Do you have any particular topics you’re interested in that you could out-source preliminary research for?

For example, if I were interested in learning more about the French Revolution, given what I know now, I’d probably start by picking up an art history book and look into who was commissioning the art or providing patronage for the artists. But I’d have no clue where to start learning about how the thought was influenced at the time other than the relationship with the American Revolution and Thomas Jefferson, so I’d probably need to read about who Thomas Jefferson was talking to in France, and then look into what other thinkers those people were talking to.

It might feel a little silly at first, but I also recommend keeping a notebook or two just to keep track of where research sends you until you start to see the patterns of what interests you. Then you’re able to really double down on looking for the right sources.

Edit: I also think it’s perfectly normal and even good to understand that certain topics might be dead ends. For me, the idea of how Cartesian duality has affected how our culture relates to our bodies is a rather interesting topic. However, I also realize it’s a big can of snakes to go down and it might not be especially applicable or prudent to what I’m trying to do today. So it’s something I keep in the back of my mind but not something I’m pounding the ground looking for answers to.