I’ve said this before, if more men read Aesop’s fables, the world would be a better place. These stories may be old, but the lessons are still relevant. I think reading, period, is an essential part of manhood. Not reading comic books and the Sunday funnies in the newspapers. I mean actual, meaningful reading. Reading is fundamental.
Some of my favorite books that I would recommend a man read are The Republic by Plato, 1984 by George Orwell, Roman Honor by Carlin Barton, The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald, and The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli.
These are just a few of my favorites and actually ones that I own.
I love reading. Reading gives me information. Then I take that information and turn it into knowledge. Plain and simple. Straight like that. And people are always asking me how I know the things that I know. I simply tell them ‘I just read a lot. I read everything.’ Sometimes I think I should go on Jeopardy. But, then reality sets in. I don’t want to read for the loot. (I’d like to have the loot.) But, I’d rather read for the love. I love reading. I love writing more. But, reading is my second love. It gives me an understanding of the things I don’t know as well as the things I thought I knew. It helps me coexist with other people, too.
I read about other people’s cultures, and other people’s religions.
I also read about other people’s lifestyles. And if men were to read more, we would understand each other more and possibly avoid a lot of conflicts. I’m just saying.Think about it. Anytime a man does not understand another man, they become at odds. Why? Because it is natural to fear the unknown. And if a man doesn’t know about another man he is in direct or indirect competition with, he fears the outcome. And when a person feels fear, they what? Fight or flight.
The reason I know this is because I read.
Because I read, I know this. Because I know this, I am able to interact with many different individuals accordingly. It may sound simple, it may even sound repetitive. But, I say it this way so that it is understood, by any and everyone. I break it down to the very last compound so that it may be shared around. Each one, teach one.
This is why I suggest Aesop’s fables. Reading this always reminds me of myself and how I should deal with many situations. It can do the same for you. Take The Republic by Plato for example. In it, it is written, ‘Under the tyranny of erotic love he has permanently become while awake what he used to become occasionally while asleep.’ This has been broken down as meaning tyrannical men are driven by lawless desires, the sort of desires, that in normal people, only occur in their dreams. Tyrannical men live these dreams out. These can be dangerous emotions that should be avoided at all costs, by any means necessary. It is no wonder to me, why a lot of men in power do some sick things.
Men. I urge you. Read The Republic, and you’ll understand.
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I can relate. As a general comment, I was one of those kids that never really had to study in order to get through either high school or college so I never took to reading (and is more than likely the reason that I tend to butcher the written word). Somewhere later in life I decided to start. My ever resourceful daughter showed up at my fortieth birthday with an armful of the classics. I started with authors such as Twain, Melville, Tolkien, and gobbled them all down. From there, poets and philosophers. I’ve read from Plato to Shakespeare. I’ve… Read more »
WOW! SJ. My sentiments, exactly. Butchering the written word, where?
My speeling and gramah! Part laziness, but I struggle with a bit of dyslexia. I sometimes mix words up, mix up vowels, or use words out of context.
There are times when what I’m writing makes perfect sense, then I look back later and wonder what the heck I was trying to say.
More funny than anything else, but another benefit to reading. It’s helped tremendously.