What should I read to stop being ignorant and stupid?

[acatalijan02]

I feel like I'm ignorant to the point of not knowing what I should be knowing. And for the sake of context, I'm a 20 year old male.

I hear big words and I don't understand what they mean, for example:
Strawman argument, opinion reporting, Fallacy.

And I also have trouble explaining things to people, even when I understand those things.

You could say, just look up those words on google or whatever, but that's not really the point, I want to understand the concepts, not just the definitions of the words. Basically I want to stop being very impressionable, and easily manipulated, if that makes sense.

I'm sure you had an aneurism just reading my post, which would prove my point.
And by the way I only used those words as an example not a restriction, so you don't exactly need to recommend books about those topics.

[Miamorswife]

I've never even HEARD those words before so I can't help you, but good luck!

[Bigwig1973]

I feel like I'm ignorant to the point of not knowing what I should be knowing. And for the sake of context, I'm a 20 year old male.

I hear big words and I don't understand what they mean, for example:
Strawman argument, opinion reporting, Fallacy.

And I also have trouble explaining things to people, even when I understand those things.

You could say, just look up those words on google or whatever, but that's not really the point, I want to understand the concepts, not just the definitions of the words. Basically I want to stop being very impressionable, and easily manipulated, if that makes sense.

I'm sure you had an aneurism just reading my post, which would prove my point.
And by the way I only used those words as an example not a restriction, so you don't exactly need to recommend books about those topics.

Please don't sell yourself short - you probably DO know a lot of big words or concepts, you just don't think of them as "big" and if you're 20, you are young! I'm sure someone wrote a book but I don't know of any offhand.

[kipper_]

The topics you've listed here seem connected due to the economic and psychological implications that they have on society. Depending on what it is you want to gain from learning about those topics will determine where your attention goes. Do you want to understand how it affects people in your daily life? Look into media that discusses psychological articles. Maybe something peer reviewed. Do you want to know how those topics affected humanity throughout history? Look into sociology or statistical data. You said that you want to learn so that you aren't manipulated. Maybe look into body language?

I'd recommend that you look into a variety of sources. If you are having difficulty understanding a concept when you read about it online, try looking into an audio source. (YouTube is great for that!) What I like to do is open a podcast or video where people discuss a topic and just listen to that as I go about my day. Keep in mind that some ideas take frequent mental contact before you actually know what that term looks like in everyday life. Having the knowledge of a "big term" under your belt doesn't mean you suddenly know how to use it. That also means that you can know valuable information without knowing the term for it! Don't beat yourself up about it. And don't try to learn everything at once, or you'll get overwhelmed.

[Renee_Lorne]

Probably not the kind of recommendation you wanna hear lol, but one of my first thoughts for just getting smarter and more well-rounded knowledge, would be textbooks.

Hear me out.

Not like math or chem textbooks that are all formulas, big words, and info dumps. More like english, ethics, gender studies, ethnic studies, sociology, humanities, etc. A lot of textbooks in those kinds of fields are actually just big anthologies (collections of stories) that they use to educate and make examples, so they’re not super boring and they usually contain good real world knowledge.

But that was just my first thought. Good luck man, it’s always good to try and better yourself, but also don’t be too hard on yourself. I know a lot of people are annoyed by the whole “everyone is special” mentality but honestly, I believe that. Everyone has their own stuff going for them, and there’s never going to be anyone like you. Embrace yourself and work to be your best you

[jo99]

i used to feel like that in my teenage years too, and i still do sometimes, so i understand exactly what you mean and i can confirm that you're being too harsh on yourself. it's not that you're stupid it's just that you're very young and you have so much to learn and so much time to do it too. being nicer to yourself actually makes it so much easier to learn and grow.
obviously everyone is different but what worked for me wasn't books, i just made sure to look up absolutely everything that made me feel stupid AND try to summarize what i learnt afterwards in bullet points to make sure i retained at least 50% of the information i read. this also helps untangle your thoughts so it's easier to communicate them to other people.
i found that reading a full non fiction book on one specific subject is just not something i can do. i get bored and end up in a reading slump and that makes me feel even worse. short essays and articles that get straight to the point though can go a long way and eventually you'll find that you know a little bit about so many topics and that's always a nice confidence boost.
good luck and i hope you find peace with yourself <3

[Valeria Rotaru]

Alright, don't be that hard on yourself. If you want to know big word, then problem solved. Just start by reading at least 100 books in English. That way you will know not only the definitions, but how they are also applied in sentences. You need to hear and use at least 8 times for your brain to memorize it. Now, second of all, if you want to know so much about world topics, then just start reading several newspaper articles each day. You can read from politics, science, art, literature, economics, etc. That's it. Ignorance is basically lack of curiosity about the world, not absence of intelligence. If you want to know more, just find out more on your own.

[Adrian Rondon Salazar]

We are all stupid in some area of knowledge. In my case, I am stupid in everything related to mathematics. In your case, nothing to worry about, just be interested in learning. We cannot know all the words in the world, but we can learn the ones that are presented to us.

[DATo]

I feel like I'm ignorant to the point of not knowing what I should be knowing. And for the sake of context, I'm a 20 year old male.

I hear big words and I don't understand what they mean, for example:
Strawman argument, opinion reporting, Fallacy.

And I also have trouble explaining things to people, even when I understand those things.

You could say, just look up those words on google or whatever, but that's not really the point, I want to understand the concepts, not just the definitions of the words. Basically I want to stop being very impressionable, and easily manipulated, if that makes sense.

I'm sure you had an aneurism just reading my post, which would prove my point.
And by the way I only used those words as an example not a restriction, so you don't exactly need to recommend books about those topics.

I agree with Bigwig - don't sell yourself short. You are probably a lot smarter than you think you are. I'd bet money there are things you could teach me that I don't know and I am a LOT older than 20 *LOL* Each of us is smart in our own way.

You have a big advantage that many of us older people didn't have and that is the internet. You can easily look up the things you don't know in any subject and once you know you won't forget. We never stop learning no matter how old we get. As far as words: go into the dictionary and write down words you don't know and the definitions. Find words whose definitions are useful in normal conversation. Do it on your computer and then print them out or alt least save them on your hard disk. Try to memorize them and use them in your day-to-day life and you will improve your vocabulary. It isn't important if you remember every word, you will still be improving. When you finish your first set of say 10 words, look up 10 more and keep going. I find myself constantly looking up words and other things I don't know on the net.

Wishing you the best of luck !!!

/

[Tonia Freeman]

I think you have some good advice above. Finding some textbooks or fiction books about topics such as sociology, psychology, and body language would be a good start. I would also suggest signing up at your local and state library for their audiobook apps. Yes, you can pay for it but this way you are supporting the library and getting them for free. I suggest audiobooks because I find myself "busy" but my mind gets board with such tasks as cleaning, driving, cooking, and going for a walk. So there are many times that you can listen to something when you are short on time. Studies have shown that the same areas of the brain light up when we listen to books as when we read, which is excellent news when you are trying to learn new things. Plus, for people like me with ADHD, it calms the mind to have something to focus on. I hardly even watch TV or listen to the radio because I love my audiobooks so much.

Don't beat yourself up, no one really knows much at 20. Heck, at almost 40, I am still learning new things every day. The important part is that you recognize it and want to change it. You're already miles ahead of many. Just jump in and pick something, anything that interests you. That will lead you to something else. The more you read, the more your vocabulary will grow. And there is nothing wrong with stopping to look up words. If you are stuck, get some ideas and throw them in a bowl and pick one out. I would also suggest using the Goodreads app. You can keep track of books that you have read and put books in a group when you see one you want to read but don't have time for right away. Good luck!

[upyoursobc]

I don't think there's a single book that fixes this, but what will is an internal commitment to continuously grow and educate yourself.

The fact that you're bothered by your current lack in abilities points to your actual high intellect and potential, so you can back yourself.

I can empathize with how you feel. I felt that way, too, a few years back when I was in my early twenties - stupid, uninformed, unable to express myself or keep up with my very intelligent siblings. I made the decision to be more interested in challenging and intimidating subjects, whether I think I have the capacity to understand it or not. My reasoning was that I don't have to be the master or expert of anything, I only want to tread any un-treaded mental territory. It kind of took away any space for self-criticism and self-consciousness to creep in. I'm now in my late twenties, and this approach has truly changed me for the better, I'm much more confident and informed, and what used to be daunting is now a strength.

Besides reading, I'd recommend listening to podcasts - like Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, Jordan Peterson, etc. Also try Jordan Peterson's older videos on YouTube, most of the words in your above example will come up and your to-read list and vocabulary will grow rapidly - in addition to your interests and insight into fascinating topics.

Recommended books:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson
The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt
The Road Less Travelled by M. Scott Peck

Fiction-wise - stick to what you enjoy and read as many stories as you can.

Finally, combining reading and writing is what really makes the difference. Get into the habit of free-writing one page a day.

[Betelhem Demsie]

I think before everything you have to stop being ignorant because you might ignore our recommendations too

[Michael Adam Glidden Forteski]

Read as many different genres from as many different culturess you can. Also, try to read more women authors.

[aazminsyeda]

Actually. I think you should look for books that can expand your terminology knowledge. Alas, I wish I had some recommendations! But I don't. So best of luck!

[Tamara Bengesai]

I suggest you read books to help you set goals and the ones that will help improve your happiness. I also highly recommend reading autobiography books. I believe looking at life from another person's perspective help in making better decisions in life.