Good morning fam! What books have you devoured this week or are about to feast on?
I am currently reading The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon, I got it for Christmas, and I'm really enjoying it so far.
It's about decolonization and the special role of the colonized people in the international context, as well as the geopolitical context of the time. Written in 1961, it isn't too far back but still shows clear signs of aging, that being the phrasing (the n-word comes up a lot) and the changing geopolitical situation. He touches on the USSR as the beacon for the colonized people, as Khrushchev threatens to defend the anticolonial Cuban revolution with a nuclear arsenal.
He also really emphasizes how swapping the colonial bourgeoisie for a native bourgeoisie happens in some attempts of decolonization but ultimately has its very own contradictions, same with colonized people maintaining close relationships to their former colonial power. He also touches on tactics, strategy and the roles of various entities in the revolution of the colonized people and the unique historic context of colonization and decolonization.
As far as I've read now I can fully recommend it to any Marxist
Have just started Wretched of the Earth as well. What did you think of the preface by Jean- Paul Satre?
I really don't have strong feelings about it, other than I think it's unnecessary and doesn't really add anything to the book (as Sartre also states). I've heard that Fanon himself didn't like it, the passage about Sartre "stealing it to make Europe better" feels pretty weird, but ultimately I don't mind it.
I am still reading the Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin(?), which I think has some wonderful stories (his chess career is fascinating in and of itself) and some interesting insights about not just learning but thriving in a field of knowledge; however, part of me cannot get over the immense privilege this person has. He grew up in Manhattan, went to an elite school, his mom and dad could take off work to take their precocious little
warlord(he uses all these comparisons to war when playing Chess) Chess Champion to tournaments all over the country, and the world. He got mentorship from some of the best grandmasters on the planet, that couldn't have been cheap. Which is what annoys me so. He talks about his inner locus of motivation and his passion for chess. But the dude had mentors that nourished his passion and made Chess seem fun and amazing and poured into him tons of knowledge of amazing games played throughout the ages.What if you do not have a mentor, do not feel comfortable asking for help, or can't afford the help? I am at this point in my Art, where I am struggling at a plateau. My tone and rendering are awful, I still make some beginner mistakes like keeping all the edges consistent, my anatomy knowledge is...iffy at best. Now there's been plenty of meat to pull of the bone here, and I'm already thinking of ways to coach myself through some of these issues. But I WANT someone better at art than me, to tell me what I am doing wrong. I want to get nurtured. I want someone to tell me: "you got talent", or "I can see how much effort and passion you put into this"; I signed up for a coaching program back in 2017 and I received precisely that type of nurturing AND got assigned homework but it wasn't cheap and at some point, it had to give. I know: I DO that, work hard, put passion into this...hobby (?) but it's nice to hear it from other people too, you know?
I see this type of mentorship in my professional career. I am in grad school and I attended every single Office Hours I could. Even if it was just to shoot the shit with the professor and I learned SO MUCH. I am working on a research paper (might get published by 2022!) with a faculty who I consider my writing mentor and the way I talk about instructional design, she says it's like I've been doing this "for years"; which technically I have but I didn't have the words to express myself before learning theory, learning their applications, the use of technology, etc. Why can't I be at that stage with my art work. I just wanna draw cool and funny shit.
Fun bit I forgot to mention (if you could call it that): The soviet union had these amazing academies that taught folks specialized skills like chess, gymnastics, etc. And they were state sponsored and so on. Then the USSR collapsed and they all went out of business.
Anyways, Art of Learning, it's an interesting book.
I hear you dude. It feels so good to be properly taught/mentored by someone who can actually help and offer realy good insight. What's your research paper on?
The attitudes of a professor and their beliefs about learning and how it is expressed through an educational tool we are interested in.
I just finished Severance by Ling Ma. It’s a nice break from reading theory stuff.
Basically it’s an office/capitalism satire plus worldwide pandemic, a fungal infection that spreads from China all over the world (written in 2018, crazily enough).
Just finished Green Mars (fuck me I'm enjoying the series like a little kid) and about to jump into The Years, Months, Days by Yan Lianke. If it's anything like Dream of Ding Village I'm in for a treat :pog-dolphin:
