The Benefits of Reading Great Books

Summary

The video script laments the decline of reading in a screen-obsessed culture, emphasizing the profound benefits of delving into great literature. It posits that books are not just entertainment but a catalyst for personal growth, providing inspiration, role models, and insights into the human condition. The script criticizes modern academia for devaluing these works as historical artifacts, advocating instead for personal engagement with literature to counter the trivializing effects of technology and to foster self-discovery and a meaningful life.

Takeaways

• 📚 Reading books, especially the great ones, is not just for entertainment but serves as a source of cultural and intellectual enrichment.
• 🌟 Books can inspire us to live more fully, offering an escape from the mundane and a way to explore the human condition.
• 🧭 Biographies provide role models that can guide us through life's challenges, often exceeding the examples we encounter in daily life.
• 🎭 Great works of fiction depict the complexities of human nature and life's navigation in a way that is unmatched by other mediums.
• 📖 Non-fiction books grant access to the ideas and perspectives of historical great minds, broadening our understanding of the world.
• 🔍 In times of stagnation, turning to great books can reveal new ways of existing and thinking, fostering personal growth.
• 🤔 The process of reading great books aids in self-discovery, helping us to understand and articulate our inner thoughts and feelings.
• 🌐 Historically, the study of great books was central to humanities in Western universities, emphasizing self-improvement and the pursuit of wisdom.
• 🏛️ Modern academia has shifted away from this spirit, with some professors focusing on critical analysis rather than the application of great ideas to improve life.
• 🛠️ Overemphasis on critical thinking without the ability to build one's own convictions can lead to a void in values and a life devoid of meaning.
• 🌱 Personal study of great works can counteract the influence of technology and culture, allowing us to develop a deeper connection with wisdom and knowledge.

Q & A

Why does the author suggest that reading books is not a popular pastime in modern culture?

The author suggests that reading books is not popular because modern culture prefers screens over print, and there is also a lack of awareness about the benefits of reading.

What does Matthew Arnold refer to as 'the best that has been thought and known'?

Matthew Arnold refers to 'the best that has been thought and known' as the great books, which are not just for entertainment but are sources of inspiration for living more fully.

How does Mark Edmundson describe the role of great books in escaping the monotony of life?

Mark Edmundson describes great books as an effective means of escape from the endless repetition of drudgery, offering an alternative world to explore.

What deficiencies can great books help to mitigate according to the script?

Great books can help mitigate deficiencies such as a lack of good role models and the inability to deal with life's difficulties, by providing access to exemplary figures and insights.

How do biographies contribute to self-improvement as per the script?

Biographies offer access to role models who exceed anyone we are likely to meet in real life, thereby providing inspiration and guidance for self-improvement.

What unique perspective do great works of fiction provide, according to the script?

Great works of fiction provide a depiction of the human condition and ways to navigate it, which is unmatched by any other medium.

How do non-fiction books contribute to our understanding of the world?

Non-fiction books provide access to the ideas and worldviews of some of the greatest minds in history, broadening our understanding and perspectives.

What does the script suggest about the role of great books in self-discovery?

The script suggests that great books can aid in self-discovery by providing the language and insights to understand and express the subtle and profound contents of our minds.

Why did the spirit of self-improvement through reading great books decline in Western universities?

The spirit of self-improvement through reading great books declined as many humanities professors abandoned it, focusing instead on historicizing and criticizing these works as relics of the past.

What is the potential danger of focusing solely on critical thinking as described in the script?

Focusing solely on critical thinking can lead to a lack of personal convictions, standards, ideals, and values, resulting in a meaningless void in life.

How does the script propose we can counteract the influence of modern culture and technology on our minds?

The script proposes that by making reading great books a priority, we can counteract the influence of modern culture and technology, as the wisdom contained in these books can lessen their grip on our minds.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Transformative Power of Reading

This paragraph emphasizes the undervalued pastime of reading in a screen-centric culture. It highlights that books, particularly the great ones, serve beyond entertainment, offering profound insights and inspiration for living fully. The text suggests that reading can be an escape from monotony and a source of role models, as biographies introduce extraordinary individuals, and fiction provides unparalleled depictions of the human condition. Non-fiction, on the other hand, grants access to historical great minds' ideas and worldviews. The paragraph also touches on the self-discovery aspect of reading, where literature can help articulate and understand the intricacies of our own minds. It contrasts the current trend in humanities education, where critical thinking often overshadows the aspirational value of great books, leading to a generation adept at deconstruction but lacking in constructive ideals.

05:09

🧐 The Pitfalls of Unbridled Critical Thinking

Paragraph 2 delves into the dangers of critical thinking devoid of constructive purpose. It warns that the ability to critique without the capacity to build one's beliefs can result in a void of values and ideals, rendering life meaningless. The paragraph suggests that a life without guiding principles becomes an existence focused solely on fleeting pleasures or the pursuit of power and wealth. It advocates for personal engagement with historical great works as a means to counter the influence of modern educational systems that may not foster the appreciation of these works. The text concludes by suggesting that prioritizing the reading of great books can diminish the allure of technology and cultural noise, leading to a more profound and meaningful engagement with wisdom.

Keywords

💡Reading Books

Reading books is presented as a pastime that is often overlooked in favor of screen-based entertainment. The script argues that reading, especially of great books, is not just for entertainment but is a profound source of inspiration and self-improvement. It is described as a means to escape the mundane and to engage with profound ideas and role models, as exemplified by the quote from Mark Edmundson, who suggests that reading can provide an escape from the 'endless repetition of drudgery.'

💡Great Books

The term 'great books' refers to significant literary works that have had a substantial impact on culture and thought. In the script, these books are depicted as tools that can inspire us to live more fully and provide access to role models and ideas that can guide us through life's challenges. They are contrasted with the trivializing influence of modern technology and the critical approach of some modern educators.

💡Self-Improvement

Self-improvement is a central theme in the script, suggesting that reading great books can lead to personal growth and the development of one's mind. It is linked to the idea that books can provide insights and perspectives that help us navigate life more effectively, as indicated by the mention of biographies offering access to role models and non-fiction books providing access to great minds.

💡Human Condition

The human condition refers to the collective experiences and characteristics of being human, including emotions, relationships, and existential challenges. The script posits that great works of fiction uniquely depict the human condition, offering ways to understand and navigate the complexities of life, which is exemplified by the statement that these works 'depict the human condition and ways to navigate it, in a way unsurpassed by any other medium.'

💡Role Models

Role models are individuals whose behavior, skills, or values are admired and emulated. The script discusses how biographies in great books provide access to role models who can exceed anyone we might meet in real life, thus offering inspiration and guidance for personal development.

💡Self-Knowledge

Self-knowledge is the awareness and understanding of one's own character, motivations, and desires. The script emphasizes the importance of self-knowledge in living a well-lived life and suggests that great works of fiction can aid in self-discovery by providing insights into the human soul, as illustrated by the quote from Marcel Proust about the use of literature to unravel the mysteries of our own minds.

💡Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment. The script warns against the overemphasis on critical thinking for its own sake, suggesting it can lead to a destructive approach that lacks constructive values. It is contrasted with the constructive use of critical thinking in evaluating interpretations of events or phenomena.

💡Idea of the 'Great Conversation'

The 'great conversation' is a concept that refers to the ongoing dialogue of great minds throughout history, as captured in the great books. The script laments that many modern educators have abandoned this spirit, instead focusing on historicizing and criticizing these works, which detracts from their potential to inspire and guide students.

💡Historical Relativism

Historical relativism is the idea that ideas and values should be understood within their historical context. The script criticizes the approach of some modern professors who view great books as relics of a 'backward social and political climate,' rather than as timeless sources of wisdom and inspiration.

💡Personal Study

Personal study refers to the individual pursuit of knowledge and self-education outside of formal educational institutions. The script encourages personal study of great works of history as a way to engage with profound ideas and avoid the corrupting influence of modern universities that may prioritize criticism over inspiration.

💡Cultural White Noise

Cultural white noise is the term used to describe the superficial and distracting elements of contemporary culture that can detract from deeper intellectual and emotional engagement. The script suggests that focusing on the wisdom contained in great books can help to resist the pull of this cultural white noise and lead to a more meaningful engagement with life.

Highlights

Reading books is not a popular pastime in a screen-oriented culture.

Many are ignorant of the benefits of reading, which extend beyond entertainment.

Books, particularly great ones, are a source of 'sweetness and light' as poet Matthew Arnold described.

Great books inspire us to live more fully.

Reading great books serves as an effective escape from the monotony of life.

Biographies in literature provide access to exceptional role models.

Fictional works depict the human condition in a unique and unmatched way.

Non-fiction books grant access to the ideas and perspectives of historical great minds.

In times of stagnation, great books offer new ways of perceiving the world.

Great books aid in self-discovery, a crucial but often elusive aspect of a well-lived life.

Fictional works help articulate the complexities of the human mind and soul.

Marcel Proust suggests that the great books of history were traditionally read for self-improvement.

Modern humanities education often abandons the spirit of self-improvement through great books.

Some professors teach students to historicize and criticize great books, dismissing their relevance.

Critical thinking without the ability to build convictions can lead to a void in life's meaning.

Life without standards, ideals, and values becomes meaningless and directionless.

Personal study of great works can counteract the influence of modern education's critical stance.

Reading great books can reduce the influence of technology and cultural noise on our minds.

As we focus on the wisdom in great books, the allure of technology and culture lessens.

Transcripts

Of the many pastimes that occupy us, reading books is not one that ranks high on the list for many people.

We live in a culture that prefers the glow of the screen to black ink on paper.

And while part of the reason for this lies in the engrossing nature of modern technology, another reason is the ignorance many have regarding the benefits of reading.

For books, especially the great ones, are not simply a form of entertainment. They are the source of what the poet Matthew Arnold called:

And therefore, are one of the greatest tools at our disposal to inspire us to live more fully.

For all who feel trapped in an endless repetition of drudgery, reading the great books is an effective means of escape.

Or as the author Mark Edmundson wrote:

Many people lament over a lack of good role models and blame their problems on never having been taught how to deal with life's difficulties.

But the great books can help to mitigate such deficiencies.

Biographies offer us access to role models who exceed anyone who we are likely to meet in real life.

The great works of fiction depict the human condition and ways to navigate it, in a way unsurpassed by any other medium.

While non-fiction books provide us with access to the ideas and worldviews of some of the greatest minds in history.

Especially when life grows stale, it is to the great books we should turn to discover new ways of existing in the world.

Or as Edmundson further explains:

But along with providing us with ways to improve our lives, the great books can also aid us in a process of self-discovery.

The importance of self-knowledge, in a life well-lived, has long been known, but it is notoriously difficult to attain.

For along with our powers of self-deception, we often lack the words to describe and express the subtle and more profound contents of our mind.

The great works of fiction can help remedy this situation; as the authors of these works are some of the most astute observers of human nature.

Through their characters, they depict depths of the human soul few are able to disclose and thus, their words can be used to unravel the mysteries of our own minds.

Or as the twentieth-century French author Marcel Proust explained:

Until recently, reading the great books of history for the purpose of self-improvement was the spirit that informed the humanities in universities across the West;

but today an increasing number of humanities professors have abandoned this spirit. Rather than reviving the ideas of the great books and offering them to students as potentially better ways to live, many professors engage in what Soren Kierkegaard called:

They teach their students to historicize and criticize the great books and explain them away as irrelevant relics of the past.

The great books are interesting, many modern professors believe, only insofar as they serve as examples of the so-called 'backward social and political climate of the times,' in which they were produced.

This critical, historical stance is breeding what the philosopher James Edwards called:

That is, students who are masters in critical thinking for its own sake, specialists in tearing down all ideas and claims to beauty, truth, and knowledge.

Critical thinking is valuable when used to evaluate possible interpretations of events or phenomena, before settling on any specific belief;

but critical thinking for its own sake can lead one down a dangerous path.

For if you only know how to destroy, but not how to build up your own convictions, then you will be left with no standards, ideals, and values to judge your actions and guide you toward higher possibilities.

In such a situation, life will become a nullity. A meaningless void between two eternities of darkness lived in slavish devotion to pleasure, or the single-minded pursuit of money or power.

Or as Edmundson put it:

So long as the humanities continue to churn out highly critical minds who believe in nothing,

Fortunately, we can engage in our own personal study of the great works of history, without subjecting ourselves to the corrupting influence of the modern university.

And if we decide to be one of the few to make reading great books a priority, what we are likely to discover is that as we become more fixated on the wisdom contained in them, the pull of technology and the white noise of the culture around us will lose its grip on our mind.

For as Edmundson explains: