Why should I start with the greeks? I really don't get it.

Western Civilization starts there.

>>9113117
The Greeks did a lot of philosophy. Then no one did anything. Then during the Enlightenment, Europeans did a lot of philosophy, much of it referencing the earlier philosophy by the Greeks. Then in the modern era, everyone did a lot of philosophy, much of it building on the Europeans, who themselves built on the Greeks.

If you want to know what the fuck anyone is on about, you'll start with the Greeks.

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>>9113117
i want to violent-brutally-tormentely-force-queer-blacked-gayly rape this pricess white red probably slutty since 13 tit cow bitch

>>9113117

Because otherwise you would never impress women. Women prefer men who read about things they would never read anything about. Its like a balance between intelligence and stupidity.

>>9113147
I never met a woman that would be impressed because you've Aeschylus and Plato.

>>9113168
've read*

>>9113117
The Iliad and the Bible are the cornerstones of western literature. And Greek philosophy is a linear progression to modern literature.

That said, some will tell you to start with plays, some with philosophy. I started with the histories and there is just so much wonderful content, from the basics in Livy and Thucydides to the more obscure like Arrian and Didorus Siculus. It provides you with a basis with which to move to stuff like Bloom's canon or the Harvard Classics if you are a completionist autist.

>>9113168
I have, they have grease in their hair, take philosophy courses, and give sarcastic comments that their shoddy appearance should not allow.

>>9113168

You just need to search around lit clubs and booktube circles. 80% women, 10%homos and 10%trans.

>>9113117

Read the past to understand the present and create a better future.

:)

>>9113136
>ignores medieval philosophy

>>9113117
its a meme that can be safely ignored, but has a grain of wisdom

you'll find it difficult to get anywhere with philosophy without the greeks, and a lot of literature makes allusion to greek myths, homer and the tragedians.

you can definitely pick up something like dostoevsky, tolstoy, cervantes or proust without bothering and still get a lot out of them

you'll have to read them at some point, but dont do it if you feel like you're just obligated to, like its something you have to tick off a list. its more important to build an appreciation for literature first, treating it like a chore will just lead to you giving up

come back to them when like, you want to get more appreciation out of joyce or infinite jest or whatever

>>9113117
Greek history is well worth reading, as a primer for history in general. It gives you a grounding on the various ways to organise societies, how people are controlled and manipulated, and how conflicts arise between them.

You can usually see the follies and errors of today's politicians reflected in those of ancient rulers and demagogues. There's nothing new under the sun. History repeats itself every day.

>>9113241
Oh religion? Doesn't count.

>>9113387
No, brilliant philosophers like Augustine, Aquinas, Duns Scotus, etc. Classic pleb

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>>9113394
>Augustine
>an early Christian theologian and philosopher
>CHRISTIAN
Blown the fuck out once again, Xfag.

>>9113412
Are you retarded?

>>9113432
He's right though, the authors you mentioned predicate all of their philosophy on a religious world view and a corpus (the new testament, writings of church fathers) that they were compelled to explain and work around. Despite their genius they were massively restricted, and ultimately theologists.

>>9113446
>the authors you mentioned
I'm not that anon.
You have a point on that. However modern philosophers like Descartes are influenced by Christian religion just as Christian religion and philosophy is influenced by the greeks

>>9113117
You could start with the epic of Gilgamesh and the book of Enoch, too. If you want older literature. I do believe that the more familiar nature of Greek mythology and culture would help give context to the way you view the world.
If you don't understand Greeks, you won't understand even Christianity, and I don't think you can grasp society all that well either.

I've recently watched this documentary. Very interesting. It's just before the Greeks and just before the (presumed) Kingdom of Israel, too.
https://youtu.be/HH8Ln4j3X0Q

Sumerian and Cretan languages were not Indo-European. This means that if you are not Finno-Ugric/Turcic, their thinking will be alien to you. I read an article and several debates on how they resembled Finno-Ugric languages, indicating trade and wide spread cultural influence. Likely the way Egypt affected Nubia, and not the other way around.

>>9113117
is that you op? I would like to read something with u, if you know what I mean.

>>9113136
>Then no one did anything.
Arabs invented distillery and gave Finns infinite alcohol. Do not pretend nothing happened.

>>9113446
Plato is the most religious of all philosophers.

>>9113481
I could argue that Socrates is close, and Aristotle is near, too. He did claim that the purpose of man is to find God. The primal mover.

>>9113512
>the primal mover
>not the prime mover
Me God. Me primal mover. Me smash!

>>9113553
I shall retreat behind the protection of autotypo.