/lit/ - Literature

ITT: Books that have actually helped you

I have a need for self-improvement but most people interpret this to be improving the image you present to society (ie. making more money, working out to look better, doing things to seem interesting) whereas I am interested in focusing inward.

What's the best translation?

Was it autism?

Just started reading the republic. Any works or characters I should be familiar with? Should I know who Thrasymachus and Lysias are, or will I know what I need to know by the end of the book? Is it even important to understand the text?

>women in the army
>abolition of the family unit
>censorship of art
>abolition of property
>exposing children to war at a young age
>murdering babies considered unfit
>all sex is prescribed and overseen by the state
Is this seriously the foundation of western philosophy and political theory? All he does is use sophistry and false equivalancies to justify his bizzare totalitarian "utopia"

>it was a metaphor bruh

Planning on reading Plato's Republic but I'm not sure which translation I should pick. I'm hearing a lot of good words regarding Allan Bloom's translation, people saying that it's the most literally translated one (though the essays apparently suck), but at the same time I'm sort of skeptical towards new translations.

Currently reading "The Republic"

>>9576164
>i'm sick of this world and it feels like the only way to freedom is understanding
Allow my a slight rant.

READ THIS FUCKING BOOK SERIES.
Everyone holds up the fucking Iliad and the Odyssey as what everyone should read for Greek literature. They are just the ancient Greek version of Harry Potter, popular fantasy tales people told for entertainment and to inspire the kids to be warriors when they grow up.

No one ever says "You should read Plato's Republic" even though it's probably one of the most important history defining works of literature ever created and most people who live in republics don't even understand what a Republic is or why so many new countries keep trying to establish ones.

And I know what you are thinking. "I don't want to read a boring political book from 2000 years ago".

I'ts a series of books about a bunch of people sitting down and trying to figure out what Justice is and in doing so they end up going into great length about how to create a perfect society. That's it. No long winded political dialog, no "Workers of the world unite!" just a bunch of people trying to answer the question "What is justice?".

What's the best order to read Plato in? I started with Republic and later found out everyone says not to do this (although it seems just because it's harder than his other work; I didn't find it too challenging - but maybe there's another reason?).

I was looking at "The Trial and Death of Socrates" translated by Cooper and Grube (is this a good translation?) which seems to tell the story of Socrates. I've heard to start with Apology, which is contained in that collection, but is there a best order after those? What other works are essential to understanding Plato? (Besides Symposium, which is on my list as well.)

I just finished this. What should I do next?

Are left-wing professors of today basically a reincarnation of ancient Sophists?

They tout pessimistic moral relativism for a hefty fee and dislike anyone challenging their "wisdom."

If so, when will we get our modern Plato to BTFO them?

Why has no one read this?
Seriously no one I know has ever read even one of the books.

Was it really all an analogy of the Soul?

Let me explain why I'd recommend this book to everyone: Plato is stupid.

Seriously.

And it's important that you all understand that Western society is based on the fallacy-ridden ramblings of an idiot. Read this, understand that he is not joking, and understand that Plato is well and truly fucked in the head.

Every single one of his works goes like this:

SOCRATES: "Hello, I will now prove this theory!"
STRAWMAN: "Surely you are wrong!"
SOCRATES: "Nonsense. Listen, Strawman: can we agree to the following wildly presumptive statement that is at the core of my argument?" {Insert wildly presumptive statement here— this time, it's "There is such a thing as Perfect Justice" and "There is such a thing as Perfect Beauty", among others.}
STRAWMAN: "Yes, of course, that is obvious."
SOCRATES: "Good! Now that we have conveniently skipped over all of the logically-necessary debate, because my off-the-wall crazy ideas surely wouldn't stand up to any real scrutiny, let me tell you an intolerably long hypothetical story."
{Insert intolerably long hypothetical story.}
STRAWMAN: "My God, Socrates! You have completely won me over! That is brilliant! Your woefully simplistic theories should become the basis for future Western civilization! That would be great!"
SOCRATES: "Ha ha! My simple rhetorical device has duped them all! I will now go celebrate by drinking hemlock and scoring a cameo in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure!"

The moral of the story is: Plato is stupid.

>>9328448
How can one man be so based?

I need to write a 20 page essay on this text.

What should my thesis be?

>tfw brainlet

How the FUCK am I supposed to start with the greeks when they're this fucking boring?

Some of the criteria for the "perfect state" that are presented in this book are quite disturbing. For example, the killing of deformed children, the controlling of who has sex with whom, not allowing children to know their real parents, et cetera.

My question is: do you believe Plato truly thought these to be good ideas, or was he merely entertaining them to craft his hypothetical "ideal state"? I am asking because it seems like only a seriously ill mind can conceive of these ideas as being in any way just.

>>8844428

I need to learn as much as possible about the first five books of The Republic until tomorrow
I've already read the actual book, what's some good secondary texts I could try? Besides Cliff's Notes, of course

Can I read this if I only read Euthyphro Apology, Crito and Phaedo?