Autodidactism

How do I start teaching myself? Any autodidacts out there?

I want to start learning about literature, science, mathematics, philosophy etc. I have no natural gifts except for gritty determination and a genuine desire for knowledge. Is that enough?

How do I proceed? As this is Veeky Forums, how do I read more. I love reading, but I want to make sure that what I read benefits me. How do I truly understand a text such as Goethe's poetry and not forget 90% of it in a month?

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pick one area to start with, english literature for example. now research what books top universities have their students read in their intro to english lit classes. Make a list of these books.

buy a kindle and pirate these books because you won't be able to afford them.

now lock yourself in a library with your kindle and a note pad. take notes on every concepts and on things you don't understand yet while going through the books.

now do this for a long time.

You just have to spend a lot of time with the material. I taught myself calculus by reading a "for idiots" type book then slogging through Stewart problem by problem. With something like Goethe you could read commentary/secondary stuff in addition to his works.

>I have no natural gifts except for gritty determination and a genuine desire for knowledge. Is that enough?
For me it is.
But there is no use for what've learned.

If something bores you don't bother, read what you genuinely want to know.

>teach me to teach myself
'no'

Google "autodidact general site:yuki.la" and click any of the threads that appear on Veeky Forums from 2017. That should give you the basics. You're welcome.

...

Not teach me, just some helpful advice.

Hey that thread is woke.

No problem. The "How to Think" threads are woke too, though if I had write those posts myself, I would organize them slightly differently. Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow and those self-improvement books are all psychology, for example, just in different ways (one is more mechanical, one is more emotional, if that makes any sense). I would also try to develop a better distinction between the subjects. I would incorporate the pre-calculus, the history, and the Art of Fiction into the same "CORE" IMO, because all of them together would represent the broad basics of thinking.

Bumpin for interest.

'no'

find some like minded people and learn with them. you'll remember things better when you discuss them, and you'll also learn what lends itself to actually being talked about and what is just surface-level appealing.

being an autodidact is great but learning is better in a group setting, philosophy in the west has always been a communal endeavour. literature is more of a solitary thing, but having people to talk with will still benefit you way more than just learning on your own.

find a friend with a university credential and use it to access databases so you can glean secondary sources, if you have no friends or collegeues to discuss things with.

You don't need to be self-conscious about learning on your own. Just read.

You ask how to start and what's even more hilarious how to read more while at the same time speaking of genuine desire for knowledge?

Hey buddy, why has your desire not manifested in any determined effort? Do you know what people who crave knowledge do? They read the Greeks at 14 or teach themselves calculus at 12. Do you think that's because someone told them it's the optimal course of action?

I've been reading online pedias daily for over a fucking decade and I would never describe myself as desiring knowledge. What I desire most of the time is masturbation and sleep. Reading that shit is what I do when I'm bored which is easy when you have no friends.

You see I don't even want to play but even little old me BTFOs you at this game. What about people with just a little more motivation, higher iq?

Fucking sort yourself out and reevaluate your life bucko.

This is the kind of shit that kills threads. Giving useful advice that helps us live the life that we're masturbating about? Now we're all exposed for the charlatans we are. Let. Us. Shitpost. In. Peace.

I'm still young, going to turn 18 in a few months. I have always been curious, it's just that that curiosity has not been manipulated in a systematic manner. I've been depressed for years as well, and that really hampered any productivity. And I'm not saying that as an excuse. I do waste time, and my passion for knowledge is not as strong as some people, but I do want that to change, and I do have a desire to learn.

It's fair to say that I haven't made any real effort so far. By doing so now, I do plan to change my life.

Reminder that your fluid IQ stalls after 22-25.

If you didn't teach yourself before that your train passed.

I've taught myself two languages and I've had the time to read almost the entire western canon.
But I'm lucky since I'm basically just a welfare recipient in the army which gives me like 18 hours a day to do whatever I want.
Idk how I'd do it on wagecuckery.

>tfw your fluid IQ has already stalled
>tfw your crystallized IQ is off the charts

Why can't I teach myself after that? I'm 33, and I'm doing fine. Learning latin, it's going pretty well. I started late too, at 21 I think.

It may be a cliche, but it's never too late to learn. Besides, the acquisition of knowledge is a lifelong project.

I think the second sentence can be ignored, fluid intelligence might be stalled, but that doesn't imply at all that you cannot learn
Though it does seem to be the case that you'll learn faster during your optimal years of fluid IQ

Also, I must note I've never seen an actual study on it, but I've seen the claim that there is no limit to what you can learn. On the other hand you have to remember that your brain does get cleaned and some memories get distorted or removed

Hah. What's gone up your ass this morning?

I have been deeply curious ever since I was a kid, but I've wasted time. I'll admit it. I've struggled with depression and laziness, but I'm willing to put that behind me and change my life, as your post advises.

The problem with autodidacticism is that achieving an expert level proficiency in a subject/field requires a professional commitment, AKA a full-time commitment.

A lot of middle-class strivers whose parents told them they could do anything think they can go work their 32 hour a week job at Wendys to pay rent and then learn piano, lute, the entire indo-european language tree, linocutting, 5 star cooking, carpentry, have a working knowledge of world literature, contribute to criticism, and get Veeky Forums all in their free time, without realizing that their just dooming themselves to whatever is several levels worse than dilettantism.

First rule of thumb: develop your focus. Can you read for 2-4 hours at a time? How much do you get out of your reading right now? You're going to have pick 1 or 2 areas to start with so that you aren't spreading your efforts too thin. Think about the quality of your study rather than the quantity, the efficient "getting things done" attitude.

Second, think of it as developing your skills, in reading, thinking, questioning, writing, etc. Much of the world can read but is functionally aliterate. I was listening to an Alan Watts lecture about pleasure, and he made the rather insightful claim that doing something very well precedes any kind of genuine pleasure--you can't buy it, you can only develop your skill daily and habitually as a reward in and of itself.

Here it is if it interests you: youtube.com/watch?v=di5bbTnC4pk

I'm teaching myself guitar right now, at 22, and at first I thought I was hopeless. After a month of spending only about ~5 hours a day practicing, I already see dramatic improvement. There's nothing like the feeling of getting a little less shitty at something every day.

I've been playing guitar since I was 8 years old and I'd probably burst out laughing if I heard you play.

Start here khanacademy.org

So? At least he's practicing. Why you gotta be a douche?

5 or 6 hours a day is enough for me. I'm not so lucky that I can mooch off my parents for the rest of my life. Achieving proficiency in anything is about consistency, the time you put into it only determines how fast it is done. And if it is done too quickly, you probably won't be much of an expert. It takes time to be an expert.

What's wrong with autodidactism with a no bullshit attitude? If you set standards for yourself and know how to find the right resources, autodidactism shouldn't be a problem and might leave you more knowledgeable than a lot of the less passionate experts.

Wagner didn't start composing until he was 18. If that guy works harder than you, he'll be the one laughing.

Because autodidactism is work and not leisure and you aren't going to realistically work 2 full time jobs especially when you aren't seeing any returns.

And then Wagner turned around and literally LOL'd at Nietzsche's amateur compositions.
If anything you're making more of an argument for talent than you an argument for self-improvement.
So don't lecture me about being a douche. I know what I'm doing.

The though thing about autodidactism is that it requires a lot of discipline to work, since you will have to use a few hours of the day to study in order to have some noticeable improvements. I tried to start studying philosophy and whatnot, and although I was not really struggling with it, I had a hard time fighting procrastination.
It's just a lot easier to take classes in your area of interest, since you are passively learning from a person who has studied that already. But I definitely see the appeal of studying your arse off and becoming a polymath.

>work not leisure
i take pleasure in my work, check mate.

>I'm an uebermensch who gains energy by expending energy

You have to be 18 to post here.

Nietzsche wasn't a proper musician though, an amateur at best.

I'm going to be controversial - hard work wins.

Knowledge is its own return you miserable faggot.

i really don't feel and see it that way. i expend energy anyway, why not learn at the same time? its fun, rewarding. i really don't see it as a work

>If you didn't teach yourself before that your train passed.

total bullshit. one of the israeli prime ministers taught himself ancient Greek after he retired, as an old man.

>Israeli
so he was already supersmarts before he started degrading at 22-25.

that only reinforces my point.

If you don't understand why it's work then you're still at the absolute beginner stage.

>I know what I'm doing.

being a huge cunt on the internet? you're definitely doing that

Heh, I self-study a diverse range of fields, but I cannot push myself to learn (more) mathematics nor even learn to properly understand philosophy
Though philosophy has low priority to me since I prefer emperical science

if you don't understand i can take pleasure in my work then you are still at the absolute embryo state of arbeit

If you haven't become consumed and obsessed by your work to the point where it's no longer work, then you were never more than a glorified dilettante at best. Where do you think works of genius come from?

oh so now the point isn't that you're fucked after your mid 20's to learn new things, its that if you're smart you can learn new things at any age no matter how old you are

somehow i didnt get that from your original post hmm must be my reading comprehension

No, I'm saying the Israeli most likely had already actualized his fluid IQ potential unlike most of Veeky Forums since the Isreali PM definitely didn't waste his first 20 years in shitty American public schools or liberal cuckold universities.

Yeah I'm sure you're a working genius.

True, you make a good point. It reminds me of something I read about 'genius': how a genius isn't made with just IQ, but by the combination of multiple factors such as perseverance, diligence, courage, talent, passion etc. Which makes them so rare, because intelligent but lazy bastardy are very common.

Goethe definitely would not have been so influential if he slept and ate all day.

>he never read a single biography about a genius
>he has never spoken with a genius
>he isn't a genius
>he doesn't know that we all have a little genius inside of us
Brainlette. Go back to your wageslave day job and leave the autodidactism to the real philosophers.

exactly, this is why neets will never be great at anything, since if they were actually talented at their interests they would turn pro and no longer be neet

I feel bad for you man, you've never truly enjoyed doing something.

>t-that sure got him!
He says after realizing that his self-limiting beliefs caused him a lifetime of regret.

You can never have the motivation to continue studying if you treat autodidactism as a job. You WILL get tired of it unless you truly enjoy it.

See the funny thing is I know people like you, who have spent years learning and mastering the instrument--the most talented guitarist I know literally wears a fedora and tried to lecture me about how business--his field of study--structures everything, is super important, blah blah blah... He literally said to me, "I don't want to think deeply about everything man." And his music taste is, I don't know, missing something to say the least.

I'm not trying to be a world class musician, I just want to understand and appreciate music deeply so that I can express myself through it.

Nigga I can promise you one thing you aint know no one like me.

oh yeah? and so how many hits did your guitar tapping cover of the super mario theme song get on youtube oh shredmeister von serious-musician?

The amount of Yous I reaped in this thread will provide me with enough nourishment to learn at least 2 further foreign languages.
How does it feel knowing that my vampiric genius is leeching your genius of all its mana?

I'll you what you don't know: one's limitations are also one's possibilities.

wasting time learning foreign languages when augmented reality translators are less than a decade away...hey at least you'll be able to complain about robots stealing all ur jobs with shutin neets in 4 continents

Most important part of the autodidact general :

1. Eat well. Limit simple carbohydrates in favor of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats with balanced omega 3, protein. Consume plenty of vegetables and some fruit. Limit sugars to an absolute minimum.

2. Exercise daily. At least 20-30 minutes of moderate cardio to improve memory, energy, and thinking. Lifting optional for /fitlit/izens.

3. Sleep well. Establish a consistent sleeping schedule and do your best to never deviate from it. 7-8+ hours, preferably in intervals of 1.5 hours (7.5 hours, 9 hours, etc.) are optimal for adults. If you work hard and limit brightness at night, this should be no problem.

4. Establish good working habits to promote flow state. Pomodoro timers, StayFocused app, earplugs/noise-canceling headphones, discarding smartphones, going to libraries, etc., whatever it takes to concentrate and stop procrastinating.

5. Keep a journal. Start with making a simple task list in the morning and commenting about your day in the evening. Progress with more and more thoughts as you continue your habit.

6. Meditate daily. At least 5 minutes of mindfulness meditation per day in the morning and evening in order to reduce stress, improve concentration, and regulate emotions.

7. Keep order. Keep yourself clean, keep your working space reasonably ordered (after use), and ensure that everything has its place. A good organizational system pays dividends in projects with many moving parts, like when attempting to synthesize large amounts of information together.

8. Pick up a practical hobby or skill. Learn an instrument. Become a hiking expert. Learn to cook. Fix your own house. Being involved in the world is a perfect chance to apply your newfound knowledge and remain connected with reality. Immerse yourself in a foreign language. We learn to solve problems, among other things, so keep this purpose in mind.

A problem that doesn't get brought up is access to information and easiness to find it.

Everyone says that the internet leaves everything at your fingertips, but it's so filled with junk that it's quite a task sifting through it, plus academic stuff being behind paywalls ect

So it's not even just finding the time to digest information and working on stuff, but even finding the right information in the first place

Yeah, I guess people like Da Vinci and Goethe had an advantage over our generation since they didn't have the internet. Good point there, user.

Libraries, my afro-american friend. Internet should only be used for supplementary information. There is a reason you only quote books and published papers in academia and not websites.

Underrated. It's tough to find gems beneath the piles of garbage. Anons, post your resources too.
Like this guy. Great website.

>he thinks I shred
>still hasn't figured out that electric guitar is nothing but a toy

>>still hasn't figured out that electric guitar is nothing but a toy

ok maybe u aren't a total retard after all

Electric guitar is awesome, but yeah "shredding" is for teens and manchildren.

The internet replaces all libraries. Finding books isnt difficult.

haha, no

>he doesn't know how to think

good advice

Hello OP. You have taken an admirable initiative and I hope you'll grow on a personal level from your studies. I will list a couple of essential considerations based on my personal experience. I will try to keep them short.

1). Hard work naturally requires persistence, which is easily prone to fade away without a clarified drive -- cultivating a love for labor based on your personal principles should be your first objective; you need a single focal point in which the most diverse rays will be gathered.

2). The concept of a 'paradigm' is of immense importance to understand. When reading firsthand sources, you'll want to emphasize with the author by immersing yourself in his worldview, to step in his shoes so to speak, rather than being a detached observer. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn is an excellent read in this regard.

3). When reading secondhand sources, keep a keen and analytical eye out for the ideological bias of the author, as this can often interpret a firsthand source in a radically different way and distort the historical context. Academics aren't infallible; they are prone to omit certain elements, put too much emphasis on a certain subject in lieu of everything else, or simply giving too much credence to their half-assed speculations. Academia is everything but a unified field that agrees with itself - on the contrary, it's often a polemical clusterfuck of a cafeteria foodfight.

4). There are major revolutionaries - game changers, so to speak - in the various fields of philosophy, theology, politics, science, literature and so forth. Familiarize yourself with these authors, their influences, legacy and the historical evolution. You don't have to start at the beginning of this chain; feel free to study whoever intrigues you. Chances are you'll hit a wall eventually and be that more determined to understand their predecessors.

5). Be selective about what you read - there is no such thing as being self taught, you're simply keeping company with dead authors and books. It is difficult to unlearn something you've bonded with emotionally by having invested your time and energy. Postpone studying intricate topics until you've developed a critical sense.

This advice pertains specifically to literature, which I strongly assume would be your starting point for other practical studies. I can't tell you how to structure your life. As long as you got your heart in the right place and a good head on your shoulders, you should be fine.

Wow, thanks for giving me a smile. Genuinely grateful.

What's so wrong about It?

I've been playing guitar my whole life and wouldn't burst out laughing at a beginner. All your post tells me is that either you are a pseud or a drooling douche bag who isn't as good as he thinks he is. Either scenario is possible, there are a lot of douche bags in the music scene.

I was just reading this Hegel book I'm trying to (finally) understand, five minutes ago, and only in the last day or so have I really felt like I have a grasp on Hegel, for the first time in years. I always knew tidbits about him or about how he was employed by others, but I never really GOT Hegel, and I knew nobody else does either. So this is my first interaction with a contemporary, would-be authoritative attempt at "What Hegel Actually Meant," and it's been brutally, mind-breakingly difficult to understand.

But I finally had the breakthrough (where your mind finally goes "ohhhhhhh, that's what all of this means" and it all clicks into place) like yesterday, so I was thinking: How would I have advised myself to do this years ago, when I was just learning who Hegel was and I obviously would have appreciated having such an understanding?

I tried to think of the pros and cons of various approaches, but in the end every approach came down to this basic maxim: "Just keep reading, and you'll get it eventually." I wouldn't have understood this shit if it hadn't been for a very vague and nebulous skillset in a hundred other areas of philosophy, that I've gained by haphazardly reading my way through the discipline. Bad books can be as useful as good books, if you read them right. Mistaken interpretations provide the ground for correct ones, later on. The answer really is always just: Keep fucking reading.

I think the only thing college did for me was force me to do this, to keep reading, and to keep reading lots of things rather than becoming provincialised. As long as you're serious, and you make a life's work out of being an autodidact, there's literally no reason you can't do it.

In fact, if you really pull it off you'll be way better off than most college kids, because most of them read the bare minimum skeletal framework of talking points required to pass exams, and don't contextualise anything. They never reach those critical mass moments when islands of knowledge crash into each other and you realise you've been limning a greater whole all along. Even grad students mostly "keep reading" only until they get to grad school, and then ultra-specialise in something incredibly narrow.

So yeah, just keep reading broadly, widely, keep relating it, and always take it seriously. Don't think of it in bourgeois ways, like "I want to be better-read so I can show off at parties."

Yeah, I agree with this. I went to college and didn't learn anything even remotely profound. Reading has been my true education.

Just have determination op. You'll get there if you achieve consistency. Fight laziness.

This. It's the only way to be good at something.

Just sick it up and do it fag

You can do it! Just beleeve :)

>plus academic stuff being behind paywalls ect
That used to be a problem for me
Nowadays not so, a lot of google scholar papers have pdf and there is another way around it

>Reading has been my true education

This here, OP.
Just read and read anything and everything.
Find a good book on a subject you're interested about or Philosophy and just read

Try reading Richard Paul's work. Search for "Critical thinking foundation", you will find free explanations on what his system is. It will allow you to learn better. I got good grades with it. It's simple, it looks obvious, but you will understand how good it is only if you actually use it.

There's a lot of results and versions. Is there a good primer you would recommend? What system are you talking about? Seems odd that you could take general principles and turn it into a studying habit (which doesn't really require critical thinking all too often).

Help me help you. HELP ME HELP YOU

do a lot of people here just skim things all the time and never actually finish books or works? Is this necessarily bad?

pls mr what do you recommend ;_;

Start. Read a bunch. Formulate a plan based off of how your reading is going. Interact with people smarter than you. Notice their habits. Insist of yourself that you follow their habits when you find yourself not following them. You will also interact with dilettantes. Notice their habits too. Insist of yourself that you stop what you're doing when you see yourself adopting their habits. Continue.

You just dropped something useful and walked away. How dare you...

BRO WHAT DID YOU LEARN v.v

Yes if you want a fully realized understanding. Eg Existentialism can be summarized very shortly as a person creating their own meaning to their lives. This doesn't really cover at all how this idea is realized or it's underlying concepts/basis of the conclusion, so you can't really explore it's faults or even discuss it with people.

Are you fucking kidding me?

Skimming never works. You'll get the general gist of it, but you won't properly understand.

BRAAAPing for interest

This thread is old and dead. BRAAAP this thread instead:

library card and Veeky Forums essentials