[DoctorEldritch]

@ZaidH I can't recall, to be honest, the book is scarce on details about what they were feeding the dog on that trip. I am sure he did not go hungry 😅

Probably for the best. It is very good so long as you like romance, but if you do not, well. Same can be said for most books: War and Peace is a masterpiece historical novel, but if you do not particularly like historical novels, it can be a challenge to get through.

Here we're entering that question of if there is literature that should be read as curriculum. I mean, there are genres and plots that people like, and those are different, be it romance, fiction, historical, horror, etc. And naturally, people tend to choose books in the genres they enjoy.

Some take steps to occasionally read other books, like joining book clubs where everyone reads and discusses the same book, or reading those in some journal selections, or award winners, or books that go viral, and some do not.

But then there are books that are given the status of cultural heritage, have won the Nobel Prize, and are revered to such a degree that they are in the school literature curriculum, and are considered a part of formal education, which will not be complete without having read those. Some are almost internationally accepted, like Shakspear plays or Crime and Punishment, some are more national, but still. And people are expected to read them even if they do not enjoy them particularly, and sometimes in ages not really appropriate for that (Crime and Punishment in particular). I have conflicting feelings about this status quo.

Originally Posted by ZaidH

Lmao, seeing how much energy these AI data centers require, that organic battery route actually seems plausible. Gasp maybe we ARE in a simulation right now, and that's why we keep seeing our gaming conversations become realities. Will be on the lookout for a bald guy with sunglasses 🫥

This made me remember that prank Jim and Pam had for Dwight:

To be fair, I would probably reply in a similar manner 😅

[ZaidH]

@AhmeddM Oh man, reading Tress of the Emerald Sea was such a fun experience. I've mentioned in the thread before that I ain't a fan of books featuring romance, but this one was an exception. Are you done with Mistborn Era 2?

@DoctorEldritch Hmm, this is such a double-edged sword. School curriculums do have this rigid boundary where every student has to adhere to it, but in doing so, they kinda end up broadening students’ reading experience down the line? At least, that was my experience. If not for the forced reading of Silas Marner back then, I don't think I would've gotten into books like East of Eden or The Brothers Karamazov. Maybe I'll try reading the first couple chapters of Pride and Prejudice and see how it goes 😅

😂😂😂
The Dwight before this season would've taken the red pill 😆 Stupid Jim smh

[DoctorEldritch]

@ZaidH There is some broadening of students’ reading experience, true. Thought I'd say that curriculum reading may benefit from more genre mixes. Were it up to me, I'd try connecting literature and history, and have students read books from a historic period that they are studying.

Like when you study Ancient Greece history, you'd be given some mythology to read (same with Norse), and because, as per the curriculum, you start with ancient history when you're young and move to the modern one as you're older, by the time you get to the French Revolution, you'd be mature enough to appreciate Les Miserables 😅

It's not that I think some books should not be read in the curriculum, it's more that I'd adjust at what age you are given some of them. Then again, everyone has a different literacy maturity when it comes to those things, but also, this is what the curriculum should do: find a common denominator so as to fit the majority. Maybe there are deeper reasons for why it is the way it is.

There was that one time when he believed in messages from his future self, or that Holy Grail hunt. They had some nice prank ideas in that show over the years 😁

[ZaidH]

@DoctorEldritch Agreed 110%. The schools in your country are already on the right track by introducing young students to The Brothers Karamazov (I think I remember you mentioning reading it in school). That book feels like multiple genres rolled into one 😄 But yeah, your approach would've made history lessons so much more enjoyable. For us, it was a rapid fire of dates, events, and their aftermath. That method made it impossible to grasp the enormity of the events and lessened the impact of the deaths and sacrifices, reducing everything to just numbers and statistics. Literature is pivotal to actually feel the gravitas of these events and understand the thought process of people during those times.

Now I don't have any first hand experience with this in my immediate family, but I've read multiple accounts of teachers sharing how today's students are glued to social media. Because of that, they've noticed a sharp decline in interest toward literature. So, with attention spans being pulled elsewhere, I very much doubt that what you propose is actually going to be implemented 😭

Ok, I mentioned earlier that I stopped reading for a bit, but I couldn’t help myself and ended up reading The Fisherman by John Langan. I’m bringing this up because the story has two things I think you really enjoy, Dredge and Lovecraftian themes. It's not perfect by any means, and some parts are rough around the edges, but it was a very enjoyable read.

[DoctorEldritch]

@ZaidH It used to be the case back when I was in school. The standards have slipped since then 😢

Also, about The Brothers Karamazov, I am on the fence about this one: it was given to us during the second half of the last year of school. Which is an appropriate age, but not a really good timing: this is the time when you submit to your universities of choice, do the necessary extra-curriculars or tests to qualify, and are generally very busy planning your future and what comes next. Hard to enjoy The Brothers Karamazov on top of all that 😅

I want to say that is the thing with history, in retrospect, it really is a dry summary of events and dates that are hard to relate to. One of the reasons why it keeps repeating itself over and over: it is hard to grasp how it was just from books.

Ah well, the effects of screen time and social media on education are the subject of many studies and debate right now. Though not sure if there is data correlating those and reading, I mean, I do much of my reading on the phone these days. I'd hope some kids pick up reading as a hobby, after all, some social media is centred around reading, too. That's not to say that on a global scale it is not a problem, it likely is, but it may be a problem not just about reading but rather more diverse and spread.

Ah well, if you liked The Fisherman, then maybe you would join me in waiting for the DREADMOOR:

Not sure what will come out of it, but it would be interesting to see.

[ZaidH]

@DoctorEldritch Oooof yeah, now that’s a hectic time to read a book this deep 😅 That said, if students were given like a week or two to just focus on The Brothers Karamazov, it might have actually helped them decide their future better, y’know. The story of Starets Zosima and Alyosha is peak example of dealing with the uncertainties of life and change in general.

Hmm, now that you mention it, BookTube is a thing eh. I’m not too active on social media, but I’ve come across YouTubers whose primary content is book recommendations, and boy do they have a large subscriber count. Huh, so things aren’t that dire yet.

Wow, Dreadmoor looks super impressive! Parts of it have gotta be proof of concept, right? Cuz wow, if it’s an indie team and the stuff shown is real, then that’s some next-level talent.

[DoctorEldritch]

@ZaidH Very true, which is why i think it is a shame how that bit of education is organised. In some countries, you get universities sorted earlier, and the last term of school is just there to enjoy that experience in a "the last hurrah" kind of way and tie all the loose ends.

That's when you'd probably get more out of the book. It could inspire you to change your plans, too: once you get into the university, changing the faculty is easier than actually getting in. But alas.

I am not too active on social media either, but I know those content creators and groups exist, and that is a good thing, but I mostly leave it at that. I have a magazine I read online that sometimes prints extracts from books, I use that sometimes: if I like how that piece is written, I try the whole book and see if I like it.

Dreadmoor is interesting, but there are some rumours about the developer that they operate by outsourcing components and coordinating the results to fit together. But I read it on Reddit, so take it with a grain of salt. Besides, that method is not necessarily a bad way to do it. Dreadmoor looks good, hopefully gameplay and story will match the visuals, too. Even if it does borrow much from Dredge.

[ZaidH]

@DoctorEldritch Every day I wake up, I thank my lucky stars for not being born in South Korea or China. I get anxious just looking at how brutal the education system is over there. They’re exposed to great literature too, but like your experience with The Brothers Karamazov, instead of extracting the lessons and nuances the book offers, it just becomes about cramming it as hard as possible 😥

Oh right, I remember you sharing that website. It's a Russian publication, right?

Hmm, I think outsourcing is a pretty common practice in the gaming industry, so it shouldn’t be too bad eh 😅 I just hope they’ve got a solid in-house dev team.

[DoctorEldritch]

@ZaidH education systems are different in different cultures and countries, and it may not necessarily be a bad thing: difference in approaches helps to identify methods that work and methods that don't. More so as education evolves as well, advancement of knowledge means that there is always exponentially more to learn, and population growth forces to find methods to teach more people at the same time while retaining quality, which is hard. Making the education system more brutal may be one of the possible ways to counteract that, and maybe it is effective enough to remain relevant.

That being said, your description reminded me of Tropico 6 and how Spelling Bee edict was described in that game:

Penultimo says: "You know what could help Tropico's education system? An elaborate competition involving arbitrary scholastic skills! Preferably one involving such incredible pressure to succeed that the little kiddies nearly wet themselves with panic at the thought of taking part. We will psychologically scar a few children for life - but we will also find the smart ones and can fast track them to success!"

Yeah, there is a Russian one I sometimes use, but these days, a few English ones as well, as I do read in both those languages. I try to read in original when I can.

That is true. Remains to be seen what comes out of it, but I like the initial concept for now.

[ZaidH]

@DoctorEldritch That's very true. No wonder that whenever a new project here involves a Korean team, you're guaranteed top notch work ethic and impeccable attention to detail. That said, I still wish someone's entire life didn't have to depend on these exams. And lmaooo that Tropico 6 quote 😂😂😂

Hope the team succeeds with the vision they have 🙏