/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.4255943]

Read books, they said. This will make you an interesting conversationalist, they said.

[Anonymous No.4255944]

GET BACK HERE I HAVEN'T FINISHED TELLING YOU ABOUT HEGEL'S THEORY OF HISTORY YET

[Anonymous No.4255946]

Seeing shitty threads, they said. This will make you a horrible person, they said.

[Anonymous No.4255982]

I'd say it had quite the opposite effect on me.

[Anonymous No.4255996]

It's a rabbit

[Anonymous No.4256000]

>>4255943
Books have ruined my life. Although I am only twelve, I now have the papery and frail skin of an eighty year old man. If only I went outside and played with the other children.

[Anonymous No.4256002]

>>4255996
Go fuck yourself...

[Anonymous No.4256004]

Oh, it's great, the whole book is based around this idea of Pavlovian conditioning and response in the military, and there's this amazing scene where the author compares a flower's blossom to the cunt of a woman and oh...
>implying grills want to hear about what interests you and not what interests them

[Ow, my sides ... No.4256005]

>>4255944

Thus spake /lit/

[Anonymous No.4256009]

>>4255996
HAHA LE EPIC TROLLE :DDDDDDD U STATUS = TROLLED :DDDDDD

[Anonymous No.4256015]

>Be shy introvert
>Read all day long because I actually like reading, unlike /lit/
>Never talk all that much
>"Fuck, I wish people talked to me! I have so much cool shit to say."
>"Hey anon, what you thinking about?"
>"Oh um, uh...well I'm uh, oh uh you see. Nevermind, it's nothing."
Every fucking time.

[Anonymous No.4256017]

Does anyone have any tips on how to practice to become a better orator? I'm so bad at speaking that I can't even tell a joke. The reason for this, I guess, is that the act of speaking itself takes me so much focus that there's no room left to focus on recollecting my thoughts. I can't speak for longer than 5 seconds at a time, and if I try people immediately lose interest on what I'm saying.

[Anonymous No.4256021]

Someone asked me to explain who Brion Gyson was earlier today. Then they invited me to a club. I didn't go.

[Anonymous No.4256065]

>>4256017

>tfw same problem so have developed my ability to deliver and think of one-liners to compensate but still can't say anything of substance in front of a group of people

[Anonymous No.4256068]

>>4256015
When I'm drunk with friends, I usually start relating the mundane conversation topics to philosophy or literature. It often leads to people staring at me silently until I realize how autistic I look. Then I shut up and I wonder why the fuck did I start bringing up interesting stuff to the conversation instead of pretend I'm listening to the boring shit everybody talks about only to have an excuse to interact with other people.

[Anonymous No.4256073]

>>4256015
iktf
>tfw a grill told me to stop being awkward

[Anonymous No.4256134]

>>4256068
That's because you associate with plebs.

[Anonymous No.4256148]

>>4256073
>tfw I'm famous among my friend for my humor, wit, spirit and culture, and people actually like me for that
>tfw I get smart girls thanks to that
>tfw /lit has no pics for those feels because people there are surrounded by retards IRL

[Anonymous No.4256149]

>>4256068

:( you need new friends brah

[Anonymous No.4256318]

>>4256068
My whole life in that post anon, my whole life. I start talking and about 2 minutes in Bob is day dreaming, one is listening, but looks lost or has that "what the fuck are you saying" eye brow posture, and the rest are unresponsive towards the end


My friend stopped complaining to me because I just cite philosophy and famous authors and figures quotes.

[Celebes !!NWFwVGUkpTc No.4256333]

>>4256015
Protip: you aren't unique for reading

Protip: you don't have cool shit to say

Protip: you aren't awkward, just really uninteresting and deep down you know it

[Anonymous No.4256369]

>what's on your mind anon

How dare this scoundrel question me? Her plan to show me up in front of the crowd and expose me for the fool I am. No! Not this time I will stomp on her small intellect, I spit on her obvious derision. Has she no shame?

>oh nothing
>oh okay

[Anonymous No.4256384]

it sounds like you guys are angry that when you spew random crap about high brow fiction and philosophy you've read out of context and in an inappropriate conversation no one gives a shit about your poorly half formed stupid thoughts. i wonder why.

[Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ No.4256696]

"My dear doctor" I [Pechorin] said. "What what a dull place the world would be if there were no fool. Here we are, two intelligent men, who know you can argue eternally about everything under the sun, so we don't argue. We each know practically all the other's innermost thoughts. With us a single word speaks volumes. We see through the triple outer husk to the kernel of our emotions. So there can be no exchange of feelings or ideas between us -- we each know all we want to know about the other and have no wish to know more. All we can do is tell each other the news. Have you got any to tell me?"

[Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ No.4256710]

>>4256696
Uhg. Forgot the credit. Here.

[Anonymous No.4257146]

>>4256017
Practise speaking. There is no way to get better than to practise speaking. Expect to be terrible at it in the beginning but, like all skills, the more hours you put in, the better you will get.

[Anonymous No.4257159]

anyone else have this problem where you constantly have to clear your throat after a while? like i can start the day off with a smooth voice, but hours later my voice is all muffled and i can't get the smoothness back.

[Anonymous No.4257176]

>>4256004
>implying people want to hear about what interests you and not what interests them

[Anonymous No.4257183]

>>4256015
>"Fuck, I wish people talked to me! I have so much cool shit to say."
>"Hey anon, what you thinking about?"
>"I'm thinking, fuck, I wish people talked to me! I have so much cool shit to say."

[Anonymous No.4257194]

>>4256017
Look for Debate Club in vicinity. That shit will help you fight you social anxiety, teach you form an argument that people can actually understand and last but not least it's fun.

[Anonymous No.4257196]

>>4257194
Also, you get to argue about politics, ethics and philosophy with assholes like you.

[Anonymous No.4257202]

>>4256017

do what cicero did

>realize that a mighty trumpet will sound the greatest blow and get /fit/
>speak while under distraction
>focus on medium pitch and delivery with a bare minimum of high and low tones, in order to give them greater weight
>memorize everything, never write anything down. remember a speech or joke or anecdote like you would remember walking through a building
>remember that what you say matters not, it is all about how you say it
>never give an audience everything, leave them wanting more

[Anonymous No.4257267]

>>4256710
Do you have this passage in Russian?

[Anonymous No.4257270]

>>4257159
You need to learn how to speak from diaphragm, man. You're are putting two much strain on your vocal chords. It's bad for them.

[Anonymous No.4257385]

>tfw so good at rhetoric you change people's lives depending on what mood you are in
>tfw you look into their eyes and you see how you have blown their minds
>tfw you detect the slight moisture the waitress creates because of the mere shards of conversation she picks up
>tfw people at other tables start respectfully listening in
>tfw you get people to laugh in bursts like a comedian while making philosophical points exactly when you want too

Thus is why I only socialise once a month. I give them too much.

[Anonymous No.4257414]

>>4257267
Not him but here it is:

- Заметьте, любезный доктор, - сказал я, - что без дураков было бы на свете очень скучно!.. Посмотрите, вот нас двое умных людей; мы знаем заране, что обо всем можно спорить до бесконечности, и потому не спорим; мы знаем почти все сокровенные мысли друг друга; одно слово - для нас целая история; видим зерно каждого нашего чувства сквозь тройную оболочку. Печальное нам смешно, смешное грустно, а вообще, по правде, мы ко всему довольно равнодушны, кроме самих себя. Итак, размена чувств и мыслей между нами не может быть: мы знаем один о другом все, что хотим знать, и знать больше не хотим. Остается одно средство: рассказывать новости. Скажите же мне какую-нибудь новость.

[Anonymous No.4257454]

Well, people don't always want to listen to many things.
For instance, last night I was about to start talking about the notion of property from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, and most of them asked me to stop because it's boring as shit.

Oh well, at least I have one friend with whom I can talk about these and have a very rich moment.

[Anonymous No.4257484]

>>4256134
The feels are so awful
>dat feel when your friend didn't know who Kafka was

[Anonymous No.4257490]

>>4257183
Cheeky cunt.

[Anonymous No.4257619]

>>4257490
I actually have a friend who liked to talk about how smart interesting and profound he was. There were actually people who were happy to listen to him.

[Anonymous No.4257677]

>>4255996
You will commit suicide.

[Anonymous No.4257701]

It doesn't annoy me especially but I have come to a realisation that people are very narcissistic and self-involved and that talking about things that aren't them doesn't appeal. That is the crux of the issue and I'd like to weigh in with some comment about contemporary culture but it'd be pseudo-rific, though I'm sure you can appreciate what it may involve. Typically the difference between myself and others is that I tend to talk about things external and they tend to talk about things internal. In the past few years I've adopted a questioning-method where I'll often begin or continue fleeting conversations with people (friends, work-colleagues, etc) by asking questions (usually related to the topic at hand unless I'm being completely off-key). I would say that about 90% of people respond merrily to being able to talk about themselves or their feelings about said thing (i.e. their life) but only 10% will end by asking a similar question back.

Very few people like to talk about concepts and things which they aren't part of.

[Anonymous No.4257717]

>>4257701
As much as this is true, I'm guilty of losing interest (or insterting myself to gain interest) in some conversations. Some conversations with some people will always be superficial, personal and revolving around themselves. There are a goodfew that I know that just discuss, as is, as an observer.

[Anonymous No.4257721]

>>4257484
>When drunk at parties, I can always find people who will go into indepth discussions about ethics, social politics and philosophy.
>nobody ever wants to talk about books and movies though
>when I do, nobody understands and I just really suck at articulating
>tfw I live in germany
>tfw I have studiously complied vocabulary in english
>tfw I try to translate it into german and I sound retarded
>tfw I have the ability and the environment with which I can hold meaningful and intelligent conversation, even with drunk strangers at a party
>tfw it's me who falls short

[Anonymous No.4257724]

>>4257721

[Anonymous No.4257750]

>>4256068
Just a thought, you might do this already and your friends might very well be of lesser mental capacity.

Try asking questions that begs philosophical contemplation in the subject of the conversation instead of lecturing them on "what they are really discussing" don't label it by namedropping exotic names and who said what, just merely throw out the question and let them try to build on it.

I found this often as a good method, since I don't scare them into thinking what they say might be wrong. Most people actually enjoy going deep, if they think they are just talking bullshit when in reality the conversation is on a much higher level. Then if they say themselves that some subject is interesting you can suggest some literature, if you know any, that explores the subject, and who knows, they might actually be grateful to you. Just remember to make room for their 'uneducated' opinions.

Instead of you coming off as a pretentious douche who want to show how knowledgable you are and getting in conflict with their egos.

This works for me most of the time.

[Anonymous No.4257769]

“Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.”

[Anonymous No.4257774]

>>4257750
Well, I get what you mean, but I don't do that or noticed anybody else doing that.

It just always sorts of evolves into these things. Somebody says something and somebody will say, "well, yeah, but I think..." or "No, you have to consider..." but the problem is, is that I get really excited and I have a hard time articulating exactly what I think, especially when being an american in Germany, I think and reference things that don't translate well. I never know how well others know their English (although it's almost always higher than I expect) so I try to say everything in German, meaning I have to think, converse and translate all at once, usually drunk, and it usually leads to a system overload and I just give up.

But still, I usually have a good time, I just sometimes wish I could talk with someone who speaks native English.

[Anonymous No.4257808]

>>4257774
I know the feel, even in my own language, when you can't express the idea you see so clearly in your mind.

Well, your problem is clearly the language barrier and you can only get past it by mastering German.

I was just pointing out that you have to remember how bad it feels to your ego when someone else expose your ignorance, and especially how defensive you can get, some people actually sees conversation as some sort of competition, it's lame, but people actually do it and if that's the problem as I thought your were you have to make room for their competition or else they will destroy the conversation to 'win'.

I don't really have any advice for you about your eager to express yourself other than you clearly already know it, so try to contain it, try bursting the bubble of awkwardness by telling the others that you know you are coming off as an autist (don't use that word though) and maybe it'll lead to some liberating laughter.

[Anonymous No.4258489]

You know what I hate is ppl that just ask questions. Example:
"what are you doing today?"
"I'm just hanging out around cause I'm feeling sick today"
"You're feeling sick today?"
".... yeah"

This is a bad example but does anyone know what I mean?

[Anonymous No.4258519]

>>4258489
>autism

[Anonymous No.4258563]

>>4258519
How do you mean?

[Anonymous No.4258565]

I've found that a good middle ground is the discussion of piracy. Not internet piracy because that bores people who spend >5 hours online a day but good old fashioned raise-the-black-flag piracy. It's interesting enough for most people to get into the conversation and there's enough history behind it for me to have something to do.

[Anonymous No.4258673]

They never read a book it seems, cause that is the image that those who dont read have of those who read.