Petra X > Status Update

Haven't faced it, but I have witnessed it. And I'd add that people's literary tastes don't only change over time, they customize to a psychological landscape (in my opinion). You can't actually criticize that...in the sense that people are working something through.

Antigone wrote: "Haven't faced it, but I have witnessed it. And I'd add that people's literary tastes don't only change over time, they customize to a psychological landscape .."

How did you witness it? It sounds like you are referring to something specific.

Not that I can remember. People will condemn me for my taste in music or food, but I can't remember anyone having big problems with my taste in books. Book people are more tolerant, I think.

Petra 1 day and fed up with the rainforest already wrote: "How did you witness it? It sounds like you are referring to something specific..."

Less specific than ubiquitous. Teachers, big-chain bookstore cashiers, at cocktail parties and film premieres, on planes and trains and certainly on the Internet...so many are criticized for what they read, or what they like to read; the general import being if one had better "taste" one would be a better person. And a better person for whom, I'd like to know? (Hence the RLS quote on my profile page.)

I haven't ever faced any direct criticism for my own literary preferences, but I often find it amusing when I notice some people brandishing their admiration for "high art" and "high lit". I wonder if those self-proclaimed "high readers" indirectly sniff at readers like me for our poor "low lit" choices. 😅

Yes, it has happened a few times. "I don't understand how you can read fantasy and sci-fi, you seem to be well-educated?" Lol. I didn't care ;)

Arupratan wrote: "I haven't ever faced any direct critisism for my own literary preferences, but I often find it amusing when I notice some people brandishing their admiration for "high art" and "high lit". I wonder..."

I definitely encounter people who sniff at Young Adult literature. But I've never gotten any strong impression that they hold me in contempt for liking it.

In my old life as a scientist I used to encounter people who thought that reading novels (as opposed to nonfiction) was a waste of time.

Alexandra wrote: "Yes, it has happened a few times. "I don't understand how you can read fantasy and sci-fi, you seem to be well-educated?" Lol. I didn't care ;)"

My feeling is that if you spent your time watching sportsball games, you have no standing to criticize my choices of amusements.

Yes, from a specific person (a man 24 years older than me) about a specific author (Isabel Allende). Literature was the subject we always talked about, our theme of union. As a much older man, he assumed the role of professor and had a derogatory opinion of said author, based on these „high lit“ ideals that Arupratan mentions. I did not participate in a full discussion, but I did respond. All was well, concluded in difference of opinion and we moved on. But I felt... belittled? stereotyped? But from there, I developed more confidence in myself and my tastes.

Antigone wrote: " the general import being if one had better "taste" one would be a better person. And a better person for whom, I'd like to know?..."

I know what you mean. No one is better because they read say sociology over romance. No one is better for eating plain chocolate over milk (although that gets the snobs out too).

Not that I recall, and not that I’d care. I don’t understand why would anyone care enough to judge someone’s artistic preferences.

As a child, my father didn't approve of anything that wasn't politics or technology or hard science. These days no one comments on the type of books I read. There is more likely a scrunchy face and commentary that I read books... instead of watching TV or going drinking. 😖🙄 I don't care anymore!

As far I remember, no. But then, I don't really reveal to others IRL what I currently read. I do remember, at one job, others being a little puzzled I was reading a calorie-counter list book, just for fun XD

@Petra: Have you ever done a survey to find out what sort of books your customers do want to read? I know the bookshops I frequent don't usually have the books I'm looking for so I have to resort to internet book shopping.

"Don't you have anything fun to read?" an uncle asked me few weekends ago, looking at my bookshelves. We do have different taste, I gathered.

L wrote: "Not that I can remember. People will condemn me for my taste in music or food, but I can't remember anyone having big problems with my taste in books. Book people are more tolerant, I think."

You may be right. What taste in music and food do you have that you have been condemned for? McDonalds three times a day whilst listening to horror rap? lol, just joking.

Petra 1 day and fed up with the rainforest already wrote: "L wrote: "Not that I can remember. People will condemn me for my taste in music or food, but I can't remember anyone having big problems with my taste in books. Book people are more tolerant, I thi..."

I love all types of music except jazz. I have tried and tried, and jazz just doesn't work for me.

You might be surprised to learn how many people there are out there who consider not liking jazz to be a moral failure of the highest order. I mean, like, there are people who if you say, "I don't like jazz, and I'm also a serial murder on the weekend." respond, "What do you have against jazz?"

Alexandra wrote: "Yes, it has happened a few times. "I don't understand how you can read fantasy and sci-fi, you seem to be well-educated?" Lol. I didn't care ;)"

They of course, being readers only of Proust, Joyce and Faulkner. LOL

Have I been judged on the types of books I read/like? Yeah, of course. Have I judged others? Yeah, of course. I used to be a real snob. Now I don't judge because you are allowed to enjoy what you enjoy, and anyone who tries to make you feel lesser for it is lesser for it.

I do like to inquire as to why they like the genres they like because the reasonings behind it are always interesting. Plus it opens me up to maybe check out a genre I wouldn't have before.

Have I been judged... of course, since I rarely read nice literary boring books. Do I care what they think... No. Do I care what they read.... No. Truth is, most people always say to me "you have time to read??" So it rarely comes up in discussion.

Yes, but a stranger’s opinion doesn’t matter to me. They’re not paying any of my bills. So, no biggie!

I've had people pre-judge me on what reading material they think I must like. They'll try to hand me a cozy mystery and say, "You'll really like this!" It must be my grey hair, eyeglasses and zaftig figure.

Mayte wrote: "Yes, from a specific person (a man 24 years older than me) about a specific author (Isabel Allende). Literature was the subject we always talked about, our theme of union. As a much older man, he a..."

That's really awful. I'm glad you came out of it stronger, albeit you came to that by the way of being belittled and insulted.

Not I personally, but . . . . . True story -- I was at the public library some years ago, standing in line to check out my books. I had a stack of English history books in my arms; if I remember correctly, Black Swine in the Sewers of Hampstead was on top of the stack. Ahead of me was a middle-aged gentleman with several popular murder mysteries. Ahead of him was an older woman with a big stack of paperback romance novels. We were all total strangers to each other. The middle-aged gentleman turned to me and, with a nod toward the other lady, said, "I guess she doesn't have any romance in her real life!" I looked his selections and said, "And I guess you don't have enough murder in yours?"

Debbie Y wrote: "Not that I recall, and not that I’d care. I don’t understand why would anyone care enough to judge someone’s artistic preferences."

But they do. In the bookshop, I have people being slightly apologetic all the time for ordering light fiction when they see what I read. I don't judge them at all (a sale is a sale) but they think I will judge them.

Yes. I tend to read horror and sci-fi and fantasy and I get looks askance, especially as to the horror. But part of that may derive from the fact that a good chunk of that is the edgier, more intense horror sub-genres that other shy away from. I also get startled looks when I reveal I do like a good romance every once in a while!

I have been questioned on GR for my reading of YA labelled books and those labeled lesbian romance, not in a negative way, just why. So I tell them. No dramas, I guess they are curious as my reading varies and I do read many different types of books.

Petra hiatus sort of exploring other net options wrote: "Alexandra wrote: "They of course, being readers only of Proust, Joyce and Faulkner. LOL"

Well, exactly! :)))

Heart wrote: "Not I personally, but . . . . . True story -- I was at the public library some years ago, standing in line to check out my books. I had a stack of English history books in my arms; if I remember co..."

Thank you for sharing! I'll try to remember your line ;)

Elentarri wrote: "There is more likely a scrunchy face and commentary that I read books... instead of watching TV or going drinking. 😖🙄 I don't care anymore..."

That reminds me of when I was in the airport hotel in Antigua (it was like a prison with a yard in the middle, not joking or exaggerating). There was a 40 watt light bulb in my room and it was high up on a short cord. I asked for a bedside lamp and the receptionist asked me why I needed it, I said I wanted to read. She looked at me like she'd just seen an alien and said why would you want to do that, there's a tv in the room?

I grew up in a house filled with books, my father’s erudite tastes in nonfiction-travel, collectibles, histories and my mother’s lowbrow collection of Mills and Boon romantic fiction. Being a bookworm from an early age, I can no longer tolerate Mills and Boon but I appreciate that we all read for different reasons. The important thing is that we read. Television just doesn’t satisfy the inquiring mind like books do.
And I’d be happy that your prospective employee had different reading tastes to you, I’d find that a complementary team member in that her knowledge of that genre would supplement your extensive knowledge of nonfiction and literature in general.

Boadicea wrote: " I’d find that a complementary team member in that her knowledge of that genre would supplement your extensive knowledge of nonfiction and literature in general..."

They don't read. They lie. I've been interviewing today. All of them say they read on the phone, but at the interview ask them what they are reading and it's either 'my Bible', or they scan the display wall behind me looking for something, lol. They 'read' their phones which they don't even put down for an interview.

Petra hiatus sort of exploring other net options wrote: "...ask them what they are reading and it's either 'my Bible', or they scan the display wall behind me looking for something..."

So basically, on the phone, they're admitting they're literate? That's very funny!

I don’t judge what others read, they might be onto something and I might want to try it myself! I have, unfortunately, had my reading tastes belittled in the past, but I am now surrounded by people with whom I can passionately discuss what I’ve been reading, so I look at the bad experiences as preparing me to really appreciate the people in my life now and how we have similar interests (the reading, not necessary the same genre). Great question Petra. 🙂

A few times when I was in uni; usually bc the book looked "boring" and the assumption was that it was for a class. When I said it wasn't, the immediate follow up was, "Why." To which I responded, "For fun?"

I find it's the people who don't really read that are the most judgmental about reading, funnily enough.

cat herine wrote: "I find it's the people who don't really read that are the most judgmental about reading, funnily enough.."
I find this too.

L wrote: "You might be surprised to learn how many people there are out there who consider not liking jazz to be a moral failure of the highest order. I mean, like, there are people who if you say, "I don't like jazz, and I'm also a serial murder on the weekend." respond, "What do you have against jazz?"

I own the book Musicophilia by Oliver Sachs, (still waiting to be read), because the documentary was so interesting. One point they made is that when brain waves are mapped while a person listens to music, there is a clear anticipatory tendency. Your brain jumps ahead expecting certain chord progressions, or crescendos, or pauses. Like you, I have never been able to enjoy jazz, and have encountered the supposition that educated people should naturally like it. I think my lack of appreciation is because jazz is so random. It just defies anticipation. If I'm right about that, our biology prevents us liking it! I'm going to get around to that book one of these days.

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7jane wrote: "I do remember, at one job, others being a little puzzled I was reading a calorie-counter list book, just for fun ..."

LOL, I used to read those. Not any more. It's all online. Sometimes the diets worked but not for years. I've got something better now, Ozempic :-)

Travelin wrote: "If you don't cater to romance readers, you'll be selling half as many books. I just wonder why there isn't more erotica for men and why I don't read any."

This is true to some extent. Romance is a huge market but a great deal of it is self-published - on Kindle, so I wouldn't get any sales anyway.

Renee wrote: "I own the book Musicophilia by Oliver Sachs, (still waiting to be read), ... I'm going to get around to that book one of these days."

Do it! I enjoyed it thoroughly! It was particularly fun to learn how Galileo used his sense of rhythm to time falling objects (well, rolling balls, actually) with better precision than any instruments of his time could.

Sookie wrote: ""Don't you have anything fun to read?" an uncle asked me few weekends ago, looking at my bookshelves. We do have different taste, I gathered."

What does Uncle read? Uncle John's Bathroom Readera, Archie Comics?

Generally the shelves of Latin and Greek forestall comments on my lighter reading.

All. The. Effing. Time!

Growing up, during elementary school, the teacher would compare my simplistic taste in fairytale-like stories, to that of other top classmates who were tackling The Paul Street Boys . I read it after finishing elementary school, mostly out of exasperation, and hated it. I'm still not fond of depressing reads...

Then as a teen, my cousin needled me for reading simplistic philosophical stories, like the ones of Paulo Coelho. He claimed, I should've gone for high fantasy and dragons instead... You have no idea, how much of the Hobbit I skipped because the songs/poems just drove me up the wall.

As a young professional, my mother got all critical because I started enjoying harlequin romance novels. Her reasoning: I was not a frumpy housewife.

So yeah... I'm happy if I find at least ONE other person who shares my enjoyment of a specific book. I don't dare hope for an entire genre... 😅

Iris wrote: "Have I been judged on the types of books I read/like? Yeah, of course. Have I judged others? Yeah, of course. I used to be a real snob. Now I don't judge because you are allowed to enjoy what you..."

Glad you came round to that philosophy.

Fred wrote: "Generally the shelves of Latin and Greek forestall comments on my lighter reading."

LOL. That makes me think of Strand Books and a couple of other companies that sell books by the yard and reading how some film star or other wanted his library filled with Latin and Greek classics He was never going to read them, but wanted to impress a magazine that was doing a feature on him!

Ms. Smartarse wrote: "All. The. Effing. Time!..."

Are people more free with personal criticism in Romania? I'm sad for you that everyone got at you for your taste in books, people are so judgemental sometimes.

Petra hiatus sort of exploring other net options wrote: "Fred wrote: "Generally the shelves of Latin and Greek forestall comments on my lighter reading."

LOL. That makes me think of Strand Books and a couple of other companies that sell books by the yar..."

That's a lot of expense to impress people (although many just think it is weird anyway). I've actually read a fair number of mine.

Criticized for NOT liking certain hyped books, and criticized for having social/political opinions.

farmwifetwo wrote: "Truth is, most people always say to me "you have time to read??" So it rarely comes up in discussion..."

Someone said that to me the other day. They are on their phone all the time, they have to keep up with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Whatsapp groups etc, no time to read!

I haven't been criticized, but I do judge. There's an Indian author who's quite famous for reaching a wider audience. But he's misogynistic, and has recently ventured into body shaming through his books. Not to mention that his writing can best be explained as pedestrian. So if someone I meet for the first time mentions him as their favorite author, I'm forever looking down upon that person.