Do any of you guys have the problem where you feel there's so many subjects you want to explore through its literature and various texts but you know that if you don't focus on a couple, then you'll always end up becoming a dilettante with cursory information?
There are so many fields I want to learn more about through lit but it's daunting and I'll never strive to any sort of "excellence" or expertise in things I love if I don't pursue a few with full-force.
Even polymaths in their day would say things like, "Medicine is no hard and thorny science, like mathematics and metaphysics, so I soon made great progress; I became an excellent doctor and began to treat patients, using approved remedies."
How do you guys cut off some of your interests so you can concentrate on a few more pertinent ones and become knowledgeable in that field? I don't want to do it to impress others but rather learn and become excellent in it for its own sake.
>>7456555
essence of knowledge is the same, regardless of subject.
>>7456563
But there's a difference in its form. I would feel better about being a man who knew a great deal about a few things than a man who knows a little about many things. I want to understand some fields as much as possible and I want to respect them.
>>7456569
>essence little
>form great
i raise an eyebrow.
>>7456577
I'm not "quantifying" essence and form.
>>7456577
And I just want to know how people on /lit/ get themselves to focus on "these specific things" rather than "all of these things" in their reading. For example, a man may wish to learn tens of languages but that is too daunting to do at once and if he attempts to become fluent in all those languages in his life, it is quite possible, unless he is some sort of prodigy, that he'll not become proficient at any of them.
>>7456563
>essences
>2015
>>7456635
Can we focus less on epistemology and more about my question please? I really need help. I feel overwhelmed by all my interests.
>>7456639
I'm not sure. I had the same problem. I ended up studying philosophy primarily because it seemed the most general and fundamental (in retrospect this is dubious at best), and so cast the widest net. Doin' a PhD in phil now, no ragrats.
>>7456650
But how do you get yourself to focus more on this civilization/period of philosophers or this particular philosopher rather than get a flimsy understanding of multiple philosophers?
I'm interested in several languages, in history, in medicine, and in philosophy and theology, but the only one I have made any real head-way in is medicine because of my future career.
Otherwise I feel more like a donkey carrying books rather than a learner.
>>7456657
Oh and mathematics and astronomy, but I feel that they're lower on my list.
>>7456657
Unless you have a practical use envisioned for the language that you want to learn, is there any reason to learn it other than vanity?
>>7456669
I'm interested in the literature, history, and culture of those places. I would also like to visit there and perhaps work for a time.
>>7456675
Alright, but you can't visit them all at the same time, and you have to start with one, so circumstance would force you to pick one of them and focus on that, instead of being a generalist.
>>7456682
I've got a major language or two in mind. My major problems though are with figuring out other subjects and specificities within those to specialize and focus on more.
Personally, I don't force myself on another interest once I think I “need” to acquire a specific knowledge, I simply learn a bit of everything in addition to my strong, main focus on a couple of disciplines. I mean, nowadays, it's impossible to be a true polymath—by “true polymath” I mean getting a degree of mastery high enough to be able to publish and do serious research in various, unrelated fields—because we've pushed the progress so far you don't have the ressources to be at the forefront and maintain this position. I know a couple of individuals that struggled but successfully got a degree in engineering and history, or medecine and literature but it's rare and as far as I know, they always dropped one of the subject later. I'm both highly competent in classical French literature and applied mathematics, because it's respectively my favorite subject and my work area, but I don't think I'll ever master another discipline, I merely try to get a “common knowledge”. I learnt anatomy for a couple of years, I'm learning a fourth language, I'm reading a bit of every literature available, I'm going through music history and musicology, I have a solid yet limited comprehension of arts and so on. It doesn't make me a polymath. I simply want to be cultured, I don't have the pretention to be an expert in such an amount of areas.
>>7456695
Thanks for your input. I don't really want to be a "polymath" and contribute to different fields in my lifetime--I'd be happy to just contribute as a researcher in medicine--but there's just so much I wish to learn and want to delve in at great lengths that it dissuades me from pursuing it barely at all. I end up frozen in hesitation.
I just want to kill some interests so I can better structure my life to center around the most pertinent and enjoyable of them. If you have tips on how to let go of some of those things, I'd appreciate it.
>>7456695
And for your language, how did you know when to "stop" and "start" a new one? There are some languages complex enough that people devote their lives to studying their intricacies.
>>7456555
Specialization is the future, anon. Smatter all you want but make you really dive deep into something.
>>7456724
Sure but how?
>>7456709
how old are you? what degree are you currently working on? I think if you do research it will take a large portion of your life away. even if you dont have a family, I still wonder if you will ever have time for extended travel. as for dropping certain things, you'll know when you just don't feel like doing them anymore. like when you're dead tired after work and just can't pick up that Russian 101 book.
also, you say you hesitate and you are dissuaded from studying things. how will you know whether you will even like them if you don't try them? but you also say you want to kill some interests so I'm confused about whether you have too many or you want to take on too many
>>7456726
When you're doing your surface browsing, just pick something you like and learn more about it. Don't get too worried because either you'll have found it or you'll get bored soon and move on to something else.
surround yourself with smug medical researchers who think what they're doing is the greatest thing on earth. never browse open forums like this. completely isolate yourself from other opinions in general. constantly devalue everything other than exactly what you're doing using terms like "bullshit," "masturbation," and "useless." all in all foster a hateful attitude towards mankind, crowning yourself and your peers as uber-men. only then will you be properly motivated to make a significant contribution in your field.
>>7456726
Find out a specific field which is within your means to cover adequately. For example, my chosen field is diplomatic history. I know a little bit of Chinese, but only enough to enable me to read some diplomatic Chinese documents. I don't need to become fluent in Mandarin or read Confucius and Lao Tzu because they are outside my designated speciality and this is how I have rationalized my studies.
>>7456727
I'm 23. Med school.
I have been trying them and I like certain things but I'm at a superficial level in many and not a deep one.
>>7456731
But I want to know how to let go of things I like. I tried to keep studying them until I got bored, but now I'm reading real analysis texts and I'm still interested.
>>7456734
But I've already recognized my faults in life and it's taken years for me to accept where I need to grow. Why reject that now?
I'm pursuing medicine well enough. It's my other interests that I feel daunted by and wish to reduce in size so I can further myself in a few.
>>7456756
>but now I'm reading real analysis texts and I'm still interested.
Just keep going then. Maybe you're just not interested in medicine enough? Is it too late to switch career paths?
>>7456741
Yeah I know, but let's say you're also interested in learning all these Chinese dialect groups and also reading their philosophy and their entire history.
Intro texts will give you a good feel for the basic ideas but you can't explore everything in good depth.
>>7456761
I love medicine though. I'm overjoyed with studying it and with my research.
I know enough mathematics to understand some of the more complex mathematical models within biochemistry, genetics, and neuroscience, for example. I don't really need to go on but I'm still interested. But there are other things I'm more interested in as well.
How do you let go of things you love?
>>7456769
Focus on things you love more, like medicine.
>>7456769
And I don't really need that knowledge for my studies/research/future career though it has helped and likely will help in some aspects.
>>7456635
>>7456771
I want to but I can't because there are all these things I love and want to pursue.
I sometimes wish I was still a child so someone could constantly direct me and curtail the gamut of my interests. I don't know how to do it on my own. I wish I could have it imposed upon me.
>>7456756
>other interests
don't you mean useless, masturbatory bullshit?
>>7456715
>>7456709
Learning a language is almost always a lifelong initiative. It takes a couple of years to get the basis, a couple more to read and speak intelligibly, more years to read without difficulties, more time to acquire natural features in speech and the innate subtleties of the language and virtually the rest of your life to dig in it. I'm learning French for nearly eighteen years and I'm sure I'll still be learning it in forty years. It never ends. I decide to go through another language when I'm sure I'm interested enough in the culture—and sure I won't change my mind in the next months, which is frequent if you're as versed in everything as I am—when I'm fluent enough in the others to improve by sole reading—not having to rely on dictionaries, grammars or a textbook—and when I'm attracted to the language itself besides its literature. The most recent one I decided to go for is Japanese and it's clear you will never assimilate it if you don't like it.
Identify your main interests—I think two are the bare limit, for one you'll work in and the other as your chief hobby—and derive what might fit in this structure. As I said, I'm fond of classical French literature and French language. What does it implies? It means I had to learn Latin as well, because it plays a major role in historical grammar, etymology, phonology and literature/culture. I also had to learn Ancient Greek but it's less relevant so I'm significantly less involved in it. I need and want to learn linguistics but I know phonetics or morphology will be more of use than pragmatics or sociolinguistics, which I barely know anything about. All you have to do is think of all these activities you want to engage in as a coherent system and ask yourself if each interest you have has its place in your schedule—be wary, I speak of a “mental” schedule, you don't have to create a real table or diagrams, it's a waste of time and energy—to decide to stick with it or not. I want to learn chemistry but it's too exotic regarding my passions, I know I won't achieve anything it this field, so I painfully repress my drives.
>>7456776
It sounds like you prefer novelty to the point of having difficulty maintaining interest in familiar subjects. I don't know what to say but it's just something you have to work on.
Do you feel anxious if you don't spend time concentrating on novel interests?
>>7456777
I don't think learning these things is useless. They bring different things to me.
Does anyone else understand what I'm feeling like? Most of all, I just want the ability to tell myself to stop pursuing X, Y, and Z so I can focus on A, B, and C.
>>7456776
Ultimately, none of us can empathize with you. You sound like you have the "problem" of being TOO interested. 95% of people are not interested enough. Especialy not in multiple fields. Anything we say will just be projection and prediction and not actual experience. You're a unicorn and you gotta deal with that yourself.
>>7456639
What are your end goals? Where do you want to be next week? Next month? Next year? in 5 years? in 10 years?
Now, where does following each of your interests lead? Remember that following an interest sacrifices some time for another interest. Does the end result of that interest line up with where you see yourself in the long run? If so, great! If not, cut it.
It's all about your values, anon.
Are you sure you are not using 4chan just to stay more time in the hill of stupidity? you just keep saying all those things that you love, but maybe you're doing this just because you don't really believe in the love you feel for them.
I think the love for knowledge - this kind of fundamental curiosity that everybody have and make us humans - are not separate things, like a lot of compartiments. they keep mixing all the time. there's no reason for this fear you have.
>>7456780
Thank you so much for this again. I've been learning two languages for 5 and 6 years and I'm still constantly learning more grammatical structures, more about morphology, and more about their literature. I've been slacking off on one more recently and it feels so bad.
>I want to learn chemistry but it's too exotic regarding my passions, I know I won't achieve anything it this field, so I painfully repress my drives.
Any advice on how to stop yourself?
>>7456788
I'm sure there would be others here like me. Many are interested in philosophy and literature here and chose to specialize in a certain philosopher as opposed to another in order to read and understand their entire corpus.
>>7456789
My end goal is to be a medical researcher and to continue learning certain things because I love learning.
>>7456783
>novel interests
Not really. I like learning new things but building upon and linking things together.
>>7456795
I come on 4chan late at night on weekends to blow off steam. Plus holidays. I think I'm probably a little bit past the hill of stupidity or maybe a little bit before it based on my lack of participation in general.
I disagree with your assessment. I feel a real yearning with certain subjects. Like a pain in my heart when I think of leaving them.
Nevertheless, that's an immature fear. You're trying to organize everything you will study in your life. First, you have to study; then you realize that you will be good in something.
>>7456814
But a man decides upon his career and his education before he truly understands what he pursues. There is some intangible attraction that brings his spirit towards it.
And I have been studying these things on some level to see if I at least like them beyond mere curiosity.
>>7456810
and are you sure you are not in love with your love?
>>7456724
I don't agree. You may need to specialize in your professional area but it's possible and recommended to acquire a set of different skills, ranging from other fields to languages or foreign cultures. Having one or two firm interests around which gravitate a lot of smaller, less-developped passions is the right way to learn.
>>7456734
Terrible advice, not mentioning I rarely find someone with such a narrow mindset.
>>7456788
I don't have the same opinion, I consistently met indecisive people who achieve nothing because they want to go to the army, then learn biochemistry, then decide to apply for a degree in finance, …
I don't think learning a lot of unrelated fields is pointless and I completely disagree with the utilitarians who want you to focus on what will be of use in the next decade, both because it's not what the life is about and because it's still, always useful in a more intricated, obscure way. Maybe, one day, you'll be asked to go to this medical conference in Hong Kong because “anon, you're the only one in the hospital with notions of Mandarin”. In a career, you'll have a ton of opportunites to use the weirdest skills.
>>7456799
Unfortunately, there isn't a clear, standard solution. You need to work on yourself and learn to refuse to satisfy your desires. Spirituality, religion or meditation may help although it didn't do anything to me. I simply… Don't engage in. it's a pain and I can't help but say to myself “o-one day, when I'm retired, I-I'll have enough time to master it” but of course, we all know I won't.
>>7456814
The key is to organize its study enough to be efficient but to keep enough spontaneity and unpredictability to avoid waste of time in making up schedules one won't follow.
>>7456824
Heh. That's interesting. A sort of hyper-love? haha
I don't think so. I truly think I hate this love. At least I curse it from time to time.
>>7456828
I think you understand me the most. I wish I could center on certain things more.
>I simply… Don't engage in. it's a pain and I can't help but say to myself “o-one day, when I'm retired, I-I'll have enough time to master it” but of course, we all know I won't.
But it hurts so much. It feels like a part of your soul has been stripped from you.
>>7456821
you see how much you idealize your love for the objects and the objects themselves? and how it is all about you, not about the objects?
you cannot know where you will be in the future, anon. this "intangible attraction" have to change if you really want to write and think cool things, because YOU have to change and get older to understand the world you live in. the books are not enough. we need time to study, too. you can't listen to your deepest desires now and hear what you will be in the future.
>>7456837
And I've been deliberating on what I should stop engaging in. I could take a simplistic utilitarian approach but, like you said, that is not satisfying and does not take into consideration these inexplicable feelings within me.
>>7456838
I don't idealize my love for the objects. I hate my love for them. I know that I truly love at least some of the things I have an interest in. Perhaps some of it may be simplistic fancy but the majority of it is genuine, unfortunately.
Like for example, I wanted to get into bird-watching a few years ago and learn more about ornithology but I quickly killed that interest because it was just curiosity. These other things aren't.
I don't understand your latter paragraph.
>>7456840
An utilitarian point of view has its utility to some extend. It's the same of having to take a language course versus learning on your own. It's always easier to achieve something when you don't have the choice.
I think maybe there's some fear of death on that feeling that you have. like if, in each knowledge that will not be subdued, one possibility of you - in infinite possibilities - expire. you lose a image of what you can be.
If I'm right, I could say two things. 1, you will never be as cool as you want to be. that's impossible, we dream too much. 2. you can't be everything and believe me this is not a problem!
>>7456856
Yes, I could say this is a portion of my fear, but the majority of it stems from my inability to truly treat everything I love with the respect it deserves by fully engaging with it.
Like I said, I feel more like a donkey carrying books than a scholar or a student.
>>7456844
your romantic hate is a kind of idealization
>>7456862
How can I distinguish what is genuine from the simulacrum when I am part of the simulacrum though?
And how do I know whether there even is this simulacrum?
>>7456861
can I ask you how old are you? if you are young, maybe you just have to be patient.
>>7456869
I'm 23.
>>7456867
with this kind of argument, idealization doesn't even exists
>>7456871
We live in an era of such great self-doubt and self-questioning that I think the Eastern philosophers had it right by saying to just forget that shit.
Let me make a comparison by linking my feelings to that of a student who specialized in a certain field only to find his career to not require any of the skills he had learned and built up in his academic career. He will never continue to delve into them and now he spurns his education for wasting his time.
>>7456870
same as me. I know how you feel. I had to decide what I was going to study at the masters, and I felt that millions of pieces of me died. At the same time, choose something to study, to focus in, like a job or something, made me feel like I wasn't just a image or a dream. I start to felt more like a little young scholar.
(sorry for my english, I know it sucks)
>>7456657
Are you me? Forth year med student here
>>7456883
Your English is fine. :)
I'm on a career path right now with medicine, but these are more of my extra interests that I've been dealing with since I was a kid and started reading.
>>7456886
Third year here, haha.
Any advice or are you struggling just as I am?
>>7456886
I mean, I don't want to end up like Sartre's waiter in the end. I want to pursue my loves as well.
>>7456853
French has been one of the most consistent interest I had over the years and it keeps proving I made a wise choice. I maybe think of doing chemistry once in a month or so, and like Mandarin each time I see Chinese written somewhere—let's said, once or twice a week—but I have a strong desire to read in French and learn about it every single day. I have more than forty books in French or about French grammar lying on my desk right now. It's enough of a sign. I was compelled to study mathematics and science because I live in a background where people are pretty realistic when it's about the professional outcomes in each field. My parents letme learn Latin and Ancient Greek until middle school and then said “now, take mathematics and science classes”. So I did, and despite already learning French and loving it, I haven't had the choice to pursue a degree in humanities. I went for applied mathematics, eventually developping a sincere passion for it and then got a “casual” job. An obligation became a second interest.
>>7456901
But what stops you? What stops you from just reading an ACS journal or learning the alphabet? How do you stop yourself and kill those things--just focus on a couple interests?
I'm sorry if I'm being vague or repetitive. I can't seem to articulate myself well about this but it has helped with reducing some of my anxiety surrounding it.
>>7456891
I study french literature. Everyday, when I was in my first year in the university, I use to see a genetics laboratory. I aways loved biology. To think that I will never be a geneticist use to make me real bad, but now I'm ok. We can love a lot of things at the same time, but we can't marry all of them. There some 4 or 5 that could make we happy and we have to choose it.
By the way, you don't need to stop your readings too. We have to marry only one of them, but we can aways cheat on them sometimes. And separate, if it is necessary.
cheating can teach you some skills...
>>7456915
I like the analogy. I would rather marry two or three and love them deeply than cheat on four or more.
Let's say, why should I read an intro book about the history of the Aztecs when I could read an in-depth study of the social and political nuances of Qajar Iran which I would find more enjoyable? I might enjoy both but one is something I want to build upon and delve into much more while the other will only give me trite facts in the end. I don't like thinking of it that way but I guess that's how it is.
>>7456895
Sorry for the bad English.
Depends on your priorities. You can put medicine first, and the rest of the time just do what you enjoy.
Ultimately you will never master it all. You have to ask yourself, why do you want to do so? Love of knowledge is often a fear of lack of control: over the world, yourself or fear of death.
I just study all day and during pauses or in the evening I read what am I interested at the moment. Right now a History book. Already I want to know more about others parts of history, of the mechanics of a nuclear bomb, over the writings of hediegger,etc. I stick with the history book though. All the rest is distraction, impulses that take me out of the enjoyment of the book. What I am driving at, don't have all knowledge as a goal, but your enjoyment. Jumping from field to field is tiresome and not efficient. If you find a book that you actually enjoy, enjoy it till you finish it. That worked with me.
Meditation is also extremely powerful. It might seem useless, and at first you don't even know if you're doing it right but stick with it. You will learn how to be more aware of the moment, of your thoughts. That is paramount to learn how to enjoy life for itself and tranquillize your hyperactive thirsty mind. Because you will never manage to feed it enough, you need to just enjoy your little years on this earth with small bites out of what seems sweetest for yourself.
End rant, back to study. Good luck mate
>>7456915
And how did you get OK? Imagine studying biology for several years and then having to pull it away from you. Did you do that?
>>7456930
Thank you for this. It helped.
I'm slowly deleting things out of my mind and thinking what my concentration should be on.
The pain is unbearable but I'm hesitating a bit less.
Good luck with your studies.
>>7456932
I wouldn't pull it away because I will be a different person. I could study other things, to.
The thing is: I do not "found" what I am. I built what I am. I keep studying letters for years in the university and everyday I asked myself "why am I doing this?"
"worth it?", "I should not be looking for the cure for cancer?". I had to answer all these questions, and now I have some answers. If I had studied biology, I would have other questions, and the answers would be different.
>>7456960
But if you allocate your time and years of your life to too many disparate things, you'll never build yourself up in the end and become an amorphous dilettante. That's my problem. I want to build myself. But to do so first, I must destroy things within myself that hinder that process. And that self-destruction is extremely painful.
For me.
>>7456967
hahahaha, but that's ok, you don't have enough time for it. life will force you to do some choices if you want a job. you will start to build yourself above the wreckes of all your potentials...
this painful feeling gets better when life just forced me to choose something. I need a master to do a PhD and so on and so on...
unless you are some fucking rich english real patrician. if it is, just study what you want when you want and fuck it all, man
oh, and I don't know how to choose, it just happened to me. I was confused as hell. I have to solve all the problems of my life lol but it just happened because it has to happen...
>>7456992
>>are you saying if I am rich, I should study whatever I want?
yes. it was a joke. :(
>>7456995
>I understand your question but once again, there isn't a trick. It's about mental strength.
Yeah.
I think I have a more feasible idea of what I want to do now and things I want to pursue in greater depth than what a parrot reading texts get out of it.
You and others here have been helpful.
Do you have tips about building this sort of self-discipline/mental strength?
>>7456996
Are you mocking me or the answers I've been receiving or both?
>>7456999
oh ok :p
>>7457005
both, and me too, because I use to think that if I was rich, I would just take my time and make incredible plans of study...
>>7457013
Sounds fun but I like having structure to my life and I like the work I do.
Well guys, I (the one who studies french literature) will go now. Thanks for this. I'm really happy at this moment. I wish you the best.
>>7457017
Thank you too. I have a better idea of how I want to live my life now and you guys helped reduce my anxiety. Good luck with life.
>>7457018
I'm getting emotional. Bye, anon. o/
>>7457003
It's a good idea to plan what you do yet, as aforementioned, to a reasonable extend and to always have something to do concerning your main interest. Do you feel the need to read about Russian's art? Remember about this lesson of anatomy you have to achieve. Consistently have on your hand an alternative. It's curious but I found myself entertained and more receptive to the knowledge I assimilate by explaining what I'm learning. I also like to create flowcharts and diagrams for their own sake.
>>7457017
Goodbye. (You're French, aren't you?)
>>7457019
Bye. :)
>>7457022
Thank you very much for the tips.
How do you delineate on a more specific level between reading about this period in French history versus another one? Or this philosopher versus another?
And any other tips you have in general would be great. It really seems you faced the same sort of feelings I'm going through now. :)
>>7457025
I have the same systematic flowing organization with stronger interests begetting less intense ones. When I told I was interested in “classical French literature”, I should have said I love 17th century one, which fosters natural yet softer inclination towards 16th century literature, 16th and 17th centuries French history, historical grammar and so, in decreasing order of intensity, and when I tell I like “17th French literature”, I should have said I'm especially interested in 17th century French poetry, which itself fathers a strong understanding of metrics, prosody and poetry rules, 17th century phonology and so on. By proceeding this way ad infinitum, you're naturally creating in your head a coherent and consequent arborescence of fields generating fields. It's a mental process but I guess you could as well build a diagram and somehow “predict” what you'll inevitably feel attracted to. You shouldn't worry too much and focus on the few most attractive passions you have. They will “pop” new paths later.
>>7457037
Thanks. You've been tremendously helpful.
>>7457042
You're welcome. I hope you'll success.
>>7457055
You as well. :)
>>7457022
Nope. I'll give you a hint. hu3hu3hu3hu3hu3hu3h
>>7457130
Arabic?
>>7456555
>Meh, I thought this was /lit/
A little Learning is a dang'rous Thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring:
There shallow Draughts intoxicate the Brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.
Fir'd at first Sight with what the Muse imparts,
In fearless Youth we tempt the Heights of Arts,
While from the bounded Level of our Mind,
Short Views we take, nor see the lengths behind,
But more advanc'd, behold with strange Surprize
New, distant Scenes of endless Science rise!
So pleas'd at first, the towring Alps we try,
Mount o'er the Vales, and seem to tread the Sky;
Th' Eternal Snows appear already past,
And the first Clouds and Mountains seem the last:
But those attain'd, we tremble to survey
The growing Labours of the lengthen'd Way,
Th' increasing Prospect tires our wandering Eyes,
Hills peep o'er Hills, and Alps on Alps arise!
>Your pic related
>>7457331
What do you bump for? The discussion is over, the original poster was answered and left.
