| The Beginner’s Lindy Reading List | 您所在的位置：网站首页 › lindylistorg › The Beginner’s Lindy Reading List |
The Beginner’s Lindy Reading List
|
The Beginner’s Lindy Reading List Alex Hartwood ·Follow 6 min read·Jan 2, 2019-- Seneca (Source) (If you’re already familiar with the Lindy effect and just want the books, scroll down. Getting to the point is Lindy.) Does today’s culture not interest you? Superhero movies and true crime podcasts not entertaining you? This list is for you. If you’ve been on some very niche parts of Twitter for some time now you may have heard things being described as ‘Lindy’ or ‘Not Lindy.’ To make it simple something is Lindy if it’s been around for a long time and by every indication will continue to stay around in one form or another. Some examples: Wool is Lindy, polyester is Not LindyBars are Lindy, Tinder is Not LindyEating vegetables and meat is Lindy, Soylent and processed foods are Not LindyYou get the idea. It’s been popularized by Nassim Nicholas Taleb (who has written the best primer on the topic here) and has been most feverishly documented on Twitter by Paul Skallas. It’s a useful heuristic to modern living. If something is Lindy that means there is usually a good reason it’s lasted so long. If something is Not Lindy, it’s probably best to avoid or limit if necessary. A recurring theme of those advocating for a Lindy-compatible life is avoiding most recent media like TV, movies, news, and video games (Not Lindy) and just sticking with the Classics (Lindy). Moreover not just the standard Homer and Virgil but with a special focus on the Stoics, the Epicureans, and the later French ‘moralists.’ I thought it would be helpful to create a list that brings all of these together for a simple reading list to draw their selections from. What This List is NotThis list is far from all-encompassing. This list does not include the most Lindy books of all, the major religious canon (ex. no KJV Bible, no Quran, no sutras, no Tao, etc.). I respect the reader’s existing cultural knowledge and will assume they will have no problem finding these works if interested. Nor is it an exhaustive bibliography for each writer. This will instead be an excellent starting place and will act as a bridge to further literary exploration. I have chosen the best translations that are widely available (Sadly the very best are rare and take some hunting). I have also chosen a few select modern works that fit well alongside these classics. Although I have included affiliate links for easy purchase I would recommend finding these at libraries. Which would also be Lindy-compatible. The ListHomer- The Illiad and The OdysseyStarting the list with two of the most (if not the most) famous Classics. Read about real bravery, and real fortitude in the face of obstacles. The most essential of essential in two of the very best translations available.Hesiod- Works and DaysWhile it’s easy to romanticize the world of the ancient Mediterraneans, even they thought they were living in the worst of times. Hesiod says as much while detailing the five ages of man in Works and Days. We live in the Iron Age, a time marked by strife and hardship. Hesiod gives advice on surviving such an age through hard work and keeping a sense of justice.Lucretius- The Way Things AreThe defining work of Epicureanism. Here we learn well, the way things are. This includes atoms, physics, the nature of being, the senses, and life. Book III contains some of the best descriptions of the human condition ever written.Seneca- Six TragediesThe most popular Stoic of all time? I’ve included his tragedies here as Medea and Hercules Furen in particular are both excellent works of drama that still and will hold up.PS if you haven’t already be sure to read Letters From A Stoic as well. It’s probably the most recommended book on Stoicism next to the Meditations (below) for it’s clear thought and straightforward Stoic advice.Cicero- On the GodsPraised by Voltaire as one of the most beautiful works ever produced, On the Gods has a dialogue between an Epicurean, Stoic, and Skeptic. This gives a wonderful cross section of the dominant philosophies at the time it was written and satisfies without providing easy answers.Horace- Odes, Epistles and SatireThe foremost poet during the time of Emperor Augustus, Horace was an uncanny observer of human behavior and folly. In the Odes, Epistles, and Satires he makes wry quips of mortal ambition versus the Epicurean ideal of a self-sufficient life.Epictetus- Discourses and Selected WritingsWriting in the tradition of short, direct advice like fellow Stoics M. Aurelius and Seneca, Epictetus gives practical steps of a life of self-discipline, responsibility, and inner dignity. His writings have influenced a diverse range of writers from Aurelius to Rabelais to David Mamet.M. Aurelius- MeditationsBy far the most recommended book on this list. This is as close to ideal as a starting point for Stoicism. Very readable. You can pick it up, flip to a page at random, and find wisdom that has survived centuries. Simple.Ovid- MetamorphosesFrom creation to Julius Caesar, Ovid’s most ambitious work is also considered his best. Using love as it’s central thread Ovid excels at romance, tragedy, and comedy. Be sure to read his The Art of Love as well.Martial- EpigramsA masterful observer, Martial takes us into the world of imperial Rome. Lewd and hilarious, Martial targets society from doctors (“I didn’t have a fever, Symmachus, when I called you –but now I do”) to other charlatans. Even now Martial still shocks.Juvenal- SatiresLess explicit in its obscenity than Martial, Juvenal’s satires are no less pointed. Society is thrashed by Juvenal’s words. Literally some of the funniest comedy ever written.Michel de Montaigne- The Complete WorksWe have now left the ancient Mediterranean and find ourselves with the later French writers. Montaigne’s works would never make it pass an editor or be embraced by academia today. And we are all the more lucky for it. In his essays he stands alone in terms of depth, intelligence, and the nonchalant digressions that characterize genius.Erasmus- In Praise of FollyAs a precursor to the Protestant revolution, Erasmus continues the tradition of Martial and Ovid with his sharp wit. The Catholic church is his chief target, however his work was so appreciated that even popes were fond of the satire. The perfect introduction to the writer.Le Rochefoucauld- MaximsLe Rochefoucauld’s maxims are short and elegant, touching upon human nature and follies. Having survived for so long, the modern reader will no doubt see himself in the sharp barbs Le Rochefoucauld inflicts.Vauvenargues- SelectionsMore maxims! Vauvenargues is distinguished by the Stoicism of his work which points to man as being in control of his reactions to life’s fortunes and miseries.La Bruyère- The CharactersLa Bruyere’s portraits of his contemporaries combines the intellect and mastery of language of Rochefoucauld and Montaigne before him but presented in a format all his own.Chamfort- The Cynic’s BreviaryAphorisms from one of the greatest wits, Chamfort’s strength is in his mix of richness of characterization, passion, and clarity placing him alongside Le Rochefoucauld.Bossuet- An Universal HistoryThe heir to St Augustine’s far-reaching City of God, Bossuet’s universal history is not for the faint of heart. This work presents the whole of human existence as a continuation of the battle between Good and Evil. Staggering in its intellectual rigor.Christopher Alexander- A Pattern LanguageThe first contemporary book I’ve included on the list and for good reason. Read this book and you will have an understanding on what survives in architecture, design, and planning. Indispensable.Nicholas Nassim Taleb- AntifragileThe reason for this list. An incredibly thorough book that will outlast us all.Paul Skallas- Life & The Lindy EffectThis is more or less a compilation of his very good tweets and is a great book to reach for if you were unlucky enough not to follow them from the beginning.I hope my list is useful. How will you spend your 4 hours? |
【本文地址】