/lit/ - Literature

Most people are doomed to fail no matter the age they live in, you weren't made out of the right stock

PS: sorry "muh diary" post, I do want to know of literature and book recommendations on it.

They can be political or about the internet or whatever you think the issue is or even how there might not be any particular issue to this time if that's what you think

>>14869072
>Do you think we live in bad times?
it really depends on your personal circumstance. Socially we live in bad times, in the sense that mainstream culture is pozzed to the max. But individually speaking, you pretty much are at liberty to live a normal, traditional life if you have the means and the will.

Are you lacking something?

>>14869072
Absolutely, we live in times in which people separate themselves and become increasingly more divided in more ways than ever. There needs to be some sort of organization that unites people genuinely, not for the sake of organization itself, but for a cause greater than oneself. The access to the sublime is what I think is a key to human fufillment.

>>14869072
There are so many unnecessary necessities nowadays. Everything is complicated. Technology has caused so many problems.

>>14869072
>Do you think we live in bad times?
We live in times where hierarchies are steeper than ever before (because of information cheapness) and also where being in a hierarchy is more consuming than ever. Our access to entertainment is cutting us up from one another, and we're losing ourselves.
>If yes or not, do you know of books or thinkers that better explain the moment we live in?
Ernest Becker (The Denial of Death), Byung Chul Han(Beauty and Pyschopolitics), Baudrillard (America), and James C. Scott (Against the Grain). Honorable mentions for Nicholas Carr and Jaron Lanier (Founder of VR)
>And what could possibly be the solution?
You need to use AI to micromanage people to account for the issues in biological hierarchies, just as laws account for their flaws now. If that doesn't work, death will do the rest.

>>14869072
this guy talks and has a ton of books about the moment we live and where humanity is headed if they don't grow up
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN3VfiNrozRSUBiDIR8k9EA/videos

basically, humanity needs to evolve, go in the realm of the Ubermensh or die.

>>14869089
>Are you lacking something?
Yes. Means and will.

>>14869072
>bad times
Yes. The birds are dying at an unprecedented rate while urban sprawl continues to grow, we are not meant to live like this.
>thinkers that explain
Ted Kaczynski.
>what do
People do not like living like this (thus the large amounts of casual nihilists), environmental movements are on the uptick. As of now they are too peaceful, bomb a gas station and spraypaint their flag at the crime scene. As silly of a book it is, Mike Ma's harassment architecture describes a clear vision of this sort of "accelerationism".

>>14869072
>Do you think we live in bad times?
Yes.
>If yes or not, do you know of books or thinkers that better explain the moment we live in?
Evola, Spengler, Yockley, Dugin, Kaczynski, Ilyin and Ellul. Those are the ones I've found most illuminating.

I think we are living in bad times indeed, but none of the answers so far satisfy me. I think there are two major types of responses:

>1. lets's go
>2. let's go back

1 blames the problems on backward thinking, whether it is fascism or superstition that would be hindering mankind and we should get rid of them to progress
2 blames modern problems, it's a call to go back to old values, can be conservative or religious but also environmental and anti-tech

The problem I see is that the modern world do suck and I don't think we should go the direction we are going. But I also do not think it is ever possible nor desirable to come back. Something new and better must emerge, different from where we are going and different from where we were before we took this route. But I don't know what it is.

>>14869318
We cannot go back but liberalism and modernity must and will fall, as will the current form of industrial society.

>>14869318
>Something new and better must emerge, different from where we are going and different from where we were before we took this route. But I don't know what it is.

The way I see it our current problem is entirely within the realm of ideas. Our plague is not viral or genetic, it is memetic. In many ways we live in a high point. There is abundant food, technology, medicine, access to information. We have achieved universal literacy. In many ways this should represent a golden era. So why do we all sense something deeply wrong with the situation?

It comes down entirely to believing and propagating bad ideas through our noosphere. People do not work to improve the world, they work to work. They do not acquire money to buy things that will improve their world, they acquire money to display wealth. Employers do not hire employee's to improve their business, but to control slaves. People do not pursue the opposite sex to have families but to have sex. We've fallen into an abyss that has no direction.

People are kept perpetually distracted so that they never stop and contemplate their behavior, their choices. Moreover they are kept ignorant of the truth of history and their place in it.

These are not really new problems, they've just grown incredibly more apparent when the other, more physical, problems were overcome. Our old mystic traditions from around the world are in fact able to handle them, indeed, thrive with the new technology. We just have to listen to their wisdom and realize that those who tell us they are outdated superstitions are either stupid or malevolent.

>>14869072
>Do you think we live in bad times?

In most areas we are better than ever in history. Less war, less poverty, less hunger, better technology, better medicine, more human rights, more diversity of options for leisure, more literacy, the most educated generation, its easier than ever to create art or pick up a sport.
But in other areas we are worse
>Feels like the world encountered itself in the internet and everything we do not accept on each other has taken a central place.

That is one. Polarisation. Also loneliness and ideological bubbles.
All things considered the benefits outweight the costs, but we are excessively focused on those costs because we carry our phones and our bubbles wherever we go and look at them every day for hours. TV and other media, adapting to the situation, have also become polarised and project the issue even more. But its up to us to be strong and see the positive. Read books, exercise, share time with loved ones. Stop watching TV and stop using social media.

I'm super fucking tired bros.

>>14869072

the only solution I can see is culling the population.

>>14869072
>Sneed

>>14869368
>Polarisation
this

>>14869110
The higher type doesnt need other people

>>14869072
I believe we live in a bad time that's only going to get worse. Everyone I know it on a shitton of meds for "depression", over half the population is an obese tub of walking half breathing flesh who can hardly think and civilization is only helping them stay alive to drown in their own bodies. If anyone can say that this is good needs to step into a Walmart.

jewish bankers are pushing communist propaganda to the public, that's why everything is confusing

>>14869529
>only book mentioned in thread
It’s good if you guys to try to summon information about earlier times from inner consciousness, but maybe some reading would be worthwhile?

Read some Zizek

I have no reading recs to give, but it seems clear that we live in a materially wealthy time, but we are so spiritually poor. I don't neccesarily mean spirituality in a religious sense, just all human needs that are not immediately concerned with physological needs such as food and shelter. The death of the family and the death of the community seem big parts of the human crisis we are currently facing.

Yes, I think we live in bad times. People don’t like it when you say such things and you usually they point to our material wealth and technology, which is true, but if you look at what it’s done to us and the world around us it can hardly be considered a positive development. The only argument to the contrary would be the absence of struggle in modern times, but struggle is an essential and even fulfilling part of the human experience.

a vast oscillation of strange depending on who you ask

>>14869089
>>14869110
>>14869172
>>14869318
>>14869362
>>14869368
>>14870053
>>14870676
>>14870922
never realized how stupid /lit/ was

>>14869111
>There are so many unnecessary necessities nowadays
This. You can read Ebola and Spengler if you want, but I prefer novels and stories about people who lived on the fringes of their society, because the fringe is really as close as any sensitive person should want to be, in this or any other age. Books about loafers, hobos, bums, junkies, subversives, rebels, tramps, and saints.

>>14870530
Cringe

>>14871017
Kys retard

>>14869072
>Do you think we live in bad times?
Ignore the meida hysteria you are being bombarded with every waking minute, and anyone who thinks that is an ignorant ass

>>14871045
>You can read Ebola
lolwut

>>14871017
What is your input to the discussion, friend?

>>14871045
>You can read Ebola
lmaoooo

>>14869072
i feel good. having lots of free time, all books available to me, my animal frens not obliged to do hard work for us.
no iron curtain, no empty shops, not as much ideological imprisonments. i get to talk to my bros worldwide. it's p nice.

>>14871045
I'd rather read Ebola than get infected by the Evola disease

>>14871045
>You can read Ebola
Heh, phoneposter

>>14869072
>Do you think we live in bad times?
Is it even a question? Time flows from Golden Age to KaliYuga (we are here) in cyclical manner

>>14869072
20 years ago we had the fucking Dreamcast, man. It was all vivid colors and upbeat music. This is what the future was supposed to be: clean, soothing, uplifting, sharp yet classy yet rebellious yet progressive. Good vibes.

>>14869072
Obviously we do if compared to an ideal. Obviously not if compared to human history.

> I don't think it was like that 10 or 20 years ago,
Yeah, it was far worse. People outside of the establishment barely had a voice. Now they do and we're slowly making progress. Baby steps, with some falls in between but generally still progress.

The only issue is that it's far too slow to do with the incoming climate crisis but humanity still might push through once shit is even more fucked. Look how something as horrible as WW2 lead to loads of progress.

>>14871511
That's because you was a kid and didn't pay attention to the world.

>>14871619
>People outside of the establishment barely had a voice. Now they do and we're slowly making progress. Baby steps, with some falls in between but generally still progress.
Then why do I feel more miserable even though I'm not the 1% or whatever?

>>14871633
Probably focusing too much on your position the big picture, and obsessing over negative news (which is basically their business model since no one wants to read about positive shit). Also the contrasts of "where we could've been" vs "where we actually are".

At pretty much any other point in history, the life of an average fag was much, much worse. Focus more on what you do than on what's going on.

>>14871511
And now you can play Dreamcast games on your cheap ass phone for free, while using the same phone to listen to endless amounts of music instead of buying cassettes and having to record shit from the radio, have access to endless amounts of porn instead of shitty VHS's and magazines, can read almost any book on it for free instead of running to the library (assuming you even had one nearby) and can communicate with random fucks around the world, all with the same cheap ass device.

>>14871690
That's all frivolous though. It's odd to think that would lead to lasting happiness for everyone. Though I do think lasting happiness is not attached to external circumstances to begin with. The grand mistake of the western world is believing happiness lies in fulfilling your desires.

>>14869072
Based Pic

>>14871212
>>14871240
>>14871262
Phonetically, the difference between /b/ and /v/ is small. Trying saying "A very beautiful berry" over and over, whilst also maintaining some degree of speed to it; this will highlight my point.

>>14871726
Well, can use the same cheap ass phone to write a novel, shoot a movie, make music, and with some effort program too. Creative endeavours are pretty nice for happiness and are much accessible than ever. As is information to support these.

Don't think one can separate happiness from external circumstances and fulfilment of desires completely, being stuck in a jail cell and having to outlet to do anything but think just doesn't sound like a recipe for fulfilment.

>>14871774
i dont get it

>>14869072
Life's a dumb joke bro. You'll get over it.

>>14869072
>Do you think we live in bad times?
Today someone told me very concerned and serious that "70% of the globe is dying from coronavirus" and that people should listen more to what they say on the TV and lock themselves in.
This is the opinion held my normies.
So do I think we live in bad times? No, we live in literally the WORST times.

>>14871806
> Don't think one can separate happiness from external circumstances and fulfilment of desires completely

One absolutely can. It's all just a bodily sensation. I literally cured my depression like that.

>>14872126
like what

>>14869072
This is /lit/, so here is a book recommendation: The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts.

That being said, the times are always what they are, it is only you who decide if they are good or bad for you. Some people are having a hell of a lot of fun. Others are miserable, others are dead or dying. Itall depends on who you are and how you want to approach it. Remember, that all suffering (as opposed to pain) is caused by desire. You cannot do anything about physical pain, but you can get a grip on suffering.

>>14872245
>Remember, that all suffering (as opposed to pain) is caused by desire. You cannot do anything about physical pain, but you can get a grip on suffering.
neat, i like this part

>>14872151
Realizing it's just a sensation in the body and engaging with it directly, as opposed to making up a story about the sensation and getting wrapped up in that.

>>14869362
>Our old mystic traditions from around the world are in fact able to handle them, indeed, thrive with the new technology. We just have to listen to their wisdom and realize that those who tell us they are outdated superstitions are either stupid or malevolent.

You were doing alright till you went off the deep end with that finish.

>>14869575
Yeah, I hear that from all sides. Sounds lazy af if you ask me. When frustrated that people aren't acting like you think they should, the solution is obviously targetted mass killing to prevent the perpetuation of ideas and behaviors, thus the belief you think people should follow will clearly flourish from the ashes once the weeds are gone. I think it's naive and unrealistic. Something would fill the temporary vacuum, but it would probably fill the niche that was left and may be "worse" than what came before. The ideas won't go away because the internet has archived, memorialized, and immortalized most ideas and philosophies, as well as packaged many of them in easily propagated memes.

Unfortunately, this is a sea of ideas we're drowning in, some of us caught in algorithmic riptides with little chance of coming back with the others. I hope it changes for the better, but will probably get worse in the chase for the convenience of less risky marketable demographics.

Idk though, just guessing.

>>14872295
Welcome to Buddhism

>>14871017
You never realized it because you are stupid yourself. Where do you think you are?

>>14870005
Whatever helps you sleep at night

>>14871272
>Kali Yuga
It is incredibly disheartening that people actually build their worldview around this crap

>>14871690
Endless access to media is not a good thing

>>14871998
Don't be retarded, that's not what normies think at all

>>14872296
Could you please explain me in more detail how you engage with these sensations directly?

>>14872481
Sure. Start asking yourself 'how do I know I am depressed (or whatever ails you)?'. You will likely draw a blank. The first time someone asked me that, it was, 'how do you know you are angry?'. I didn't know how. They told me I was feeling something in the body that I was labeling anger. With that, I was able to pinpoint that what I called anger, was actually a burning, electric sensation across my chest.

That by itself did not solve my problem, until much later I read the Ashtavakra Gita, then it clicked. You don't have to identify with your emotional state. Your emotions can just be unlabeled bodily sensations.

The next time you feel something negative, instead of spiraling into 'I feel sad/anxious/depressed because of x, y, and z', ask yourself, 'how do I know that I am sad/anxious/depressed?'. Track down the sensation in the body that causes you think that, and focus your attention on the sensation, instead of any thoughts.

>>14872520
Imo that's confusing the symptom and the cause, but hey good for you if you can make it work

>>14872528
That's the funny thing. What you think is the cause is actually a story you make up in response to what you call the symptom, which is the actual cause. You are not locked down to one possible interpretation of your bodily signals, or to any interpretation. You can just leave them be, and remain as you are. Try it out for yourself.

>>14869072
>Do you think we live in bad times?
Of course. All times are bad. To live is to live in bad times.

>>14871938
The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus goes over the absurdity of life (humans inherently seek meaning in an inherently meaningless universe, and have different ways of dealing with that tension) using Sisyphus, cursed by the gods to push a boulder to the top of a hill/mountain, only for it to roll back to the bottom where he must start again (man's pursuit of meaning, as soon as they think they've attained it, they realize that ain't it chief, and pursue something else). Camus thinks some ways of dealing with the situation are suicide (realizing there's no meaning, so why waste time suffering in the tension, so end the tension), taking a leap of faith (there must be some greater meaning to life that I must not comprehend, and this will make me feel better and I will pursue what this religion/whatever says is the good life and ignore the absurdity because it MUST make sense. He sees this as a form of philosophical suicide), and his personal choice, rebelling against the absurd. Since you are in this situation and chosen not to kill yourself or ignore the absurd, you should find meaning in what you can and fight for it, even in little ways, DESPITE the absurd (the gods and their curse/the meaningless universe). Sisyphus should make pushing the boulder up the hill "his thing." Hence, "One must imagine Sisyphus smiling."

Anyway, the pic is showing Sisyphus taking a break from the absurd by chilling and having a relationship with Jesus. I guess it's saying how religion, specifically Christianity, can help one find relief and meaning from the meaningless toil of everyday life.

>>14871998
>Everyone is stupid but me REEEE
This is actually the most normie feeling

Also, no need for panic, but good reasons not to be 0% panicking

>>14872577
Yeah, all that but also notice how Christ relieves himself from his burden too.

>>14872401
Everyone wants to kill, nobody wants to die.

>>14872359
>You were doing alright till you went off the deep end with that finish.

How much have you actually engaged with Buddhism/Taoism?

I say Taoism specifically because that is my passion and I've seen it directly address the issue of creating busy work being a sickness.
It also says "The best thing is knowing that you don't know. Not knowing and thinking you know, that is sickness."

Those are two major points that are causing problems throughout our society. I was a materialist atheist studying physics ten years ago, I understand what you think of mysticism. Your picture is based on the most ignorant believers being foolish and not on your own attempts to understand it.

Imagine if someone held up the "I FUCKING LOVE SCIENCE" crowd as representing science. That's essentially where the distrust of mystic wisdom comes from.

>>14869267
>Ilyin
Never seen him recommended before. Any good books to start with?

>>14871017
What kind of posts were you expecting in a thread like this?

>>14871017
Never realized how sanctimonious, obviously retarded, and narcissistic anon was

>>14872654
Are you Asian or why are you using Buddhism/Taoism? Just saying because in the West we have a very rich tradition of mysticism and prayer (in Catholicism) and also in Eastern Europe (Orthodoxy). It seems we have forgotten about them but there is no need to go all the way East...

>>14872922
Not him, but I think it's better to start deconverting atheists with Eastern traditions, because they are not desensitized to them. They can function as the tip of the spear, the Western traditions are brought in later through their similarities. Also, Advaita Vedanta in particular considers itself faith agnostic.

>>14872657
Not him, but most of his stuff is only in Russian

>I don't think it was like that 10 or 20 years ago
10-20 years ago you were probably a kid and had not a care in the world. Problems still happened back then too.
This is just adult life.

>>14872922
Because I was raised Catholic and the beliefs and mass of the church did not resonate with me the way simply hearing the concept of wu-wei did.

>>14872922
I should add, I now am reading the bible. I have found quite a bit of wisdom in it, but it's different. I have studied some amount of Qabala that has filtered through these occult forums. Wisdom is a vast expanse. Also Taoist health cultivation techniques seem to me to be the most refined and willingly shared.

>>14872623
Yeah, I thought that was a cute parallel. I think it just emphasizes how Christianity is a relationship with Jesus, so He wants to know you (and find relief in your relationship together?).

>>14872476
>Kali Yuga
More disheartening than the hordes of people wishing for death and destruction in the Middle East to signal daddy to pick them up from daycare and take them home?

>>14869072
yes. Read, in this order, brave new world, industrial society and it's future, and a canticle for leibowitz. Fight club covers similar ground but it doesn't do it as well, it's more entertaining then enlightening.

>>14869072
read this, OP. This will address everything you are struggling with.

>>14869072
These are the most interesting times, ever (at least since Napoleon) and there has never been as good a chance to buck-off the powers and principalities monkeys on humanity's back. You have ennui for lack of knowledge (my people perish); it is entirely within you capabilities to arrive at a functional worldlview that can confront this materially, within your own sphere of action (will to power), spiritually, or just aesthetically if you're content as an epicure, or anarchist.

>>14874590
bro between napoleon and now we've had two world wars and came as close to nuclear annihilation as you could without actually stepping over the line