What are you reading in general?

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Lectures on the Philosophy of World History: Introduction: Reason in History by G.W.F Hegel (tr. Nisbet)

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

And now, a short detour before finishing up my engagement with Hegel …

Siblings All, Sign of the Times: The Social Teaching of Pope Francis by Cardinal Michael Czerny and Christian Barone

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Time to finish-up my tour with Hegel:

Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion: One-Volume Edition: The Lectures of 1827 by G.W.F. Hegel



After this, I'll hafta decide whether to proceed genealogically with Marx or proceed chronologically with Schopenhauer. Prolly will end up going genealogically and go with Schopenhauer afterwards.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Selected Writings by Karl Marx (ed. Lawrence H. Simon)

[sgt.null]

Peter Clines Ex series. Book 4 out of 5.
Zombie plague in a world with superhumans.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/EXH/ex-heroes

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Critique of Hegel's 'Philosophy Of Right' by Karl Marx

[Cord Hurn]

Now reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.

[Cord Hurn]

Finished Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth, which surprised me as a compelling read on the struggles of a farming family to succeed. There is sexism against female offspring, alas, but otherwise an enjoyable read, and I think an honest accounting of life in 20th Century China before the Communist revolution.

I've just started reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

[Avatar]

Ah, a real classic.

I found the Kenneth Branagh movie a very good, and relatively "true" filmic version of it.

--A

[Cord Hurn]

Ah, a real classic.

I found the Kenneth Branagh movie a very good, and relatively "true" filmic version of it.

--A

I will have to check it out sometime! I have only seen two of KB's movies, the Shakespeare-based Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing, but liked both of them. (I will wait until I finish the book, though.)

[Avatar]

Well, definitely recommended. (And I loved Much Ado......My grandmother dragged a very reluctant young me to go and watch it, and I ended up laughing my ass off. )

--A

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 by Karl Marx

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Marx's 'Grundrisse': A Reader's Guide by Simon Choat

[Cord Hurn]

Have completed my read of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Am still considering Avatar's recommendation of seeing the Kenneth Branagh movie based on this book.

Meanwhile, I have started reading The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle.

[Avatar]

Don't consider it, just watch it. Definitely the best adaptation of it I have seen (and it's bloody rare I'll recommend a movie adaptation of a book ).

--A

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Grundrisse: Foundations of the Critique of Political Economy (Rough Draft) by Karl Marx

[Cord Hurn]

Finished The Return of Sherlock Holmes. (I enjoyed it very much. )

Am now reading The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

[Cord Hurn]

Just finished up my latest reading project, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. It feels like I'm in the room with the man himself. He confides his views on many subjects, but one subject in particular stays with me. BF had a whole chapter on time organization and mental reflection intended for self-improvement on a daily basis. What he defined self-improvement to be was to increase within oneself the virtues of: Temperence, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity, and Humility. Franklin admitted having difficulty living up to the virtue of Order and to thinly-disguised failure in the case of attaining Humility. I will share here his thoughts on his struggle to increase personal humility.

My list of Virtues contain'd at first but twelve: But a Quaker Friend having kindly inform'd me that I was generally thought proud; that my Pride show'd itself frequently in Conversation; that I was not content with being in the right when discussing my Point, but was overbearing and rather insolent; of which he convinc'd me by mentioning several Instances; I determined endeavouring to cure myself if I could of this Vice or Folly among the rest, and I added Humility to my List, giving an extensive Meaning to the Word ["Imitate Jesus and Socrates."].

I cannot boast of much Success in acquiring the Reality of this Virtue; but I had a good deal with regard to the Appearance of it. I made it a Rule to forbear all direct Contradiction to the Sentiments of others, and all positive Assertion of my own. I even forbid myself...the Use of every Word or Expression in the Language that imported fix'd Opinion; such as certainly, undoubtedly, &c. [etc.] and I adopted instead of them, I conceive, I apprehend, or I imagine a thing to be so or so, or it so appears to me at present. When another asserted something, that I thought an Error I denied myself the Pleasure of contradicting him abruptly, and of showing immediately some Absurdity in his Proposition; and in answering I began by observing that in certain Cases or Circumstances his Opinion would be right, but that in the present case, there appear'd or seem'd to me some difference, &c. I soon found the Advantage of this Change in my Manners. The Conversations I engag'd in went on more pleasantly. The modest way in which I propos'd my Opinions procur'd them a readier Reception and less Contradiction; I had less Mortification when I was found to be in the wrong, and I more easily prevail'd with others to give up their Mistakes and join with me when I happened to be in the right. And this Mode, which I at first put on with some violence to natural Inclination, became at length so easy and so habitual to me, that perhaps for these Fifty Years past no one has ever heard a dogmatical Expression escape me. And to this Habit (after my character of Integrity) I think it principally owing, that I had early so much Weight with my fellow Citizens, when I proposed new Institutions, or Alteration in the old; and so much Influence in public Councils when I became a Member. For I was but a bad Speaker, never eloquent, subject to much Hesitation in my choice of Words, hardly correct in Language, and yet I generally carried my Points.

In reality there is perhaps no one of our natural Passions so hard to subdue as Pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself. You will see it perhaps often in this History. For even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my Humility.

So, I like how old Ben took time to explain himself thoughtfully and with a touch of wit, as I concieve he did in that passage.