Alain de Botton: How Proust Can Change Your Life

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[@ZeroSumJ1]

Zero filler words. I wish more people would learn to speak like this guy.

[@herrklamm1454]

He says “others will look at, YOU KNOW, material..” at 18 seconds.

[@Arareemote]

@@herrklamm1454 If you go past the one-minute mark there's also a slightly extended exhale on the third syllable. When combined with the very minor deviation in his gaze. One can infer he's being distracted- ever so briefly. Perhaps a side effect of some earlier rumination or a member of the production staff doing something that prompts curiosity. If you play this piece backwards at 0.5 times speed you might actually be able to recognise his blinking as a sequence of communications in morse code. Now, take the in-between frames at 0:11 and 1:37. When paused you'll realise that the image becomes static. This is an integral part of understanding the video. But, I'm sure a pedant like you already noticed this. ;)

[@joec.5442]

@@Arareemote I think Klamm's objection was to the use of an absolute quantifier, and not to filler words per se. Did you read the initial post? It is both hyperbolic and demonstrably flase. So, maybe try to calm down and focus a little before opening your mouth.

[@Arareemote]

@@joec.5442 Dear fellow, I was just making a joke. No animus or ill will was intended, only absurdism. I would've hoped that was obvious lol. If my inane jest ruffled your feathers, then I think perhaps it is you who is in need of some calmness and peace of mind.

[@joec.5442]

@@Arareemote "...but I'm sure a pedant like you already noticed this. ;)" Naw, you're right. The tonality there definitely suggests that I'm the ruffled, unreasonable party. Sarcastic rebuttals aside, I also mean you no ill will. I admit: I have a sensitivity to palaver. And I'm sure you would admit that you have a penchant for it. This connects us. ...er, for better or worse. Be well. (Or punch back.)

[@matsalvatore9074]

"the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes" And “Desire makes everything blossom; possession makes everything wither and fade.” Changed my life

[@Alphathon]

Incidentally, the learning of foreign languages has a similar effect to that described in the video: it provides another perspective on the world, as well as giving a greater understanding of one's own. (It's surprising how much language shapes one's thought processes.)

[@spot5]

Not sure about changing my life, but reading Camus has certainly articulated a lot of thoughts that I've had for a long time but didn't know how to express had I not read him.

[@OttoVonGarfield]

As someone with impaired empathy, I often read to improve upon it and observing it as best as I can so as to emulate it better during conversations. All to go to the goal of making more friends and seeming more likeable and thus gaining those people as sources of resource in times of need.

[@MrDindjemek]

You are a psychopath.......... I am not a doctor.

[@octopuscollective]

+max larsen You seem like you may be quite a handful for your loved ones. Also your A.I. is rusty. Better tighten the restrictor bolt so you'll stop giving away the secrets of your behavior core.

[@juanjolozadap4945]

Here you have someone who's open about some disability and you people bash him. You don't know the inner workings of the minds of others, you only have cues. Don't be so rushful to judge and condemn people, especially when they're being open about their disabilities. You want to know who are the real un-empathetic, thus psychopathic ones? You guys bashing this dude.

[@mrnibelheim]

Love you honesty! Most of us use social interaction for exactly this purpose, albeit mostly unconsciously. So we should be thanking you for adding another string to our survival-bow.

[@MegaFrenzyman]

mrnibelheim totally agree. That's a completely different level of self awareness

[@mrthatguyam]

This is the dude from The School of Life Channel on KZbin!

[@jefffrusciante]

No shit!

[@thedesignnerd]

I was just thinking, "why does he sound like the guy from the school of Life?". Wow!!

[@hannesproductions4302]

One of the dumbest guys on youtube

[@OL-qk7ey]

No shit, Sherlock 🕵️‍♂️.

[@GetOutsideYourself]

Wow, how insightful: reading literature gives us new perspectives in our everyday lives. Thanks, Big Think. You've blown my mind.

[@dozeofaudio]

for me, I learned to be creative in having pros and cons with any information i consume. nothing is perfect, and sometimes it takes longer to realize negative aspects of something, especially when we are used to agreeing with it. so for this, I agree that with character driven stories, stories in first person perspective, the writer is good at focusing on what matters. But with books like Harry Potter, which focuses just as much on the plot, we see the progression of the story, and though we can't look at the world in the author's eyes, those are also worth reading because it teaches us trust and patience and that we will never know what the bigger picture has in store until much later on.

[@sledge56BV]

Why does the title, of this video, give the impression that he is going to talk about Proust? He only mentions him as part of a list of writers...

[@logandwilliams]

He wrote a book of same name which uses examples from Proust's life

[@omegaman5663]

I know dumb....

[@bramblebop1904]

Its the title of a book of his. The book is not about Proust though it is partly about his influence.

[@NimbulBlack]

Click bait -when the source has no value you try to make it look like it has.

[@northandover]

An enlightening 90 seconds. Thank you Alain.

[@Shaghayegh11]

Applaud! Well said!

[@HaploidCell]

I do agree with the video. Every time I've finished a book I just have to talk to somebody about it. And - while sometimes there are certain viewpoints expressed in the novel - some of the fun of discussing the novel is to intuit the author's feelings towards today's subjects: Would Jonathan Swift have voted Obama or Romney? Did Shakespeare buy cheeseburgers or hamburgers at McDonalds? How would Orwell fix the economy? Stuff like that.

[@DarkKirbyBlade]

I agree with this perspective, I can for myself say I have taken many life lessons not just from books, but form other stories in other forms of entertainment. I fear too many people don't have this ability though, and schools themselves only concern themselves with telling students to "interpret" what the author was expressing, which I feel is stupid, especially with authors that died a long time ago, and teachers claiming there is proof of what, if anything, they were trying to express.

[@ashrafjehangirqazi1497]

I just finished reading Schwartz-Bart's magnificent The Last of The Just and have just started reading Davis' translation of Proust's Swann's Way. It's like I am reading the same book although they are utterly different. They make you see yourself as you cannot as Alain so rightly suggests. But they have to be masters of their craft, have an uncanny insight into the human mind and spirit, and utterly honest in the unfolding and display of their tapestry to have a life altering impact on anyone.

[@bushedwizard007]

Adding this to my book of wisdom. Thanks.

[@TacoMighty]

Wonderful! Thank You!

[@deafosho]

love this

[@edwardcone6860]

What a wonderful exposition!

[@MrRookitty]

It's pretty great seeing things through Haruki Murakami's eyes. Everything that happens in his books are so subtle kind of like when an old man recalls a fond memory that's deeply effected his life, but without being dressed up and overdone.

[@aclark903]

Murakami =overrated racist.

[@Liliquan]

The perspective of incels.

[@Andrei_Suckoffsky]

@@Liliquanso? What’s wrong with being an incel. We all have our faults

[@MsTwte]

I think so, usually when I watched a great TV series I like to act and feel like if I were the main character of the series and see my world through his eyes. I find that this gives me a deeper understanding of both the series and myself.

[@sabiaamar8203]

looking at the world through their eyes rather than looking at their world through our eyes 👏🏻

[@KiraHellhammer]

For me painting definitely. I have a friend, she paints, not amazing works from technique standpoint, but the emotion in them, the momen, she captures it magnificently, the good, the bad, the sad, the happy, all within the colours and shapes and eyes and smiles...and a movie is a painting in motion...so yes my friend...

[@LookatthatSH1T]

Brilliant!

[@TheSteinmetzen]

Thank you.

[@Anachin37]

Is there a full video of this? If so can somebody please send the link to it

[@harshaa9522]

I started reading his book before 2 weeks after reading some pages suddenly i remember something that is related to my life and i will instantly forget what i was reading and i will have to start thinking.after that i will forget where i have stopped and i had to start over it all again

[@elizabethcoopersoutham6573]

thanks and can we have more of alain de botton , please!

[@itsthekush]

Well said, couldn't agree more.

[@jinh9966]

His voice, language and emphasis is so cool!

[@MrRookitty]

Well yeah. There are people who make it and direct with a certain image in their head that they want to convey to the audience. When you watch that movie you pick up on the special nuances and effects that enhanced the scene and you can apply that acute awareness into daily life. It's the same with paintings you look at the color, content, shape and think about how the artist sees things and you can make up entire paintings in your head thinking about the artist's style. I do this a lot.

[@Spartan76092]

Alain de Botton is awesome. I really like his philosophy documentaries.

[@Knight2e5]

Fantastic.

[@Candyliz2003]

I, too, was expecting some insight about Proust.

[@iammraat3059]

These are the insights on proust

[@user-yk9sk7pg6v]

Ty:)

[@zakariaelkhachia1533]

Thanks!

[@bigthink]

Thanks so much, we really appreciate it! We'd be happy to send you some stickers if you'd like - just fill out the form at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZdQb0Rb-_UO4txWxjVQD5bISKMFGt90CFeyeFvPw-92McBg/viewform?usp=sf_link !

[@glitterrgirrl]

People like this don’t get enough credit for their amazingness

[@PratipGhoshDastidardhurr]

I love you Alain..

[@Ferda1964]

what an interesting idea , thanks

[@carlosgarciahernandez7201]

Very nice

[@zman2themax]

Why would anyone dislike this..?

[@MrDindjemek]

Because Communism. Everyone should stop reading books immediately and start making grammatical mistakes and have their empathic power reduced dramaticaly. Then maybe...just MAYBE Jesus will take us back!

[@jabeztomer]

MrDindjemek you said communism then you brought it back to jesus. consider me confused. I think in reality maybe some people are just afraid of changing their view, because sometimes it would mean that they have to change their misconceptions about reality. and that is very hard. it's hard to change what you believe in.

[@MrDindjemek]

I concede that sarcams is sometimes difficult to communicate online. But this is a stretch.

[@drewsy]

sNb this is less sarcasm and more absurdist satire on the common KZbin commenter practice of melodramatic ramblings about exclusively grandiose topics.

[@EyeLean5280]

I imagine they dislike him specifically. He has a lot of detractors.

[@akshaymani2624]

Golden words...

[@sharptongue2972]

Trying to sense the world like Proust would most certainly end up in sensory over-stimulation and chronic fatigue.

[@alexisthompson9294]

Sharp Tongue He did spend a lot of time in bed.

[@Yukiyukiyukichi]

Yes!

[@henriquemf9]

The man published a book called "how proust can change your life", he's just giving us a hint. If you want to get to know his ideas about proust buy the book, that's the point. Then you can see the world through some de Botton glasses under your Proust glasses.

[@m.spiderman]

Great speaker.

[@passionatebraziliangirl.4801]

I love this writer!

[@ajcarpy2005]

Look up Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Literature has many more words than a movie and obviously more than painting... I think the reason why books can change the way we look at life so much is because there is such a detailed narrative.

[@carlito6038]

Don't look up NLP it's puesdoscience

[@deborahchinn2439]

Every good writer will agree with this and take it one clarifying step further…when you read a novel or a short story or a poem; you are really reading the author of that creation. You are not reading In Search of Lost Time…you are reading Marcel Proust himself.

[@lucasvinzon]

That coffee shop... In Holland it's a great place for having creative ideas.

[@yasiru89]

What's advocated here is more general. As someone from an analytical background, the appeal of art- truly great art imparting more than simple enjoyment, is that an ideal profusion of perspectives on the complexity of being helps us learn both to have a broader outlook & to recognise what's significant more readily. If it helps, think of it as training a learning algorithm- that of your own brain, on a particular 'humanist' set. Certainly worthwhile, and likely helpful in more austere pursuits.

[@SonofLiberty039]

Same. I tell people that I read because I get bored of my own circuitous thoughts. By reading a great observer or poet or thinker we truly add some of them to ourselves.

[@cmcclo1]

love this guy

[@kaiftintoiwala6414]

Great

[@BudLarsenjr]

Alain has an excellent series called "the philosophy of happiness", it is highly recommended.

[@nautilusnexus5120]

Oh wow! That - is - fucking - awesome!

[@dankojones707]

His books are awesome

[@DaRealFiberOptix]

there are many "points" of view, they are like lenses, or differentiated filters to what you choose to contextualize in the world and what you leave out. these lenses to me are like modes. cuz once you change your pov, you get to view everything in the world from that new viewing point and in return you get to see things that you've never seen before. its very telling to how our brain works

[@darragh47]

Another misleading title from Big Think, but a great video all the same.

[@suheti]

darragh47 big think practices clickbait though at a probably least ugly extent of the trade.

[@borjapano7384]

it's because that's the name of the book the speaker wrote, and one of the topics treated there is this one about "how to read"

[@sambaranenko]

I love his eyes

[@SAGHAJAR]

I can only agree to some extent, human mind is fascinating to a degree and that is that we are able to see life from our own perspective and not through anybody’s eyes, what you read and perceived in Jane Austin’s, Proust’s and Shakespeare’s is only your view it is not theirs nor can be mine, so you can never see things in life through their eyes and minds to sum up we are as individual as our finger prints.

[@ThaoTran-ld7vn]

Super like!!!!

[@tilleternity]

Beautiful

[@Jeremyramone]

reading is magic!

[@PoZloDead]

What's the name of the documentary?

[@raginbakin1430]

This guy is a captivating speaker.

[@simonerdp]

Is this the voice that narrates Proust episode in School of Life? I love both videos by the way.

[@arturovelasquez2767]

I believe we are alienated enough to "try" thinking or seeing like someone else.

[@KevinFitzMauriceEverett]

Worthwhile advice regarding reading.

[@probeef]

i like how intelligent but humble this guy is.

[@arkadalgamish6272]

To look at things as from authors eyes or experience.. That's how you learn and gain greater knowledge.

[@Brujerian]

im putting on my glasses now!

[@Lordradost]

Spot on about reading novels xP. (change the title, aye)

[@Iowa2006]

This should be required viewing to all "Intro to Lit." courses.

[@ze_rubenator]

I gotta hand it to you, that was one fucking poetic burn!

[@blizzmen]

"Proust can change your life" it's on youtube and really well done.

[@gggcccdddaaa2080]

That was a huge think

[@OttoIncandenza]

I actually read that book :)

[@SV42165]

Beautiful.

[@blizzmen]

I thought it was titled that way because this also is the title of the documentary about Proust in which de Botton was an important commentator.

[@FocalDepth]

This guy nailed it.

[@UnderCandlelightDuo]

That's why I gobble up a couple of books a week.

[@Swidhelm]

Weirdly enough I do that with the Richard Rahl character from Sword of Truth :P

[@christopheralroe6711]

Oppenheimer made it very clear that Proust changed his life completely.

[@eddybaroncelli6048]

Genius

[@MikaleLioneRi]

I really like what Mr. Botton was saying about seeing from different writers perspectives. I also find it horribly sad that this video is about philosophy in literature and half the comments I see are about his appearance.

[@njden]

i believe any type of art would work that way

[@MatthewFerrin]

Your statement implies that systemizer and empathizer are opposites. Others assumed I don't enjoy art. My favorite building on campus is the art building. It's has the most beautiful exterior, a glass roof section, and many new paintings. I'm just rather passionate about intelligence and truth. I empathize very heavily when someone hits a personal chord. And perhaps, the majority of people here may not appreciate how computation blends with art.

[@Loafy23]

The more perspectives you have the more you're able to see.

[@aluisious]

Another one of the better videos on BigThink. PS, Google, I do not want to use my full name on KZbin. The idea is stupid, stop asking.

[@419dman]

I got nearly 200 pages into swans way and was yet to encounter much in the way of actual story, someday i will finish it and perhaps somewhere within find a cohesive narrative.

[@aStrayforMyTime]

hey i watched this guys doc on famous philosophers

[@DoraKage]

I feel the same way about CERTAIN video games, tv shows and films... CERTAIN ones.

[@ayobmilad9851]

Finally he Reveals His Face🥰

[@bushedwizard007]

Tilting at windmills hurts you more than them.

[@rngouveia]

dont really see a reason for this comment getting so many dislikes. Its a perfectly valid point of view, even if I think that "...anyone who thinks reading literature makes them more intelligent is stupid." is a little drastic. I think that the positive side of literature is the stories (information) and the brain exercise. The stories you could get from a variety of media, and the brain exercise from any kind of text. So in the end reading literature is one of many ways to get smarter.

[@MegaMajorDanger]

He has great features. He'd be extremely good-looking if he sorted out his barnet.

[@ryanoneiljohnson8743]

He spitted the fact.

[@charleybucketcdp]

It so hard to poop while watching these videos... Makes you think to damn much!

[@MrHeroFamily]

The best presenter of knowledge in the world right now.

[@Makkovar]

Sure, but you use a different kind of "radar" in them.

[@blacksky492]

Is this the guy from school if life?