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What is the easiest piece of theory you've read? You can post multiple in the order of easiest first to hardest last. (hexbear.net)

submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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In terms of theory, I don't consider myself well read. Theory is often really tough for me to read. Even with very easy-to-read writers like Michael Parenti, it's dense with mindblowing info. And things like the book Will to Change by Bell Hooks hits me in really raw feelings so I stopped at the first chapter. I need the easiest authors and their easiest-to-read works, or else I'm just not reading.

-Micahel Parenti: What’s a Slum? Urban Poverty and Marginality in America

-"I Have a Dream, a Blurred Vision" by Michael Parenti"

-Friendly Feudalism: The Tibet Myth

No idea how I got through "Friendly Feudalism." I read these all about 3.5 years ago before I lost the bandwidth to go further.

Edit: I tend to watch things more so I guess you can add video links after everything else too.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I just started reading Planet Of Slums by Mike Davis and it’s easy albeit depressing. It’s not theory per se

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

This is a silly question but how is "theory" defined?

Ive read some theory that is undisputedly theory but I've read some other stuff that I'm not sure what category to think of it as, just political non fiction? Sociology? Historical analysis? Pop political science even?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

I don’t really know. The book just doesn’t feel like theory because it presents the results of research and historical data to support a political (and moral?) conclusion. I feel like theory is more methodology-focused perhaps more philosophical to substantiate an analytical framework. There’s definitely overlap between different types of works and I might also be completely wrong