Struggling to absorb information

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Struggling to absorb information Brainlet 2023-04-09 (Sun) 01:34:17 No.12790

Hello I'm kind of a baby socialist. I understand the core concepts of how capitalists exploit workers, surplus value, labor theory of value and the general idea of capitalist exploitation in third world countries. However, if I try digging into anything beyond that my brain goes blank. Even if say, I'll read Mao's little red book and come out with a basic idea of what he was talking about, I'll immediately lose it the next day. It's really frustrating and difficult to get myself to read more knowing I'll just forget everything overnight at worst or in a couple of days at best.
In general, what questions should I be asking? How to approach a new topic that might seem intimidating or complex for a poopbrain like me?

Anonymous 2023-04-09 (Sun) 01:42:14 No.12791

Take notes as you read and review them after you finish a chapter. Try to summarize or distill the points being made. You have to connect the ideas to other things in your brain for it to stick, so also think about how what you're reading relates to other things. If it's abstract and theoretical try to connect to real world examples.

Anonymous 2023-04-09 (Sun) 02:28:19 No.12793

>>12791
Good post. I suggest the book Make It Stick.
>>12792
Bad post in advice, but good idea.

Anonymous 2023-04-09 (Sun) 02:34:54 No.12796

You can't just read something once or twice, you gotta be about that life. Which is why it's important to expose yourself to leftist circles and media like this board.

Anonymous 2023-04-09 (Sun) 03:05:12 No.12798

>>12796
OP hasn’t even internalized “lurk moar” how do you think he’s going to have the critical facilities to indoctrinate himself? There are multiple threads on /edu/ about learning and the process of such. The subtle nudge of exposing himself to more isn’t going to fundamentally change his browsing habits. It’s not going to go into long term memory, which is exactly the issue he’s asking about.

Anonymous 2023-04-09 (Sun) 08:17:40 No.12801

Make sure you're sleeping properly. If you have a home, section it off and sleep in a different section than where you do activities like reading. If your home has multiple rooms that should be even easier unless your circumstances make those rooms unavailable.

Anonymous 2023-04-09 (Sun) 13:04:03 No.12805

>>12796
>Which is why it's important to expose yourself to leftist circles and media like this board
Please don't OP, just get involved in organizing if possible and avoid the internet

Anonymous 2023-04-09 (Sun) 15:00:43 No.12807

>>12796
>You can't just read something once or twice, you gotta be about that life.
I think it's a lot more useful to read slower and more carefully than to reread multiple times. THOUGHEVER it can help if you skim over a chapter first to get an outline of the topic in your head (there's a specific method of reading that does this but I don't remember the name). If you just read headings and some of the first and last paragraphs that can help give you some framework for what's going to be discussed to prep you for the actual full reading. I think a lot of the issue for people is that reading can be a bit hypnotic so you start just scanning your eyes over the lines and passively absorbing stuff instead of actively paying attention and properly parsing the sentences.

Anonymous 2023-04-11 (Tue) 19:09:39 No.12814

read more histories in order to give you concrete examples to play with when understanding theoretical stuff, and really impress the points into ur mind
also understand that recall is how long term memory is formed, not just in the first instance of encountering something (or in re-reading even). Think over the things you learned, try to piece them together, etc. If you're doing it right it should feel like work.

Anonymous 2023-04-11 (Tue) 20:00:45 No.12815

Here are my tips

- Read actively. Think along with what you are reading. For that make highlights and notes. Think about the applications of what you are reading. Question what you are reading. Try to support the author's arguments.
- Write a short one sentence summary of the paragraph you've just read. Starting from the third paragraph of a chapter write a one sentence summary of every paragraph that came prior. Then write another one sentence summary to the current chapter.

Anonymous 2023-04-28 (Fri) 01:53:07 No.12885

I use the zettelkasten method. You really have to work for it for the system to payoff, but it is worth it.
https://zettelkasten.de/posts/overview/

Anonymous 2023-04-28 (Fri) 08:19:26 No.12886

Good advice in this thread.
I usually only read books once and without notetaking, but often pause and stare into the distance for a few minutes to process everything. If you don't take notes, you need to prove to yourself you have understood the important parts of the book and how other parts relate to them consciously. When you will find yourself struggling with a specific concept, just think longer or look up what others have to say about it.
Notes are unavoidable for doing actual work on the basis of what you are reading though. Technically the essays i wrote in highschool were embellished notes on how a specific book relates to my thesis.

Anonymous 2023-04-28 (Fri) 16:00:13 No.12887

>>12885
This is very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

>>12886
Yeah, learning entails a set period of focused work (i.e. trying to understand) and another period of not thinking about the matter, and just letting yourself "digest" the knowledge. The proof you have learned is that after you digested the knowledge you can recall it as you desire. This, of course, may take a few tries, depending on the subject.

Anonymous 2023-04-29 (Sat) 19:06:23 No.12894

>>12885
>You really have to work for it for the system to payoff, but it is worth it.
Is it? I've tried starting a zettelkasten multiple times but the process seems way more tedious than it is useful, compared to taking notes normally. What did you get out of it in the long term?

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