"The true voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." — Marcel Proust
"The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook." — William James
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled." — Plutarch
Anyone who has ever wanted to study any subject upon first glance has a borderline euphoric moments, seeing all the books, videos and podcasts on the subject. As someone who has been actively engaged in philosophical wonder from an early age, I am no stranger to this wonder.
I like most of the memes still lament the loss of the library of Alexandria. Wondering what prophetic tomes and discoveries are lost to the sands of time? I have also been obsessed with page counts, how many books I have read on a particular thinker or subject. And tried to hurry my way through. I do not recommend this, for it misses the point entirely.
Anytime someone wants to pick up a philosopher they are often intimidated, hesitating because they have not done their homework. In the sense of knowing the background around the thinker. Diving straight into Heidegger for example without knowing your Kant, Descartes and Husserl is a major hazard. Or is it?
I am not saying that it is not important to know the jist of the text, who the thinker is arguing against, and in what history. That helps, but if you were to read every thinker in preparation for M. Heidegger you will die of old age first. At least you will be well read.
I have a borderline super-egoic guilt for not having read any Deleuze (aside from a few chapters of Anti-Oedipus), enough Foucault and Freud to understand the former. I haven’t read enough Wittgenstein, any Schelling, Derrida, etc. And that is perfectly okay.
The point I am trying to make, albeit poorly is that it is okay to not be caught up. You have to get used to that feeling of unpreparedness. Otherwise you will be swallowed in a miasma of regret.
Who is to say that these greats know anything worth knowing? Sure, I have committed the majority of my early life to the love of wisdom. But at some point you have to realize that its all stumbling in the dark. Just do your part to add to the conversation.
Pick up whatever text calls to you, and even if you merely are letting your eyes gloss over, your unconscious will pick up something. Sit with it, read, reread, its okay to be confused. Half of these thinkers if not all changes their own stance repeatedly.
This is merely an apology, a defense of being overwhelmed. Of knowing that you will never be caught up, and will only be slightly more confused but wiser at the same time. I am no Rilke offering beautiful sentiments for the love of questions. Though at times I pretend to be. I am simply a fellow questioner and someone who enjoys puzzles.
Todd McGowan upon hearing that his friend was playing video games in his spare time send him several texts, reminding him “your life isn’t infinite, read Hegel!” While I agree, I think sometimes its okay to unwind in the virtual. However, aside form being overwhelmed and perpetually playing catchup, you should learn to discern not only what to read but how to.
This means skipping doom scrolling and refreshing Onlyfans for the uptenth time and instead finding your passion. Whether it is analytical philosophy (for the love of God, please no), existentialism, phenomenology or German idealism. You will be pleasantly surprised to skip some of the cliff notes and ready the primary texts. Even if you have not read a word of Hegel, you can still get something out of Marx. I promise you.
I am not even writing this to convince anyone other than myself, because that imposter syndrome and incompleteness is relentless. If a philosopher does not piss you off, not because you disagree but because you wished you wrote what they did, shelf them. Not immediately, but once you unlock their language you can determine if its worth the timenergy. Find the books that unlock something integral inside you. Stoke the fire of your own daemon. And dance with Sophia.
The life of the mind offers treasures that achievements and trophies on Playstation does not. It can give solace during the most desolate time. And drive you to endless becoming. Furnishing the best project that is yourself. Anyhow, I will shut up and let you read someone who actually has something new to say.
“A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?” - Robert Browning
This is why I take the “Don’t prepare, don’t think” approach to many things I do. Does it ensure a great result? Nah. Does it keep me from going mad? Sure does.