Hello Sir Pansophist,

I admire your intelligence a lot.
From time to time, I would come to Nairaland, as a guest though, look up for your profile and start reading your comments because they are filled with wisdom.

There was a comment from you that I have been searching for. Someone asked you how you read and which books you usually read. You answered that you reads from a certain website which I have forgotten.

It is an old comment, and that is why I wasn't able to find it. I used Google and Nairaland search option with different keywords to find it, yet to no avail.

Now, please how can I grow more in knowledge like you? What are your reading habits / patterns? And please mention "that site" if you still remembers it.

Thank you so much for spreading priceless and useful words on Nairaland.

Pansophist ma gee

I'm coming. Will respond in length soon

pansophist:
I'm coming. Will respond in length soon

Let me follow so I can learn too.

Pansophist is one of the people I respect so much on this forum .

Wish he could talk about topic relating to dating/marrying girls raised by single mothers.

Need to show someone

I guess you are referring to quora. That is where I normally read the most. So quora are the Instagram for readers, a place where you go and subscribe to writers and topics that interest you, and read from the world's best in different particular fields. Download the app on your phone, register, pick your interest and just take it as a habit to read there for at least two hours every day, you will be smart, it's that simple. I spend probably three hours every day for the past ten years on quora alone, it's a hobby that I enjoy, and I highly recommend it.

Secondly, be curious. Ask questions about things and google for answers, preferably answers from forums like Reddit, Quora, and even Nairaland, to have an idea of how different people think about it. It is in that chaos you expand your mind and accommodate different perspectives, which helps you forge your own worldview. As well as curiosity, you must know how to think. Ask basic questions, question basic assumptions, be aware of your mental processes (metacognition), try reversing things to see from the other angle, evaluate existing evidence, and understand that no one thinks Critically 100% of the Time.

Thirdly, read philosophical books. There is a reason why philosophy is called ''the mother of all disciplines''. Most of the smartest people on earth are philosophers or enthusiasts of philosophy. The bible is deeply philosophical, regardless if you are religious. Philosophy by its very nature covers all fields of knowledge there is, from logic- the study of reasoning, to epistemology - the study of knowledge, also aesthetics - the study of beauty, and ethics - the study of what is right and wrong, followed by metaphysics - the study of big picture questions, etc. If you are well-grounded in philosophy, no one can stand you. Like a light, your knowledge will destroy the presence of darkness. As in literarily, you will be unbeatable.

Also, realize that practicing all these is what makes you smart. For example, if you take a dirty basket and dip it into a river, it comes out clean every time you take it out. The basket may not retain any water, but with every dip, it gets cleaner, moisturized, and less smelly. The human mind/brain is like that. Every time you read something, your mind gets a little bit sharper. Reading does many things to your mind. It equips you with lots of methods to explain complicated things with the usage of analogies, hypotheses, past events, adages, theories, etc. You can develop these skills by reading from writers from different fields. Each individual has their methods of explaining things (known as idiolects), and the more you are exposed to the method of expressions by different smart people, you become a version of them.

Also, reading helps with eloquence. If you want to be powerful, be eloquent. it is that simple. If you can talk with clear diction, and with deep knowledge of what you are talking about, then you are the most powerful person there is. Some of the most powerful men on the planet are orators, from Martin Luther King's speech ''I have a dream'' which shocked the whole world and challenged institutional racism in the US, to rappers like Tupac that are so skilled with lyrics that until these days, their music are greatest of all times. This is why every religious book talks about caging the tongue because it's the most powerful tool in you if you know how to use it well. You can be the poorest man on earth, but the words out of your mouth will threaten the powers that be, so sharpen it, and be indestructible.

Best regards, and thanks for your appreciation of my contents. Respect.

seanwilliam:
Pansophist is one of the people I respect so much on this forum .

Wish he could talk about topic relating to dating/marrying girls raised by single mothers.

Need to show someone

Hmm, this is a sensitive topic for me. Probably if you ask me this question years back, I will just rule off girls raised by single mothers and say they are damaged, but I have backtracked on that thought since I have seen ladies raised by single mothers that confirm the opposite. In a short answer, I will say it depends on that girl, otherwise will be similar to identity politics, where you are judged based on your groupings, (eg black people are inferior, tattoed men are criminals, short men have anger issues, etc). You should observe the girl based on her behaviors, and give her the opportunity to prove herself, otherwise, you may miss out on the good things of life.

pansophist:
I guess you are referring to quora. That is where I normally read the most. So quora are the Instagram for readers, a place where you go and subscribe to writers and topics that interest you, and read from the world's best in different particular fields. Download the app on your phone, register, pick your interest and just take it as a habit to read there for at least two hours every day, you will be smart, it's that simple. I spend probably three hours every day for the past ten years on quora alone, it's a hobby that I enjoy, and I highly recommend it.

Secondly, be curious. Ask questions about things and google for answers, preferably answers from forums like Reddit, Quora, and even Nairaland, to have an idea of how different people think about it. It is in that chaos you expand your mind and accommodate different perspectives, which helps you forge your own worldview. As well as curiosity, you must know how to think. Ask basic questions, question basic assumptions, be aware of your mental processes (metacognition), try reversing things to see from the other angle, evaluate existing evidence, and understand that no one thinks Critically 100% of the Time.

Thirdly, read philosophical books. There is a reason why philosophy is called ''the mother of all disciplines''. Most of the smartest people on earth are philosophers or enthusiasts of philosophy. The bible is deeply philosophical, regardless if you are religious. Philosophy by its very nature covers all fields of knowledge there is, from logic- the study of reasoning, to epistemology - the study of knowledge, also aesthetics - the study of beauty, and ethics - the study of what is right and wrong, followed by metaphysics - the study of big picture questions, etc. If you are well-grounded in philosophy, no one can stand you. Like a light, your knowledge will destroy the presence of darkness. As in literarily, you will be unbeatable.

Also, realize that practicing all these is what makes you smart. For example, if you take a dirty basket and dip it into a river, it comes out clean every time you take it out. The basket may not retain any water, but with every dip, it gets cleaner, moisturized, and less smelly. The human mind/brain is like that. Every time you read something, your mind gets a little bit sharper. Reading does many things to your mind. It equips you with lots of methods to explain complicated things with the usage of analogies, hypotheses, past events, adages, theories, etc. You can develop these skills by reading from writers from different fields. Each individual has their methods of explaining things (known as idiolects), and the more you are exposed to the method of expressions by different smart people, you become a version of them.

Also, reading helps with eloquence. If you want to be powerful, be eloquent. it is that simple. If you can talk with clear diction, and with deep knowledge of what you are talking about, then you are the most powerful person there is. Some of the most powerful men on the planet are orators, from Martin Luther King's speech ''I have a dream'' which shocked the whole world and challenged institutional racism in the US, to rappers like Tupac that are so skilled with lyrics that until these days, their music are greatest of all times. This is why every religious book talks about caging the tongue because it's the most powerful tool in you if you know how to use it well. You can be the poorest man on earth, but the words out of your mouth will threaten the powers that be, so sharpen it, and be indestructible.

Best regards, and thanks for your appreciation of my contents. Respect.

I like your comments mostimes, it's filled with wisdom
I'll be so glad if you can list some of the philosophical books

pansophist:
I guess you are referring to quora. That is where I normally read the most. So quora are the Instagram for readers, a place where you go and subscribe to writers and topics that interest you, and read from the world's best in different particular fields. Download the app on your phone, register, pick your interest and just take it as a habit to read there for at least two hours every day, you will be smart, it's that simple. I spend probably three hours every day for the past ten years on quora alone, it's a hobby that I enjoy, and I highly recommend it.

Secondly, be curious. Ask questions about things and google for answers, preferably answers from forums like Reddit, Quora, and even Nairaland, to have an idea of how different people think about it. It is in that chaos you expand your mind and accommodate different perspectives, which helps you forge your own worldview. As well as curiosity, you must know how to think. Ask basic questions, question basic assumptions, be aware of your mental processes (metacognition), try reversing things to see from the other angle, evaluate existing evidence, and understand that no one thinks Critically 100% of the Time.

Thirdly, read philosophical books. There is a reason why philosophy is called ''the mother of all disciplines''. Most of the smartest people on earth are philosophers or enthusiasts of philosophy. The bible is deeply philosophical, regardless if you are religious. Philosophy by its very nature covers all fields of knowledge there is, from logic- the study of reasoning, to epistemology - the study of knowledge, also aesthetics - the study of beauty, and ethics - the study of what is right and wrong, followed by metaphysics - the study of big picture questions, etc. If you are well-grounded in philosophy, no one can stand you. Like a light, your knowledge will destroy the presence of darkness. As in literarily, you will be unbeatable.

Also, realize that practicing all these is what makes you smart. For example, if you take a dirty basket and dip it into a river, it comes out clean every time you take it out. The basket may not retain any water, but with every dip, it gets cleaner, moisturized, and less smelly. The human mind/brain is like that. Every time you read something, your mind gets a little bit sharper. Reading does many things to your mind. It equips you with lots of methods to explain complicated things with the usage of analogies, hypotheses, past events, adages, theories, etc. You can develop these skills by reading from writers from different fields. Each individual has their methods of explaining things (known as idiolects), and the more you are exposed to the method of expressions by different smart people, you become a version of them.

Also, reading helps with eloquence. If you want to be powerful, be eloquent. it is that simple. If you can talk with clear diction, and with deep knowledge of what you are talking about, then you are the most powerful person there is. Some of the most powerful men on the planet are orators, from Martin Luther King's speech ''I have a dream'' which shocked the whole world and challenged institutional racism in the US, to rappers like Tupac that are so skilled with lyrics that until these days, their music are greatest of all times. This is why every religious book talks about caging the tongue because it's the most powerful tool in you if you know how to use it well. You can be the poorest man on earth, but the words out of your mouth will threaten the powers that be, so sharpen it, and be indestructible.

Best regards, and thanks for your appreciation of my contents. Respect.

Thank you so much for this comment - especially for your concerns and taking your time to create a detailed reply in response to my questions.

I really appreciate it, Sir.

Educonomist:

I like your comments mostimes, it's filled with wisdom
I'll be so glad if you can list some of the philosophical books

'' The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don't tell you what to see.” —Alexandra K. Trenfor

Instead of listing books, I will give a hint on where to look at. So philosophy has different branches. The four main branches of philosophy are metaphysics, epistemology, axiology, and logic. Arthur Schopenhauer goes deep into axiology and aesthetics with a touch of pessimism, and Marcus Aurelius goes deep into stoicism (under axiology) with a touch of optimism.

Then the likes of Frederich Nietscze is a big question type of philosopher (metaphysics), questioning God himself, and the power dynamics that rule society. If you can read his works thoroughly and understand them, most global events will be easy for you to decipher because the rules have always been the same, just that each player has different levels of sophistication. No woman would be able to deceive you romantically, because you know her and her motivations. No man can make you his bitch, because you understand his nature. You can only beat someone that is ignorant of your operations.

The rule of thumb is simple. The older the book, the better it is. Most new writers write for money and fame, not for the love of the job. You need passionate writers, and for that, you must go back in time. So go read an old book, books that are old like hundreds or better still, thousand of years. If I have to point one, I will mention ''meditations'' by Marcus Aurelius. There are audiobooks on youtube, just search them out and listen. This book will fortify your spirit, and make you realise how powerful you are in every situation, and to be in control.

Another one would be ''the art of war'' by Sun Tzu. This book is over a thousand years old, but even up till now, all military strategists still refer to it for the mechanics and foundations of operations. Of course, I know you are not a military strategist, but the rule is the same with day-to-day life. You will get into many petty fights, and you must know how to not only deter, but win if you ever get into one. And as a man that will lead a family and yourself, you must know how to fight if necessary.

Don't read like you are just trying to finish the book, but make sure you read to understand otherwise, what's the point? I spend at least a year before I could finish ''Beyond good and evil'' by Nietscze, which is one of the most difficult books I ever read. But if you understand it, your mind will expand and operate in realms most people won't reach. And the good thing is that the more you know, the more you realize you know nothing, which fuels your hunger to know more, that when you open your mouth or write, it becomes evident to everyone that you are operating on a messianic level.

I personally believe men are built for such fate. To expand their knowledge and how the world works. From experience, I can see with myself that the more things I know, the less of the world I become. Material things don't freak me. Things of the flesh that bothers most men such as gambling, smoking, womanizing, drinking, obsession with sex, vanity, and hedonism are things I have overcome, and it is because I strive to tap into a higher realm where those things have no place inside. Go look at the lifestyle of most renowned inventors and scientists, they are mostly introverts and loners, but that doesn't mean their life is boring and uninteresting, but if such men cease to exist, the world will crumble. They are like the messiah that carries the cross for everyone that doesn't even know about their existence, talks more of their value, and to even appreciates them.

''Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes''. Carl Jung

I can't emphasize this enough, I said it in the last comment on this page, and it is that you should know how to think. Just google ''how to think'', your brain is too powerful that the ability to think will get you far, and you will never suffer from what most people will, due to their desire to outsource their thinking to someone else. If you allow someone to think for you, then you are lost. Be curious, and even question lots of things from great writers. I am that guy that questions teachers and corrects them, no kidding. One teacher used to hate me because of that, but well, that's his problem. So don't assume that because one is in a position of authority means they are right. Of course not. Lots of idiots are president even, but dumber than a rock. Think things out.