How to learn better?

[The Stalinator]

I can't for the life of me pay attention while reading theory. I always get distracted. I've considered myself a Marxist more or less since about June or July and I still only understand the basics because I don't know where to start (I have a manifesto floating around in my school locker...) and keep getting distracted.

Anyone else have this problem, and how did you overcome it?

[Ostrinski]

Smoke pot.

[Kitty_Paine]

Smoke pot.

He's actually right, this does help some people... not all mind you, lol. Some just space out, get distracted or become super lazy. But I do know a lot of people that smoke before they study and it helps them concentrate a lot. Doesn't help me but you might want to give it a shot. That is unless you're not compeltely against it or something...

That combined with some light snacking (or heavy if you get some mad munchies) could make for an incredibly productive evening... :p

[Ostrinski]

He's actually right, this does help some people... not all mind you, lol. Some just space out, get distracted or become super lazy. But I do know a lot of people that smoke before they study and it helps the concentrate a lot. Doesn't help me but you might want to give it a shot. That is unless you're not compeltely against it or something...

That combined with some light snacking (or heavy if you get some mad munchies) could make for an incredibly productive evening... :pIt helps me. I have really bad anxiety and my brain races and body shakes when i read, or even try to concentrate on anything. Marijuana is the only thing that actually works and doesn't zonk me out.

[StalinFanboy]

as with other "skills" you just have to keep working on it. reading theory critically is a little different from reading other books and shit. setting a realistic goal (like a chapter a night for example) and finding a place to read away from distractions are good first steps.

[scourge007]

I usually go to the park or the campus library if I can't concentrate.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Take things slow and do not expect yourself to be able to read and understand an entire pamphlet in a single day.Allow yourself to make mistakes and learn, allow yourself to slowly improve and say,"I will understand this in time." There are no short cuts to learning.There are methods which are better and ones which are less effective but ultimately it comes down to dedication and commitment.

[el_chavista]

Have you tried rocking while you read?

http://www.elpais.com/recorte/20050718elpepiint_3/XXLCO/Ies/Jovenes_estudiantes_aprenden_Coran.jpg

[tfb]

Make sure you've slept enough. Have complete silence.

[KR]

Get ADHD medication.

[NewLeft]

Maybe you're just not into it?

[Optiow]

Just search Marxist texts until you find ones you are happy with and can read easily. For example, I find Engels very dry and have never finished any of his works. I find authors like Marx and Lenin easier to read, so I focus on them.

It is just about searching through the authors until you find someone you can read easy, and then move on from there.

[HEAD ICE]

really all i do is take notes and then try to summarize what i just read into my own words in a notebook. yeah its time consuming but hey it does the job.

[NewLeft]

Just search Marxist texts until you find ones you are happy with and can read easily. For example, I find Engels very dry and have never finished any of his works. I find authors like Marx and Lenin easier to read, so I focus on them.

It is just about searching through the authors until you find someone you can read easy, and then move on from there.

This worked for me, I could never read the drivels of Proudhon.. but have no problems with contemporaries.

[Scrooge]

I just purchased a book called How to Read a Book by Adler and Van Doren. It is supposed to cover different levels/types of reading for different types of books. It is highly rated on Amazon. Maybe you will find it useful. I will say this, after reading 19th century non-fiction such as Capital more modern less scholarly stuff seems like a walk in the park.

[La Comédie Noire]

I just purchased a book called How to Read a Book by Adler and Van Doren. It is supposed to cover different levels/types of reading for different types of books. It is highly rated on Amazon. Maybe you will find it useful. I will say this, after reading 19th century fiction such as Capital more modern less scholarly stuff seems like a walk in the park.

Yeah man, my friend let me borrow Duma Key by Stephen King and he was astonished when I brought it in two days later and I was like "have you ever had to read 19th century political economy? I could read this shit all day after that."

[28350]

capitalist forms of education are not all there are and you shouldn't feel discouraged if you can't read das kapital in one go

[Sosa]

I used to have the same issues. Pot helped me a lot

[Comrade Samuel]

I found some of what I've read easier to digest if I listen to it on audio book and rather than doing it all at once maybe just a half an hour to an hour before bed each night. It's a slower process, audio books of Marx, Engles or Lenin are a little difficult to find but nevertheless it helped me have a better understanding of the content than I ever did sitting around in a library for what seemed like hours.