there is some value to it, ESPECIALLY in the age of the internet and AI where this very human was of having knowledge experience is devalued.
What a fantastic point.
Hi, I'm not sure whether you've talked about this, have you tried to contemplate on the question of what is good information? Or, how to know if a work or a book is a great book? Maybe one for fiction and another for non-fiction. 6:07
This is still one of those unsolved mysteries in literary criticism. I’m still gathering my thoughts on this topic and I’ll share it when I have something solid.
@ thanks, have you done videos and resources to dive deep into literary criticisms and theories? I am interested in going deep into the rabbit hole
I use to read a lot before computers and youtube came along gave me more instant information. But i use to feel guilty what i forgot to read even now if i started a book then left it for awhile i start to forget all its details should i start again or just finish it off where i left it. Is there any harm in reading a book several times ?
Reading has enhanced my critical thinking
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