What's your definition of "well read"?

what's your definition of "well read"?

entire western and eastern canon

Somebody who has read all of the classics and has their own opinions about them as well as being able to reference parts without flipping back talking about them in detail.

But, beyond this, they need to have moved beyond the classics. The classics need to be so behind them that they've moved on to a whole new world of literary yearning.

They are ever on the search for new classics, for more obscure works, and finding books that are good that haven't yet stood the test of time to be recommended by everyone can be a hard task. By this point you are making recommendations of obscure works to others, and they are liking them.

You are now well read.

and understanding it

what if they don't understand them because they aren't as well read?

They might never truly understand them. They may have a limited intelligence. Maybe they need some guidance, a teacher/mentor to help them. I can't say, we all find our own ways toward understanding things.

Sometimes you just have to let yourself get older and things will make more sense to you over time, reread them.

but doesn't that prove the term "well read" futile?

because it can always only be YOUR definition of it and it will always be about people getting all your references, thus you'd have to expect them to have read all the same books you have and have interpreted them all in the exact same way?

Well, you did ask what MY definition of well read was. And yes it will always be subjective. Think of the many liberal arts majors who think they're intelligent and superior because they got a piece of paper that says they read every book ever on gender. It doesn't mean shit to anyone who bothered to study anything of substance.


Being able to cite off classics and in your own words summarize them isn't enough in literature. You need to develop your own tastes and opinions about those tastes. Nobody into literature will care to hear the same names or opinions repeatedly.

i did. because i am aware that it's subjective.

you're right.
how would you describe the difference between summarizing and forming individual opinions?

What's that in the picture?

What is the Eastern Canon?

mold under a microscope

Read more than me

Anyone who has read less than me is a pleb

>how would you describe the difference between summarizing and forming individual opinions?

I think that being able to summarize comes first and more importantly. If you can find yourself reading a classic work and drawing the same conclusions described to a similar standard as agreed upon literary experts then you can begin to feel comfortable applying that level of scrutiny to other works, or even developing new theories entirely. I'm not saying that you have to have the same exact opinion, but if it differs from the academic depictions then it should be well reasoned and convincing.

I just think its important for people to view things through the lens of ones more well read than themselves before trusting their own perception solely. You can trust that once you reach this level the academics you once looked up to and the peers on your level will be able to see your view and detach their bias in the assessment of it, too.

irrelevant

Completely. Anyone who actually reads and gets this affirmation knows that it's never a conpliment.

Agrees with me.

If you disagree with me on any topic you are obviously lacking in education and should read more.

kek

has read IJ

ching chong macca dangdang

anyone who reads outside of their comfort zone. and they read stuff across a range of forms. magazines, fiction, non-fiction, biography, semi-biographical, essays, articles, plays, poems etc. reading to the point where genre is no longer the main driving force behind your reading. i feel that if you stick to exclusively reading from one of these you run the risk of becoming a bore.

Well first off you need to have gone to college. Anyone who thinks they can become well read without a college education is delusional.

That's a load of bullshit.

You read koans until satori.

Slime mold (not a fungus)

If they get my Gregory Berrycone reference.

these days? anyone who reads more than one book a year.

when they can understand my poetry

user probably means "non-Western canon(s)". or he would if he knew what the fuck he was talking about. there's a vague chance he's studying for the imperial examinations over a century too late.

When you no longer care about being considered "well read"

That's kind of sad now that I think about it.