The conviction that the classic texts of Western (and global) literature—from Homer to Dante to Shakespeare—contain timeless wisdom about human nature, morality, and the forces that shape history. Jiang argues that these “Great Books” are not just old stories; they are encoded manuals for understanding the present and navigating the future. Reading them is like downloading the software of civilization itself.
“Great Books Theory says that if you want to predict the next Trump, read Macbeth. If you want to understand modern propaganda, read *1984*. And if you want to know where society is headed, crack open the Iliad—it’s all there, dude.”
by Abzugal January 24, 2026
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