Post: #1

That would be, The "Knowledge, Arts, and Letters" Lounge.

The 'Game' subforum has the Player's Log / Lounge. AntiTrace recently started the Lifestyle Log/Lounge. And of course, there's the 9,000-post Forum Lounge. Plus the Lovers, Haters, Drunk, and Travel Lounges, which are some of my favorite threads.

In that tradition, here's a lounge for this forum. Post an interesting fact or an educational YouTube video. Wax philosophical on some nerdy shit. Recommend a random piece of literature. Tell us about the luxurious baller chair you kick back in at night for reading*.

* It's been on my mind lately that I need a kickass new chair. I want a comfy ass recliner.

Post: #2

I've always liked the look of the Hans Wegner Ox Chair

Post: #3

I find that if I can't focus on reading, I read it aloud until I slowly get mesmerized by the words and find myself reading silently.

And everyone should read high, at least once. It unlocks something in the brain that can see a different perspective. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner wasn't a ballad about nature and how beautiful it is. It's about redemption. I wrote an entire college paper on that shit: high, tweaked out on adderall and red bull. Got an A.

TOP THAT MUTHA FUCKAS!

Post: #4

I always liked this movie (especially considering it was based on a mere 12-page short story):





Summation: When an Alpha Loses It.

Post: #5

A few thoughts about books I've read...

1. I hope there's solid science behind the Michael Crichton book Timeline. That novel made me believe time travel is possible. Like most Crichton novels it's an easy, entertaining read. But I know little about physics, so who knows if the premise is ever going to be feasible.

2. Carl Sagan's novel Contact started off reasonably, an account of a potential human encounter with extraterrestrial species, but the new-age tone and hero scientist being a woman surrounded by dweebs didn't appeal to me. Most of the book is a slog to read.

3. All Quiet On the Western Front is still my favorite novel. Has anyone read anything Erich Remarque wrote besides that?

Post: #6

(12-12-2013 11:08 PM)Sombro Wrote:  I always liked this movie (especially considering it was based on a mere 12-page short story):





Summation: When an Alpha Loses It.

Yeah, The Swimmer is great, an insane, passionate and inspired movie.

I think many guys here would love it and identify profoundly with Lancaster's character. Lancaster couldn't be any more intense and that's really saying something... he gives it his all.

Haven't thought of this one in a while -- thanks for bringing it up.

Post: #7

Has anyone else has trouble reading Walden? I've always wanted to read it but I find it impossible to understand what I'm reading.

Suggestions?

Cliff notes?

Post: #8

(12-13-2013 12:58 PM)Biz Wrote:  Has anyone else has trouble reading Walden? I've always wanted to read it but I find it impossible to understand what I'm reading.

Suggestions?

Cliff notes?

Cliff Notes or some other guide may help you. I didn't find it to be an easy read, either, so I read it slowly and made sure I understood each paragraph before moving on to the next. Definitely some nuggets of wisdom in there.

Post: #9

I finished "The Culture Of Narcissism" the other night. I slept on a couple nights and I couldn't shake how the book....suddenly ended.

The next to last chapter was good insofar as it called out those ridiculous "trans-humanist" movements. Any healthy society -- or person -- accepts death as a natural part of life. It isn't any surprise my young sister -- a clinical narcissist -- loves Ray Kurzweil, feminism and is a die-hard pro-government individual.

Still, the next-to-last and last chapters are fairly weak. It ended abruptly with a couple paragraphs in the last chapter that already was a meandering mess of already established points and questionable economics. His afterword about 15-20 years later in my edition is great and sums up many of this points.

In the sum, the first four chapters are gold as far identifies the roots of American narcissism and explains how it operates. That is just under 40% of the book (100 of 236). He has a chapter about sports that is very interesting but pales in comparison to his subsequent chapters about education, reproduction and sex relations. Brilliance. The next two chapters are the last ones I talked above.

I think I will read "Sex At Dawn" before going over the book again.

Post: #10

Sounds like a good book, Wycked. I may have to check it out.

I just picked up The Manipulated Man from the library. Gonna knock it out after I finish Anthony Bourdain's Medium Raw. Really looking forward to it.

Post: #11

The Manipulated Man is a great book. There are some threads on the forum discussing it.

It is also very short - you should finish it in a couple of hours.

Post: #12

I struggle to read philosophy. I get an intense urge to study philosophy for about a day - once every couple of weeks. And then it passes.

Really weird. It is like my muse keeps disappearing on me.

Post: #13

I just got all these books for $20 which one should I read first?

edit shitty photo. I got

malcom x a life of reinvention
bleak house
the first global village: how portugal changed the world
remains of the day
freud: civilization and its discontents
freud and mans soul (some short book about freud)
moll flanders
moby dick
complete works of plato
saint augustine confessions
free fall (william golding)
walden (from 1950, cool looking book)
the tipping point
short stories of faulkner
sophocles + euripides (3 plays of each)
a brief history of time (stephen hawking)
dr zhivago (read a while back)


The one good thing about all the old people in this town is that they give tons of good books to this one thrift store. Lots of old/cool looking covers

Post: #14

I vote Bleak House

Post: #15

I don't read fiction. But Remains of the Day was turned into a film. And it is one of the best films I have ever seen.

A Brief History Of Time is a very good book. But might not be as interesting if you have read alot of other popular physics books.

Tipping Point - good stuff there. Malcolm Gladwell is one of the best writers in the world. Really excellent writer.

But my choice would be the book about Portugal. I haven't heard of that book before - but it is definitely the sort of subject matter that I enjoy. I am going to check it out on Amazon.

The Plato books are good fun. But - I dunno'. I would only ever read them when I was in the mood for studying philosophy and reading up on the importance of Plato and his influence and so on. To just read them straight off without context wouldn't be as much fun for me.

Post: #16

I have this weird OCD goal that comes to mind every so often.

I want to slowly work my way through one of those giant encyclopedias of quotations. And then write down a list of the 20 best quotes. And memorize them. There are just so many cool quotes that I get frustrated at the idea of spending my life missing out on the majority of them.

Speaking of good quotes. Just saw this:

"Anger will get a man into trouble, and pride will keep him there" - Mark Twain

Post: #17

(12-14-2013 08:08 PM)cardguy Wrote:  I have this weird OCD goal that comes to mind every so often.

I want to slowly work my way through one of those giant encyclopedias of quotations. And then write down a list of the 20 best quotes. And memorize them. There are just so many cool quotes that I get frustrated at the idea of spending my life missing out on the majority of them.

Speaking of good quotes. Just saw this:

"Anger will get a man into trouble, and pride will keep him there" - Mark Twain

cardguy, check out The Moral Sayings of Publilius Syrus. You can read it on Google books for free. He was a Syrian slave brought to Italy that was later freed. Some worthy quotes in there. I have a few written down, I'll try and share 'em later.

Post: #18

This made me laugh:

Post: #19

(12-12-2013 10:58 PM)Edmund Dantes Wrote:  And everyone should read high, at least once. It unlocks something in the brain that can see a different perspective. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner wasn't a ballad about nature and how beautiful it is. It's about redemption. I wrote an entire college paper on that shit: high, tweaked out on adderall and red bull. Got an A.

Dexamphetamine is probably one of my favourite drugs. I'd like to try get a prescription for it at some point

In general, I recommend that everyone try everything high at least once. Anything that is just interesting or fun in general becomes much more exciting and fun. Things like waterslides, trampolines, reading, movies, swimming, dancing, playing an instrument, singing, etc.. even just walking along some nice quiet spot with nice scenery. It's all great. Really gives you a far greater appreciation for everything.

Does anyone else like to randomly pace about whatever area you're in while you read? Or do you rather sitting still?

Also, awesome band

Refused - New Noise Wrote:How can we expect anyone to listen if we're using the same old voice?
We need new noise, new art for real people

Post: #20

I just ordered my third biography of William Ewart Gladstone. The man was one of a kind when it comes to statesmen. He's probably the best example of a practicing classical liberal in the political sense that I have read about to date. I'm not quite certain of how his legacy is remembered in the UK, but he should be considered a national treasure.

Post: #21

Gladstone had a fierce rivalry with Disraeli.

Here is a famous quote which tells you one of the differences between their personalities:

Quote:Jennie Jerome was Winston Churchill's mother, an American. "When I left the dining room after sitting next to Gladstone, I thought he was the cleverest man in England. But when I sat next to Disraeli I left feeling that I was the cleverest woman."

Post: #22

(12-12-2013 10:58 PM)Edmund Dantes Wrote:  I find that if I can't focus on reading, I read it aloud until I slowly get mesmerized by the words and find myself reading silently.

And everyone should read high, at least once. It unlocks something in the brain that can see a different perspective. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner wasn't a ballad about nature and how beautiful it is. It's about redemption. I wrote an entire college paper on that shit: high, tweaked out on adderall and red bull. Got an A.

TOP THAT MUTHA FUCKAS!

Hah that´s nothing. I read for hours loud. In between I make some karaoke sessions to bring energy and emotion in my voice. I can recommend "I like big butts" from "sir-mix-alot". That song is a game changer. Because of this you can slam dunk people in discussions.

And I am reading also in different languages.


TOP THAT MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!

Post: #23

(12-15-2013 03:41 AM)Architekt Wrote:  

(12-12-2013 10:58 PM)Edmund Dantes Wrote:  And everyone should read high, at least once. It unlocks something in the brain that can see a different perspective. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner wasn't a ballad about nature and how beautiful it is. It's about redemption. I wrote an entire college paper on that shit: high, tweaked out on adderall and red bull. Got an A.

Dexamphetamine is probably one of my favourite drugs. I'd like to try get a prescription for it at some point

In general, I recommend that everyone try everything high at least once. Anything that is just interesting or fun in general becomes much more exciting and fun. Things like waterslides, trampolines, reading, movies, swimming, dancing, playing an instrument, singing, etc.. even just walking along some nice quiet spot with nice scenery. It's all great. Really gives you a far greater appreciation for everything.

Does anyone else like to randomly pace about whatever area you're in while you read? Or do you rather sitting still?

Also, awesome band

Refused - New Noise Wrote:How can we expect anyone to listen if we're using the same old voice?
We need new noise, new art for real people

I read often in standing position, sometimes I do even some shadow boxing to up my energy level. It´s all about energy. Sitting kills.

Post: #24

(12-15-2013 10:15 AM)Bill Wrote:  I read often in standing position, sometimes I do even some shadow boxing to up my energy level. It´s all about energy. Sitting kills.

I find it helps retention and focus. Probably something to do with slight increase in blood flow to the brain or something along those lines

Post: #25

Ernest Hemingway always wrote standing up.