I'm a fifth of the way through Heart of Darkness and am realizing that I'm getting none of it. It's cool prose and imagery, and I think I see some common threads: ecological harm, darkness and shrouds, civilization as a costume, can't really name much more off the top of my head because I'm not that great of a reader. But I don't get it. It's kind of made me realize that I don't know what I'm doing.

I picked up heavier books to see what the pinnacle of literature looks like, and while I've enjoyed a lot of these books, I think the imagery, metaphor, and symbolism aspects of many books goes entirely over my head. I re-read Blood Meridian and I'm still not convinced that I actually 'got' it.

I've got some questions to help uncover more. Answer as many as you want:

1. What's your reading process like? What has and hasn't worked for you?

2. Is there a thread or lineage of common literary imagery that I'm missing? I know that the Bible is referenced by both Blood Meridian and Moby Dick, but I haven't read it, so I don't know. How long would such a thing take to cultivate, and how do I do it?

3. How do you read? What are you looking for? I just read like normal, keep track of the plot, and let the mental image conjure itself then pick out similarities between scenes. Am I doing something wrong?

4. How does one get better at reading serious literature beyond reading more? I have no problems with the language itself. Is it a matter of doing research beforehand? Re-reading? Re-reading after each chapter? Letting things digest or pondering the novel after you're done?

And lastly, a really important one, which I hope most of you will answer:

5. Do you take notes in your books? Do you have a system? Most of my note-taking eventually just becomes definitions for new words or translations. Is there a way to use this to enrich my reading?

Ultimately, I want to get more out of the books, so sharing any way that I can do that is appreciated.

>>60727530
Kleros is how humans can keep AI in check via democratic processes, so even if we get manipulated at least we're still the ones pulling the trigger. Worst case you just have AI jurors that still use PNK anyway, so price go up.

But humans are the SCHELLING point if you will. The whole protocol is to use humans even if there is AI, or rather, especially because there is so much AI now.

>be my mom
>signs her son up for ballet classes at 4 bc she thinks motherhood is build-a-bear workshop, and wants him to be a candy-ass
>is surprised when he hates it and wants to play outside instead
>brings 8yo son to LGBTQ event to watch inappropriate drag performances, overt displays of sexuality, etc
>grandmother has a stroke when he is 8 and luckily survives after much intervention. Mom makes kid’s entire childhood about sick grandparents, for the next 20 years, until the day they both pass away. (No shit, retard!! Old people have health issues!)
>mom drugs up son with adderall, vyvanse, concerta, Ritalin, every stimulant under the sun, doesn’t give a shit that it makes him not eat, has negative effects on his psyche, etc.
>is a horrible cook. At 9yo I used to let whole dinner plates rot and mold in my room because they were that unappetizing. Her food was so bad, it made sleep for dinner sound good
>acts like a cunt to me at literally every turn, yells and starts fights over small things, like because of the added stress of a doctor’s appointment that day. Bullies son and yells at him because she’s big and mean, and he depends on her for transportation, housing and survival
>Doesnt bring her own kid to the dentist until he’s 13 and starts asking “hey retard, why the hell have you never taken me to the dentist?”
>Dentist recommends braces, says son needs them bad, mom doesn’t oblige because she would prefer to pay for dumb shit like trailers to camp in, and trucks to tow them with.
>Doesn’t let son hang out with peers outside of school and form crucial social bonds. Freaks out when he asks to, ranting about how he’s gonna get arrested for existing in public.
>throws him in a daycare so she can work her stupid, bullshit job. Kid gets raised by minimum wage daycare staff, instead of family members who love him

Man, what a therapy sesh I had this morning.

Welp, time to pick up my cross and bear it. Thanks a lot, el puta madre.