/lit/ - Literature

>>20560207
Be faithful, what could be done has been done.
It will get better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxZ89IPq11Y

>>18516069
>>18516175
Wang Huning's America Against America deals with this problem a lot. Basically his main concern, which comes up throughout the book, is how can the state effectively organize millions (or billions) of people. Without organizing them they'll turn to crime or generally reject a society that has no place for them, but if the state attempts to play the main role of directing peoples lives then it will inevitably become over-extended, paternalistic, totalitarian, and so on, and this has always resulted in creating some form of stalinist hell.

What he believed is that corporations, ethnic organizations, labour unions, and so on could play the roll of organizing people on behalf of the state, while the state itself indirectly influences peoples behavior through monetary policy (also his theory of money is basically anything that can be set as a value of exchange for allowing people to access goods and services, so in a sense the Chinese social credit system is itself a form of currency which directs rational consumer behavior towards good citizenship.

Of course a social credit system would go against everything that Western civilization stands for... but, its not impossible to consider the establishment of city states, ethnic organizations, trade unions, and the like as a way of organizing and regimenting peoples lives while giving them a sense of belonging and meaning. I think that one of the biggest issues today is biopolitics in the form of mass migration and the effects that has on communities (both provoking racist backlash and also emergent ideologies at odds with Western values), and a solution I've been considering is that by creating a sort of city-state system where a certain area of land containing several thousand (or hundred thousand for big cities) parcels is allocated as a separate economy that can only be bought and sold by people holding special citizenship status for that specific town. That way transients, foreigners, even rich people in the city, can't just move in and completely gentrify areas while pushing the locals out. Inevitably it will become much cheaper for people to stay in the town they were born in, which means deeper roots, which means more civic engagement and a greater sense of historical existence. Both of these things promote safer communities and more decentralized social safety nets which can help people.

I sent an email to my country's government about these issues but they ignored me and now they're printing a couple more billion dollars to give as "grants" to their friends and political supporters. The West is fucked desu, so I've got to side with >>18517149 here.

>>18501787
Probably anything to do with exclusive group identity that would defintely pose a threat to my regime if the people I'm ruling over had a deep meaningful connection to anything

Next up Id ban any books criticizing my regime or any history books that went against my regimes' viewpoint.

If my regime was promoting unatural concepts (i.e ideas that directly contradict nature itself) I would also ban any science or hell any math theories that contradicted this theory.

>>18432667
Stop worrying Anon, you can do it if you want.

Best places to buy books online?
>inb4 Amazon (had bad experiences with them)

>>12253488
Haven't read any novels in particular but I'm looking for good Arthurian legends. Listened to the BBC In Our Time podcast episode about Sir Gawain & the Green Knight and I found it very comfy indeed. Any recs would be appreciated

What are some books that carry a melancholic, grey feel all throughout without necessarily being depressing?
Also, just post books I'll be able to read, so unless you intend to share it don't recommend me your diaries.

What's your favorite time of the day to do your reading?
And your favorite weather?

„Thank you, Epi. Is my.. mother, is she okay?“, she spoke quietly.

Epi's lips formed back into a pristine smile.
„Hah, yes, amazing woman, actually. She's been telling me all about you and your brother and dad. She misses all of you very much.. Oh, and your grandmother sends hugs and kisses!“
„My.. grandma? She's there as well?“, Shina asked surprised.

„Oh yeah, they've been gossipping your dad and grandpa ever since, they really do go well, you know, for in-laws.“

„Yeah, they've been through a..“

„Yes I already know everything, Shina, talkative women, really“, Epi interrupted with a giggle. She slowly, almost awkwardly, started standing up from the chair.

„Shina, child, I have to go now. They're waiting for me, it's margarita night! Your mother really can't handle her drink, though.“
„I know, she never could.“, Shina added, then paused.

„S-say hi to them, Epi. Please, tell them I love them, tell them I miss them horribly, tell them..“, she put her head down.

„Tell them I will forever be in pain without them, but I will not be afraid anymore.“

Epi nodded, and with a swift snap of her fingers, she left nothing but a trail of sparkly, golden dust.

Shina stood up, straightened her back.
„Did this really, actually just happen?“, she thought, before getting overwhelmed. She fell down on her knees and started crying. Loudly. Uncontrollably. Lonely.

>>7800753
They're pretty fantastic overall, but aren't without their issues:

Oxford World's Classics are usually pretty great editions for whatever you want, and often have good translations. They also have a strong footnote game.
Only comment that I'll make is that the paper is really thin, to me, and the overall physical quality could be a bit better. The books themselves can bend easier than you'd think, and I've ripped a decent amount of pages before I realized just how gently to handle them.
The pros do outweigh the cons, though. I love my Oxfords.

There isn't much to say about Everyman's Library that I can think of. Great binding, durable paper, very readable font/format, and usually are my preferred publisher for translations (Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky aside).
Only drawback that I can think of is a personal one; $25 a book adds up really quick as a student, especially if there's no decent used bookstores nearby to search through as an alternative.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some points, so I encourage others to comment on this, as well.

>>7800763
Sounds like a plan, anon.


.gif unrelated

>>7155332

it's vanessa hudgens i think

i remember i was like 15 when she had nudes leaked. i was very happy. then it turned out she had crazy bussssh

>>7141837
also underrated