/lit/ - Literature

Infinite Jest

>>21666597
wut?

>>21666598
Oblomov

>>21666594
Just think about it really hard anon, what moment you liked, what pissed you off, there must be something

>>21666594
Maybe you should go see a doctor.

>>21666594
Just try to remember the main arguments made

>>21666594
do you have a hard time remembering other things?

He probably doesn't remember making this thread anymore.

>>21666666
CHECK EM

>>21666657
Oof too early

>>21666662
PLEASE

>>21666662
GET

>>21666667
>Off by one
Ngmi

anyone got any advice for this? not op


is it adhd related i also have a bunch of adhd symptoms hoping to get a diagnosis this year

will vyvanse help lol

>>21666679
Take your time reading, and write down notes, which characters appear in the chapter, where they are, what are they doing, maybe their emotions and motivation. This will force your brain to actually work on the text, instead of just flying over it.

>>21666594
>get to read it again

chill, your mind is retaining what you need. just reread it in some time and youll spot the relevant sections.

which of course doesnt mean that you should read without paying attention, cause if thats the case then its hopeless.

>remember nothing
that just means you don't have to buy more books, just keep reading the same one, and you always discover it again

The three keys to mastering your memory are repetition, association and application. I'm not going to TL;DR here about each but you should look into spaced repetition and the principles behind it and memory palaces and the principles behind it to get the gist of what I mean. Once you learn that, you can come up with your own protocols for different activities, and it's going to work as long as you adhere to those mechanisms

"Application" is just a matter of activating the problem-solving part of your brain in any way, and if you're reading fiction that can be something like using your inner monologue to explain the ideas of the book as if you were writing an essay, or trying to describe the author's style, or literally anything as long as it forces you to think about it

The general idea is to stop reading passively and start reading actively. No information is ever going to stick if you basically shut your brain off

>>21667693
>>21666594
i started off writing this only for myself but thought it might be useful to others. it's just a connection of all the ideas i've been exposed to on the subject of memory and learning. the order is really just my immediate estimation on how it should go

>>21667904
thx bro

>>21666594
Vonnegut's Jailbird, or at least got half way through it without noticing.
The wife forgets, she signs her books on the title page when she finishes them so she doesn't read them twice.

>>21666679
Nootropic meds will burn you out. Just focus really hard on each sentence and try making proper sense of what's being said, or visualizing the scenes playing out if dealing with prosaic works. The key is to actually understand and process each word and keep it up. Think about the chapter you read after you're done, in any way you like (ie what the fuck did the author mean by this?). Do this enough and you'll start seeing benefits in more than just reading.

>>21667904
interesting. saving this for later reference

The same thing happens to me, but not only with books and movies. Ever since I was a kid I've had difficulty remembering names and dates; and I tend to forget faces too. To this day I still can't remember the multiplication tables either.
In fact, I was writing a novel a few years back, stopped for a few months because the inspiration wasn't coming to me, and when I returned to it, I couldn't remember many of the names of the characters I'd created.
And upon revisiting a piece of media I'd enjoyed, I find myself wondering if I had skipped an episode or chapter, or if I had zoned out completely the first time through.

>>21666594
It is easier concentrating on reading when you are in a peaceful and quiet place.

>>21666679
No need drugs to treat your dopamine seeking behavior.
Quit social media, stop refreshing /lit/ and dont go onto Discord every 10 min; lastly, start reading.

1. Try memorization techniques, as explained by >>21667693
2. Try annotating and mentally summarizing parts and details of the book to yourself
3. Try quitting screens and instant gratification, eat healthy, stay hydrated, and get proper sleep. Make reading an enjoyable, well-lighted, and calm—but not boring— daily routine and try to read slowly, with absolute focus on the substance of the book. Start off with easier books if you aren’t used to difficult literature.
4. Go to a doctor and ask about attention deficit or memory issues

>>21666594
Stupid frogposter.

>>21667693
So I should read the book multiple times to remember it at certain intervals?

>>21667904
Thank you!

>>21671278
As I understand recalling something will always higher the chance of it becoming long term memory but recalling at those instances would have the most affect.

Luxury op luxury

imagine reading a book and already after 2 chapters you can’t remember who someone is when their name gets mentioned. And as the story goes on there is more and more people you can’t remember who they are and you have to try and decipher what the plot not remembering half of what has happened. Only then will you know true suffering.

>>21671409
it's terrible to be introduced to like twelve fucking people at the start of a book only for the next 200 pages to be dedicated to only a handful of them just for the rest of the gang to show up after that and only for a single chapter. what the fuck is the author thinking, this is a joke.

>>21671422
i'll admit i was thinking of dostoevsky's 'the idiot' when writing this

>>21668447
consult a psychiatrist

>>21666594
as long as you enjoyed it while you were reading that is what matters . maybe something from it will influence your subconscious . Move on my friend and try another story . Not everything has to be remembered

>>21671278
Space out your reading and start every session by doing active recall and trying to remember what you've read so far. Just try to recollect what each chapter was about or go through an outline of events in order, and if that gets too easy add some artificial difficulty by trying to remember all the segments involving a specific character or whatever. People hate the idea of doing active recall, partly because it takes effort but mostly because deep down they know it's going to show themselves just how little of what they just read/studies they internalized, but combined with chunking and SR/interleaving is the goat method to remember the outlines of any content

If you want to remember specific things, explicit details like names, dates and locations, you need to become proficient at really boneheaded but useful mnemonics like Dominic O'Brien's, if you want to remember overarching themes, generalities, and expand your awareness of something by teaching yourself to notice patterns that often go below conscious perception, you need to learn how to dissect what you read in novel ways, and if you want to remember the outlines of something you need active recall and spaced repetition

>>21666594
Nothing personel kiddo

>>21667904
As an adhd fag that looks nice, thank you thinker anon wil save

>>21667904
This will make organic chem easier

>don't read book
>remember it anyway

>>21666594