Books that actually helped

Looking for some books that helped you guys overcome your lowest points and pushed you in the right direction

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  1. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    The Way of Man, Martin Buber

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      The essential thing is to begin with oneself, and at this moment a man has nothing in the world to care about than this beginning.

      "Seek peace in your own place." You cannot find peace anywhere save in your own sel£ In the psalm we read: "There is no peace in my bones because of my sin." When a man has made peace within himself, he will be able to make peace in the whole world.'

      the crucial realization: Everything depends on myself, and the crucial decision: I will straighten myI self out.

      But in order that a man may be capable of this great feat, he must find his way from the casual, accessory elements of his existence to his own self: he must find his own self, not the trivial ego of the egotistic individual, but the deeper self of the person living in a
      relationship to the world. And that is also contrary to everything we are accustomed to.
      I will close this chapter with an old jest as retold thusly:
      There was once a man who was very stupid. When he got up in the morning it was so hard for him to find his clothes that at night he almost hesitated to go to bed for thinking of the trouble he would have on waking. One evening he finally made a great effort, took paper and pencil and as he undressed noted down exactly where he put everything he had on. The next morning, very well pleased with himself, he took the slip of paper in his hand and read: 'cap'- there it was, he set it on his head; 'pants'- there they lay, he got into them; and so it went until he was fully dressed. 'That's all very well, but now where am I myself?' he asked in great consternation. 'Where in the world am I?' He looked and looked, but it was a vain search; he could not find himself. And that is how it is with us

  2. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    The short stories of DFW
    The novels of Dostoevsky
    Love, Poverty, and War by Christopher Hitchens

  3. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    The Divine Comedy

  4. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    The Nihilist by Keigo Kangur
    Despite its title, it was a wake up call for how the tepidity of your own existence was largely a point of view you thrust upon yourself.

  5. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    The fundamental emptiness of all experience was realised for me last year, so I read Cormac to give me hope.

  6. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    For me it’s Suttree

  7. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    E*syP*asy Method
    Atomic Habits
    Digital Minimalism
    What the Buddha Taught
    Mindfulness in Plain English

  8. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    All the answers will probably just help you cope a bit.
    The truth is you shouldn't get help from books. They should cause you problems by expanding your mind. Then you do shit in real life as reaction and overcome the problems and get stronger and bigger.
    If a book doesn't cause you even a slight problem, you've basically been in a circle jerk with the book.

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      Bullshit. Books supplement real life experiences, they give you perspective that allows you to learn more from them.

  9. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    World of- David M Glantz & David Stahel.
    Honorary mention - Robert Citono.

  10. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    The Hermetic Tradition by Evola

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      Did you do it anon? Did you return to the prenatal state and remake yourself? Did you become a master of fire? What number am I thinking of?

      • 5 months ago
        Anonymous

        The number you are thinking of will be displayed as the last two digits of this post.

        • 5 months ago
          Anonymous

          Frick. The mad man actually did it. He even turned the three digit number that was in my head into a two digit number. I kneel. But in all seriousness there is something that bugs me about that book. In the middle of it he acknowledges that part of the journey of the alchemical work is realizing there is no distinction between you and the cosmos (including all things in it) but later he claims that anyone who has gone through this work realizes their superiority and sovereignty over others, but how could one be superior over themselves, the separation from which the accomplished alchemist has to internalize and understand?

          • 5 months ago
            Anonymous

            *internalize and understand AS AN ILLUSION. Maybe I'll give a go at rebuilding myself into a man that can finish a thought.

  11. 5 months ago
    Anonymous
  12. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    Stirner, Zhuangzi, Gay Science, Andy Weir The Egg is nice to think about too.

  13. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    I now base all my decisions on yarrow sticks and consulting the I Ching

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      Hell yeah brother. I like to cast the runes and explore the symbols in incense smoke to make my decisions!

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      Autobiography of Read was something I wish I read a long time ago. I don't know exactly what I found in it but it untangled something that had been knotted up for a long time.

      I read playing cards for insignificant shit and throw coins for big decisions where I want to confuse my enemies.

      • 5 months ago
        Anonymous

        >autobio of red
        I think I can see why. It has a kind of depth once you either stop cringing or stop being cringe.

        > Looking for some books that helped you guys overcome your lowest points and pushed you in the right direction
        I object to the idea of the "right" direction, but Stirner and Seneca pushed me in the direction which I like a lot more than where I was before.

        >Stirner
        Being made immune to ideology through an elaborate shitpost was one of the greatest gifts I've ever been given.
        >Ich hab' mein Sach' auf Nichts gestellt!
        the egoist proclaims, abandoning the book and going about his life unburdened.

        • 5 months ago
          Anonymous

          >Being made immune to ideology through an elaborate shitpost was one of the greatest gifts I've ever been given.
          It's splitting hairs but I firmly believe that crediting Stirner with deliberately crafting an elaborate metashitpost which is supposed to make you realize that the book is actually trash and dropping it halfway is a bit too much heroics. I'm sure he was really just that autistic to write 200 pages of telling each and every one of his philosophy 101 classmates, along with Hegel, exactly how wrong he thought they were, with full knowledge that his criticisms are exactly the same for each and every one of them.
          The reading I adopted for myself and actually find useful - the self-absorbing ego and using identities very sparingly and all that stuff - is, I think, pretty modern, you'd probably need the awareness of Nietzsche and maybe the postmodern schizoid stuff to arrive at this.

          • 5 months ago
            Anonymous

            Oh no I think your interpretation is also right and there is something clever and modern in there, a little nugget of philosophical nuance on par with stoicism to contemplate to a great depth, but it was rightfully regarded as a funny book that censorship only made funnier because it's pretty tame. He takes Hegel to the logical extreme and buttblasts all the young hegelians and Marx in doing so. It's a lot of things all at once and taking it seriously is only a small part of it.

          • 5 months ago
            Anonymous

            >Is Absolute Spirit in the room with us right now?

            hehe

            https://i.imgur.com/c0iO8TU.png

            I suffer from PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder. My therapist is convinced that the key to my psychotherapy is to "heal my inner child." And maybe she's right any books you guys can recommend to help with my issues?

            >transactional analysis (psych.)
            >narcissism (youtube the Indian Milf; there's a self-pitying aspect to it)

  14. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    How to Fail at Almost Everything And Still Win Big by Scott Adams was pretty good. I'm not claiming it made me see the face of God or anything, but there is a lot of general good wisdom in there. Basically it teaches you to be aware of systems, rather than abstract goals, and promotes a sort of practical positivity through growth mindset.

    FYI I got bored and stopped 75% through so if the last chapter says "teehee just kidding do the opposite of what I said", I am unaware of it.

  15. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    Wim Hof Method, by Wim Hof — WHM changed my life the most. I feel great and never get sick. I can overcome many mental tribulations and control my mind and emotions.

    Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdini — helped me to never get scammed.

    Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad — made me want to become a writer.

    Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas — made me ask myself every day, WWEDD, what would Edmond Dantes do?

    Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl — logotherapy helped me survive dark times by being conscious of my destinations.

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      Do you do the cold exposure?

      • 5 months ago
        Anonymous

        I do. I started with short ice showers after my normal bath sessions, 10s, 15s, 30s, 1m etc. My body got used to cold extremely fast, now after initial 3s shock, my body gets warm instantly in extremely cold water and I can just stay in it however long I want. Ice plunges, ice baths, ice showers, doesn’t matter.
        I also do the breathing sessions, usually three or four rounds before sleep. With five I feel drugged and can’t control my body, it moves and tingles like I’m on drugs. Quite funny tbh.

        I never get sick. And I feel awesome.
        And it’s always warm, like a few days ago I was in a simple t shirt surrounded by people in warm jackets, lol

        I recommend just trying it, it really works and you see it fast.

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      >literally torturing yourself and putting your body through a huge shock
      >studies show that it does nothing good for you
      >wim hof is an unhealthy alcoholic with alzheimers
      really dude

      • 5 months ago
        Anonymous

        lmao what? It's great for your health, the frick are you smoking? post studies

  16. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    Moore's Voice of the Fire.

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      Laaaame

  17. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    I don't see what the right direction is. Nothing is appealing.

  18. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    PG Wodehouse. It introduced this lightheartedness into my life that has never left me. I also got my first gf after binge reading his novels

  19. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    Voyage to Arcturus

    You Must Change Your Life

  20. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand. In a world that wants me to sit down, shut up, go with the flow, and conform, this book gave me permission to be excellent. I will forever be grateful.

  21. 5 months ago
    Voluntary Fool
  22. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    Holy Bible

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      >Holy Bible

  23. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    A Castaneda book where he talks about turning off the internal monologue, I'd already accidentally discovered this technique but really implemented it after reading that book.
    Another: Thomas Bernhard's Correction, it didn't provide any practical value but made me dream again.

  24. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    I think if my life hasn't changed radically within the next four months I'm going to end it. Nothing I'm doing has any effect, nothing changes, so at this point it's either a miracle or I'm exiting the show.

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      get some outside observer into your life. Problem is most of us give our will to change but what feels like giving 100% is only really about 5% because we're already exhausted spiritually and physically. Nothing is going to be easy, your enviorment is rigged against the losers. You have nothing to lose but your life so why give in to your curse that easy. Go out fighting, just don't shoot anybody. Take what beatings you needed yesterday now, by people who will seem further ahead but haven't had to start from the bottom lilke you have. If you put your focus in increasing your energy, getting comfortable with the akwardness, your are going to pick up where most people can't even begin.

      • 5 months ago
        Anonymous

        I have friends. I feel like even my best friend is giving up on me at this point since he feels like nothing he says or does helps, and I can't hold it against him.
        I have no will and no desires, no goal, nothing I aspire to. I might move to a foreign country and try to do something there, anything, but I'm not fooling myself, a plane ticket isn't going to change who I am

  25. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    Fear and Trembling
    The Sickness Onto Death

    both by Kierkegaard

  26. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    No, you won't, you're far too boring. Almost all humans are. I killed myself Dec. 20th, 2010 and since then things have gotten far more interesting. Do you think I "announced" it? Or wrote...anything? How could I, I knew nothing! Now...I know a LOT more. And btw...you're too linear in your thinking. Spacetime is NOT unidimensional. I wish I could explain it but my understanding is entirely visual. Your can be as well. So DO have a nice day, because if you're like me, you'll realize that's when you start living. But there is a "cost" (not really a cost). You will not be allowed any further human connection. Like I said, not a true "cost" as there is no such thing as "human connection". Everything human is econometric. Humans consume. They are consumers. Try starvation.

  27. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    Hoax of the 20th Century

  28. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    > Looking for some books that helped you guys overcome your lowest points and pushed you in the right direction
    I object to the idea of the "right" direction, but Stirner and Seneca pushed me in the direction which I like a lot more than where I was before.

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      Also to add to this, Turgenev was surprisingly relatable, especially "Fathers and Sons". I acted a lot like Bazarov earlier in life, and to me, that book was a warning along the lines of "this is the failure you're setting yourself up for, unless you're good at self-control and careful".

  29. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    I suffer from PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder. My therapist is convinced that the key to my psychotherapy is to "heal my inner child." And maybe she's right any books you guys can recommend to help with my issues?

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      Dr. K's Guide to mental Health

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      Short of recognizing how, lets be honest, your parents failed you entirely and still express things through their own mental illness in a way that affects you to this day, this book helped me for some reason I don't understand. Consider Herakles as a kind of force in the world and I think it becomes clear if it isn't immediately.

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      The King James Bible.

      I wasn't raised in the faith, didn't have a bible in the house growing up, but I was never really hostile to Christianity as far as I can remember. I probably said some foolish things, but I don't ever remember being so full of hate as you see some people towards it. I decided to read a book here or there, a few chapters in context here or there. But I decided to read it from cover to cover, starting in Matthew and looping around to Genesis once I finished Revelation. I'd read a few chapters every night in bed, as much as I could read before I started falling asleep with the good book in my hand. And regular reading of the Word of God is life changing, how could I go back to my old life, how could I reject the knowledge of God? I did feel like I was robbed for not being raised with this knowledge.

      I've slowed down a little since finishing it, but I do plan on continuing this until the day I see my Lord and Savior.

      Mark 8:38
      Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

      You need Jesus Christ, friend.

      Matthew 11:28
      Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

      >the key to my psychotherapy is to "heal my inner child."
      You ever try music from your childhood? Music can be very powerful, both for good and for evil, so be careful what you listen to. Depending on your age, Creed might be familiar from your childhood considering their airtime on the radio waves, and their songs cry out to a higher power, but that can easily be missed if you don't know the gospel or God or any scripture. I only bring it up because I forgot I used to listen to them a lot and it seems like a common trend in some comments I see about it, especially after they were featured in a commercial (but I'm a cool hipster who rediscovered them before that, so you can trust that I'm genuine--- lmao, I'm taking the piss a little here, God bless buddy, feel better).

      https://i.imgur.com/7GMRrt7.jpg

      Short of recognizing how, lets be honest, your parents failed you entirely and still express things through their own mental illness in a way that affects you to this day, this book helped me for some reason I don't understand. Consider Herakles as a kind of force in the world and I think it becomes clear if it isn't immediately.

      Putting blame on his parents and potentially giving him a reason to hold a grudge or possibly not forgive his parents isn't going to help him. Maybe you can forgive your parents too someday, they're just flawed people like the rest of us, all destined for the same divine garbage disposal if we don't repent and if it weren't for God's mercy and grace. There's no sin or temptation in the world worth forsaking God's free gift of everlasting life. There's no wrong someone's committed against you that's greater than the sins you or I have committed against God and if God can forgive us, we should be able to forgive them, and not be like the wicked servant from that parable.

      • 5 months ago
        Anonymous

        >Putting blame on his parents and potentially giving him a reason to hold a grudge or possibly not forgive his parents isn't going to help him. Maybe you can forgive your parents too someday, they're just flawed people like the rest of us, all destined for the same divine garbage disposal if we don't repent and if it weren't for God's mercy and grace. There's no sin or temptation in the world worth forsaking God's free gift of everlasting life. There's no wrong someone's committed against you that's greater than the sins you or I have committed against God and if God can forgive us, we should be able to forgive them, and not be like the wicked servant from that parable.
        Schizo garbage, why would I or him or anyone want the garbage that maybe our abusers professed and we found zero solace in or relief from? Why would you drink from a clearly poisoned well? In hopes it would kill you? In hopes you'd become just as fricked as them?

        In hopes it would work for you in spite of it? That's fricking cute. Keep your poison to yourself.

        • 5 months ago
          Anonymous

          He's just going to respond with something condescending filled with hellfire and prayer. Converts are like that. They weaponize verses and sneer at people while calling it love.

          • 5 months ago
            Anonymous

            Honestly, it reads like chatGPT, not that they ever sounded human. Damn, IQfy is really going to love my novel.

      • 5 months ago
        Anonymous

        >You need Jesus Christ, friend.
        I have Christ in my life, but I still suffer from my ailments. Thank you for spreading the good news.

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      Ask her about binaural audio in combination with exposure therapy. I did it when I was a teen for OCD and my therapist mentioned he had success with PTSD patients as well.

  30. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    lonely castle in the mirror

  31. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    >Robert Walser's novels.
    They're lighthearted checked himself into a sanitorium on Christmas and never left, eventually.

    >Hegel
    More of a commitment, but what he has to say on Subjectivity and its development is apt. Maybe just the religious notes/lectures, ones on art as well.

    >Cesar Vallejo

    Peruvian Baudelaire ... but more 'goth'.

  32. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    Books about NDEs because they showed that life has a definite meaning. And NDEs are unironically irrefutable proof that heaven really is awaiting us because (1) people see things during their NDEs when they are out of their bodies that they should not be able to under the assumption that the brain creates consciousness, and (2) anyone can have an NDE and everyone is convinced by it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U00ibBGZp7o

    So any atheist would be too, so pic related is literally irrefutable proof of life after death. As one NDEr pointed out:

    >"I'm still trying to fit it in with this dream that I'm walking around in, in this world. The reality of the experience is undeniable. This world that we live in, this game that we play called life is almost a phantom in comparison to the reality of that."

    If NDEs were hallucinations somehow then extreme atheists and neuroscientists who had NDEs would maintain that they were halluinations after having them. But what we find is the complete opposite as NDEs convince every skeptic when they have a really deep NDE themselves. And that is why we know they are real.

  33. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    >thread full of whiny manchildren
    You have no real problems. There are people starving to death or hunted by machete wielding militias.

    • 5 months ago
      Anonymous

      Life and death stakes would probably be relieving to the average westerner.

      • 5 months ago
        Anonymous

        >that image
        Funniest thing I've seen all month

  34. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    That's not what books are for. If someone convinced themselves a bit of information fixed them, I feel sorry for them because their well-being is like a house of straw.

  35. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    The Doctrine of Awakening

  36. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    All Things Are Possible by Lev Shestov helped me get out of a spiritual and ideological slump in my life, after being an extremist for so long I felt as though I could not break out of my preconceived notions without losing myself. Despite his pessimism, Shestov is an incredibly hopeful author and that hope inspired me to go my own way without my past religious and ideological baggage as a new person, reforming myself into who I really wanted to be and see the world with a highly skeptical, though incredibly open, point of view.

  37. 5 months ago
    Anonymous

    Wind, Sand and Stars

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