You know the type of people who say “well you’re not really into books if you haven’t read [insert classic book name here]”. I think with a refreshed interest of classical literature thanks to people sharing them on tik tok, there has suddenly grown a bunch more of these pretentious readers. I don’t mind what anyone reads and I’m not judging them for what they read. I simply don’t like their attitude and dismissal of other readers for not reading the classics. It’s okay to enjoy whatever type of book you like and I don’t think you should be looked down on for it. Has anyone else noticed this increase or is it just me?
Edit: this is based off of people I’ve met at university. From the comments it seems this isn’t a growing trend but a staple that I was unaware of, and yes I am now realising that I’ve probably just spend a lot of time around pretentious university students, squeeing my view on things.
by Interesting_Fox_4293
26 Comments
You spend too much time on social media.
It’s just you.
If anything, the “growing trend” is that everyone should be allowed to enjoy whatever they want, and telling someone that a piece of media is objectively bad gets you ostracized for elitism. See also: Colleen Hoover’s rise to fame.
I think you’re just being exposed to more of them
Well I don’t really indulge in communities where books are compared like that, so no, I haven’t noticed. Seems like with any hobby where people can bond, there’s a few that want to feel like they are doing the thing better than others. Human condition and such. If it is actually growing, it will die down. Quickly if these people get called out for their weird behavior.
What’s tiktok? I’m too busy reading to indulge in video nonsense.
I also have noticed this. But in a way I think it’s always been like that.
Growing?
Brother, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but this is the standard. If anything it’s lessened over time. Like, have you seen academia?
They have always been around.
I think everytime I read some “trend” there is a word Tik Tok behind it, which is basically one of the few SM I don´t have and apparently, I am happier for it.
Reading is a joy, a hobby, and relaxing thing you do. If someone claims such a thing, he or she is not a person who enjoys reading, they are just snobbish for clicks and probably did not even read the books they say they did
Even when I talk to my deeply elitist husband his sentiment is “at least people are reading,” and then goes into a lovely autism-fueled info dump on the benefits of reading books on the human brain.
I see more people being called out for having the attitude you described than supported.
Your social media is a little bubble and [does not represent society](https://www.pewresearch.org/2013/03/04/twitter-reaction-to-events-often-at-odds-with-overall-public-opinion/). Just go to the scifi and ebook subs and you’ll find an overabundance of people reading teenager fantasy crap, claiming to be life changing.
I mean, it’s true. You’re not *really* a reader unless you’ve read *Paul Blart Mall Cop 2: The Official Motion Picture Novelization*.
Get off your phone and pick up some books to read that you never speak to another person about. Just read. That’s the solution. Read books. In solitude. Don’t talk about it. Just read.
It’s not a novel phenomenon, nor unique to social media. If you spend a lot of time with groups of academic types or heavy readers, there has always been this kind of one-upping behavior. Social media just makes it easier for these types of snobby readers to neg others for not reading up to their personal standards.
I’m not on TikTok, but I have never encountered someone who has said something like that seriously in my life.
No, this is totally normal (although wrong), especially if you are in university.
I don’t use much social media, but I can assure there have always been pretentious readers (and cinephiles, music listeners, etc). Don’t let them dictate what you read (though it’s always a good idea to explore and push your interests!).
It’s not a new trend unfortunately. It’s always been like this.
Mark Twain supposedly remarked: “A classic is something nobody wants to read but everyone has to read.”
There are always people who make movies, books, music and video games a big portion of their personality, and then gatekeep it. Just ignore them and enjoy what you like.
There’s always been people like that even before social media was a thing. Your algorithm is just exposing it to you more on social media now.
Reading is perceived as being inherently more intellectual than say television or video games so some people get a superiority complex about enjoying books. Some people take that further by shitting on other readers for not reading the “right” books or enjoying audiobooks instead of manually reading.
Just ignore them. There are people who will get elitist about everything from book, television, food, lawn care etc. some people just can’t enjoy stuff unless they can use it to flex on other people with.
People have been doing this since books have been around. Just ignore them.
This has always been a thing. But what do you care about what others think? Get off BookTok and just read what you want to read for your own objectives and/or enjoyment. Don’t feed the trolls–“superior” people get energy from people’s reactions, real or imagined.
I don’t think I’ve ever given any thought to what others would think when choosing a book to read (unless it’s a book that someone gave me), and I encourage you to do the same.
If i met a university student who hadn’t read any classics i would indeed think they were, in fact, not really into reading or books.
Every hobby has an insufferable group of codgers, gatekeepers and purists. If you REALLY want an experience, go to any camera or photography forum and post that you only shoot in Program mode.
If that were the case, romance books wouldn’t have sold millions of copies. I think the growing trend is to read whatever you like.
But expanding your reading horizon isn’t a bad thing.
I was at university a decade ago and an English major. The snobbery is not new.
No. I don’t hang out with anyone like that. Just tell them to fuck off.