I've finally started reading theory

sleepykitten@lemmygrad.ml · 2 days

After more than 2 years of being a supposed communist I’ve finally started reading theory. Before I only learned from videos/video essays, discussion threads and all your posts and memes but now I’ve finally started reading the source material. I tried two sperate times last year but I just couldn’t focus and my mind would just wander off or I literally couldn’t focus (my vision would just get blurry and I had to force my eyes to focus on the text continuously) so I got discouraged and stopped trying. But this time I’m listening to audiobooks and they have really helped me. My reading has improved too and I can even focus better (It’s not perfect but I’ve improved from last time).

Thanks for all the links, resources and guides you’ve posted on this site, thank you my comrades.

RedLink@lemmygrad.ml · 20 hours

If you find yourself unable to read the source material, instead of giving up try engaging with more modern versions of the source material. There was a post on here by Feed_el_Castro who said

An unfortunate problem with Marxism is that for some reason we expect people to read the original works of the 1800s. We don’t expect this for any other science.

The way we learn physics is not by reading Dirac’s and Newtons and Einstiens theories as they wrote them, but through a systemized breakdown of the cirriculum developed over a century of increasing knowledge in the topic, in which you start with simplified building blocks which you can use to learn the more difficult parts. We also make an effort in designing physics problems which require a certain level of repitition to master and understand.

He then lists comrade Luna Oi’s English translations of the Marxist cirriculum in Vietnam. Which I would also recommend

sleepykitten@lemmygrad.ml · 19 hours

Thanks for the advice.

Muad'Dibber@lemmygrad.ml · 2 days

Nice comrade. After a while, it’ll seem like everything that isn’t communist theory is just media with the volume turned down. Or like trying to listen to boring elevator soft jazz after having listened to progressive heavy metal or something.

I can’t imagine going back to watching youtube video essays after having read Losurdo or Rodney.

Jarmund@lemmygrad.ml · 1 day

Omg yes, this, a 1000% ! Everything else seems liberal slop, propaganda or just plain old dumb

Commiejones@lemmygrad.ml · 1 day

I like to listen to an audio book while playing a relatively brain free video game and then listen to it again while reading along later. The first pass is just to get my brain used to the general concepts, vocabulary and writing style and the second pass gets the ideas really locked down.

reallybigShell@lemmygrad.ml · 19 hours

Which games work best?

Commiejones@lemmygrad.ml · 12 hours

Games with less talking and reading. Minecraft is great especially if you are grinding. Freecell solitaire is good but it can get a bit dull. I’m not big on RTS but I imagine they’d be good. Some shooters are ok others are not.

amemorablename@lemmygrad.ml · 1 day

This is a combo that surprises me as to its effectiveness, but sometimes works significantly better than trying to devote my attention to the audio alone. Granted, if the game is too involved, I’m gonna go in and out on listening, but if it’s “brain free” enough as you put it, I can actually remember what was in the audio better sometimes. Best I can guess is it’s because the associations made in my brain between playing the game and the content of the book are stronger than listening in the abstract. I’ve also tended to think it has something to do with ADHD brain in my case, that the listening alone can be weaker because I get more easily distracted, whereas the right kind of game somehow stabilizes my attention enough overall.

Commiejones@lemmygrad.ml · 1 day

The way I think of it is my brain is a bit too busy to focus just on the text. I need to distract my motor brain, my visual brain and my repetitive tasks brain. Then my audio and informational brain can do their job without getting distracted. When I try to just listen or read the text my motor brain is sitting there idling and I have to keep using some attention to keep the breaks on or it will spin off into a ditch.

A interesting trick I have also found is reading in the bath. Something about being in the water makes my motor brain go into a dormancy mode where it doesn’t interrupt.

zedcell@lemmygrad.ml · 1 day

Sensory seeking stuff to stabilise an ADHD brain is a classic. I recently found that wobble cushions are used for ADHD kids (a 80-90% inflated exercise cushion pad thing) and they work surprisingly well as either directly sat on seat cushions or as wobbly foot rests for ADHD adults too. It helps they aren’t that expensive either!

OrnluWolfjarl@lemmygrad.ml · 2 days

What are you enjoying now?

Just remember that reading is like a muscle. The more you practice it, it increases your stamina and ability to do harder reading.

sleepykitten@lemmygrad.ml · 1 day

Blackshirts and reds and it’s going to be my first big book. I love parenti and I always enjoyed his lectures so I think I’m gonna enjoy his books too.

OrnluWolfjarl@lemmygrad.ml · 18 hours

Oh that’s a nice one! I would also recommend Julius Caesar by Parenti. Particularly if you know Roman history. It’s a very good introduction to class struggle dynamics.

zedcell@lemmygrad.ml · 1 day

Local (as local as you can get in practice) history books written by Marxists are also great reads for both the seasoned and beginner Marxist. Really helps when you’re grounded in the geography yourself.

amemorablename@lemmygrad.ml · 2 days

Happy for you and proud of you for keeping after it. Audiobooks are a great option!