Global Courant
Imagine you are looking for the next book to read. You glance at the bookshelf, looking for titles still unread.
Among them are some older books, and you feel guilty about those classics you’ve always wanted to read but haven’t yet.
Is today the day you finally choose to pull one of these off the shelf? It’s a common reader dilemma. But more often you choose a newer book that seems more relevant to your interests and the world around you.
And it’s understandable that you’d want to explore the most pressing issues of the day, keep your knowledge up to date, and support living writers whose works you enjoy.
This approach requires reading modern books. And with so many new books being published every year, it can be challenging to find time to re-read the classics that have gathered dust on the shelves.
of your library. However, reading older books, especially those called “classics”, is a valuable practice for which we should find more time. Here are 4 main reasons why you should:
Read old books to understand people better
One obstacle to reading old books is the thought that such works are out of date. To live life, you don’t need to understand the intricacies of medieval Chinese warfare, the struggles of the working class in the Victorian Era, or the myths of people who honestly thought the world was wrapped around a giant snake.
But the truth is that old books can still provide us with valuable insights into the universal qualities that make us human. Although our collective beliefs and knowledge have changed, the fundamental struggles we face, the questions we ask, and the values we defend are all reflected in the writings of authors from generations past.
Aristotle, Spinoza, and Descartes were puzzled over problems that still honestly plague philosophers. Thomas Paine and Karl Marx continue to shape the way we view politics, social organization, and human rights. And while most of us don’t believe our fates are written in the stars, we still look to the sky for answers about nature’s great mysteries.
In literature, the stories and themes that captivated readers centuries ago continue to resonate today. The pride of Odysseus, the passion of Shakespeare’s characters and the existential fear of Ivan Ilic remain characteristic even in today’s life. Reading old books, therefore, allows us to engage in this historical cosmopolitanism, exploring our common humanity not only in culture, but also in time.
Read old books to re-evaluate the modern world
With today’s mindset, we may still see the ideas of the old books as idiotic, bigoted or just plain wrong. However, it is important to remember that the authors of these books were shaped by the time, culture, and collective knowledge of their era.
They were unable to see their prejudices and assumptions, which are now clear to us thanks to the distance of history. Also, we must recognize that we are not immune to biases and assumptions. They still cloud our ability to solve complex problems, engage in meaningful debate, and unravel mysteries that seem intractable.
Future generations will view the books of our era with the same sense of incredulity. Old books can help us guard against these limitations by immersing ourselves in the cultures and ideas of previous eras. Jeffrey Brenzel, lecturer in the philosophy department of Yale University, USA, calls this “surprise value”.
He compares reading old books to traveling abroad. After experiencing another culture, many travelers return home and see their own culture differently. So they are more open-minded to the assumptions they once had, and learn to re-examine them in a more holistic way. Old books offer us this kind of mental journey.
Read old books to join great discussions
Philosopher Alfred Whitehead wrote: “It is impossible to study the history of Western thought without ‘bumping into’ Plato and Socrates at every corner.” Many people assume that Christian views come directly from the Bible. In fact, they evolved from an intellectual tradition that spanned centuries and is as Greco-Roman as it is evangelical.
The views of the Apostle Paul were greatly influenced by the Greek traditions of Plato and Aristotle. Paul and Plato would both have a great influence on St. Augustine. And Augustine’s views would influence Thomas Acuni, who in turn would influence Dante Alighieri, and the latter on John Milton.
Read old books because they “call” you
Old books can be inspiring, rewarding, challenging, exciting and provocative.
They can instill in us not only knowledge and wisdom, but also the full range of human emotions. As Mark Tuein once said with irony: “A classic book is something that everyone wants to have read, but that no one wants to read…”.
To distance yourself from this mentality, don’t approach older books like we did in school. They are not a burden you have to carry in order to be educated, cultured or to pass some secret life exam. You will not get any marks for them. Instead, wait until a special classic “calls you”. / Big Think – Bota.al
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