Unofficial What are you Reading Thread?

[Placid Dingo]

I've read some of the histories of herodotus and that's definitely a recurring theme.

"now I think this is bullshit but what they tell me is..."

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I've read some of the histories of herodotus and that's definitely a recurring theme.

"now I think this is bullshit but what they tell me is..."

I heard it from my brother's girlfriend's cousin, who knew a guy that was there.

[EK WAFFLR]

Ive only read Cats Cradle but Slaughterhouse Five is meant to be phenomenal.

Slaughterhouse 5 IS phenomenal,
Actually most his books are great.

I'm into a "read different stuff in different places" mood. I have the bible by my computer, I'm rereading Illuminatus! on the john, Down Under by Bill Bryson on the sofa, The Garden of the Righteous, a collection of stories about Mohammed the prophet by Muhyi al-Din al-Nawawi, written in the 13th century, while in bed, and Philip Kerr's Field Grey on the bus/train. 

[DiscoRadio]

Right now I'm reading the sixth Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy Book. Douglas Adams not being the author is still a serious drawback, but I found it for 4 bucks and Colfer manages to be funny and insightful enough.

Hoping to pick up the second Hunger Games book soon (actually what I was looking for when I bought And Another Thing) since the first one was a pretty thrilling romp with decent themes and popular YA novels are great for making small talk.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I started reading The Hunger Games, and it was quite interesting, as far as I made it. I hope to eventually finish it

[EK WAFFLR]

Right now I'm reading the sixth Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy Book. Douglas Adams not being the author is still a serious drawback, but I found it for 4 bucks and Colfer manages to be funny and insightful enough.

I found ...And Another Thing to be a respectful and worthy end to the Hitchiker's trilogy of five.

[Reeducation]

Just read (again) Cosmic Trigger 1-3, Quantum Psychology and Prometheus Rising by RAW.
When I first read these, my english was not so good and things were new and interesting, but now I get the message:
8-circuits in my ass.

It's like when you take psychedelics and you go all WOAH, this is real, but then after a while you understand it's not.

Right now, I'm:   

And if somebody is offended, I'm sorry, but it's time to wake up. Again.

edit: I never believed that there were 8-circuits or any circuits, but like many I believed I could "use" that model to "improve something". But it's impossible to "use" models, because they do not exist. All you can do, is to spin them around inside your head. That's about it. With every model.

Yes, I know.  All those maps we had in the army were just used as modern art.

UNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG!

1.  You're a fucking idiot.  Which model do you think advertisers and political action groups use?  Do you dispute that they are in fact effective?

2.  You're a fucking idiot.  If you were "sorry for offending people", you wouldn't have followed the apology with a fucking condescending remark.

Now fuck off.

I think you misunderstanded something.
I meant psychological/mental models. Ones like 8-circuit, ego/id, shadow, gods and that kind of stuff. I thought it was obvious, because I was talking about the 8-circuit model. And the 8-circuit model is only in your head, not out there and you can't bring it out from your head and put it to use except in words. Unlike maps and other concrete things like a plan to invade some country. Those things can be put to action and that's a different thing.

Also english is my second language. Just saying.

[DiscoRadio]

Just read (again) Cosmic Trigger 1-3, Quantum Psychology and Prometheus Rising by RAW.
When I first read these, my english was not so good and things were new and interesting, but now I get the message:
8-circuits in my ass.

It's like when you take psychedelics and you go all WOAH, this is real, but then after a while you understand it's not.

Right now, I'm:   

And if somebody is offended, I'm sorry, but it's time to wake up. Again.

edit: I never believed that there were 8-circuits or any circuits, but like many I believed I could "use" that model to "improve something". But it's impossible to "use" models, because they do not exist. All you can do, is to spin them around inside your head. That's about it. With every model.

Yes, I know.  All those maps we had in the army were just used as modern art.

UNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG!

1.  You're a fucking idiot.  Which model do you think advertisers and political action groups use?  Do you dispute that they are in fact effective?

2.  You're a fucking idiot.  If you were "sorry for offending people", you wouldn't have followed the apology with a fucking condescending remark.

Now fuck off.

I think you misunderstanded something.
I meant psychological/mental models. Ones like 8-circuit, ego/id, shadow, gods and that kind of stuff. I thought it was obvious, because I was talking about the 8-circuit model. And the 8-circuit model is only in your head, not out there and you can't bring it out from your head and put it to use except in words. Unlike maps and other concrete things like a plan to invade some country. Those things can be put to action and that's a different thing.

Also english is my second language. Just saying.

I see what you mean here. Personally, I derive some use from esoteric "facts" and figures. If a paradigm seems to apply to a situation, and I haven't dismissed said paradigm as totally fucking retarded, I tend to use it for metaphorical guidance.

What's your first language?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I think you misunderstanded something.
I meant psychological/mental models.

I fail to see any difference at all.

[moose]

I have a bad habit of reading multiple books at once until I get really sucked into one. Right now I have several up in the air, including Walt Whitman complete works, Complete works of HP Lovecraft, retracing the King in Yellow, been reading Foucault History of Madness and The Order of Things. Anybody know of any genuinely good horror stuff? Im on a bit of a kick there.

[Jasper]

Reeducation, if you'd said that the 8 circuit theory was bad based on it not making predictions, or being unfalsifiable, or made some kind of argument based on its quality as a theory like that, then maybe people would have responded better.  Instead, you gave them "8 circuits in my ass".

We all have fun making fun of RAW, but still many people here do respect him.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Reeducation, if you'd said that the 8 circuit theory was bad based on it not making predictions, or being unfalsifiable, or made some kind of argument based on its quality as a theory like that, then maybe people would have responded better.  Instead, you gave them "8 circuits in my ass".

We all have fun making fun of RAW, but still many people here do respect him.

RAW didn't come up with that.  Timothy Leary did...But after he was turned into a clown, RAW decided to popularize it, with Leary's full permission. 

[Jasper]

Oops.  I just skimmed the wiki as I was posting that, and one of the facts got mixed up in my head. 

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Oops.  I just skimmed the wiki as I was posting that, and one of the facts got mixed up in my head.

Nobody would have known who Socrates was, if it wasn't for Plato.

Just saying.

[Reeducation]

Reeducation, if you'd said that the 8 circuit theory was bad based on it not making predictions, or being unfalsifiable, or made some kind of argument based on its quality as a theory like that, then maybe people would have responded better.  Instead, you gave them "8 circuits in my ass".

We all have fun making fun of RAW, but still many people here do respect him.

Yes I worded the thing badly. And don't get me wrong, I respect the dude as well, but I just see his books as a one long zen koan.
I can't really explain it better.

edit: Of course I could be wrong. I don't know.