Why "Mainstream" Media Isn't Always Bad
Hey guys! Two posts in one week? Who is this strange new Dana? (It's low key because I felt bad that I didn't post last week, so surprise!)
Okay, hear me out on this post. I know a lot of you reading this do not necessarily disagree with me. We all love our favorite prime time shows and blockbuster movies. But for some reason, when a person loves their favorite best selling book (and tries to get others to read it and love it as much as they do) there is a more negative reaction from the book community.
I am in no way saying that people are not entitled to their own opinions. I respect that fact and want others to feel comfortable enough to share those opinions whenever they choose. But once an opinion turns into trying to control what their peers enjoy, that's when it becomes a problem.
I am sure you have gone through this yourself once or twice in your lifetime. You'll be so excited to share this cool new thing you've found out about and then be shunned by your peers because it isn't high cultured enough. Now, this hasn't happened to me for quite some time, my friends all being super cool and not really caring if I like trashy novels or not, but it used to keep me from being comfortable to talk about my interests when I was younger.
So why has this come about? Why has the "mainstream" become a bad thing?
People have made individualism into the be all end all of our culture anymore. It has almost become a cult to be a part of the individual club. You cannot like anything that other people like or else you will be lost in the vast wasteland that is the world. But I disagree with that. Yes, you do not want to be a carbon copy of someone else. Yes, you should like things because YOU like them, not because you see someone else liking them and you want to become them. But it's important to know that it's okay to be caught in the stream of everyone else every once in a while. People are so afraid of the "hive mind" mentality that they spend so much time trying to stay out of this "mainstream hive" that they become a part of a counter-hive sort of structure. They forget what they actually enjoy in life and tend to like things only to impress others.
Some people give the reason that they cannot be bothered to only read what everyone else is reading. This, to me, gives me the feeling that they are trying to make themselves seem above everyone else because they are into more "highbrow" literature, or only want to read the stuff off the beaten path. Needing to be "above" everyone else (aka elitism) by not reading these books you may actually enjoy is doing nothing but depriving yourself of an amazing book.
This elitism does go both ways though. Some people who find out about these new books that later become super mainstream lord it over other people who are just getting into the series. I have found myself doing that before and have rectified the behavior because I thought I sounded like a complete asshole for doing it. People will also think that anything that has been independently published has to be bad writing. This is NOT true in any way. So, those of you who only read mainstream, I know it's great stuff, but you can also step off the beaten path and possibly find some hidden jewels yourself.
I know that standing up for what you enjoy can be nerve-wracking at times. I only just started doing it more openly since I had started college. Unfortunately, some people won't listen and will still try to tear you down. So if you have people treating you like this, here are some reasons you should not let these people get you down about your interests.
They are popular for a reason. These books have strong characters who go through life, through struggles, through a lot of the same things we do. And yes, a lot of these are heightened for dramatic effect. No, you may not find yourself leading a rebellion, or fighting demons, or saving the love of your life from a sadistic immortal faerie. But you can see what the reprocussions of human trafficking can be, you can see a person's mentality when they know they are going to die, you can see how people deal with grief. I guess what I'm saying is that there are often good moral messages hidden in the pages of these books that, if unread, will be lost on a person. So if they don't want to try it, to see what good it can do them to see a different perspective, then there is nothing you can do about it.
And most importantly: YOU like it so YOU should get to enjoy it to your fullest extent.
So go out there and love The Hunger Games or Harry Potter or Throne of Glass or whatever else people are telling you you shouldn't like. You've earned it. You have kicked ass and survived until this point, there is no reason you shouldn't love what you do just because someone tells you not to.
Now onto those of you who have been on the dealing side of these ideas.
Just because it's popular does not necessarily mean it is bad. There are some really good books out there that have become mainstream, especially in the young adult realm, that should, in my opinion, be even more revered. But I know they are not for everyone. So if you don't want to give them a chance, there is nobody saying you have to. Just don't be an ass about it to other people. I mean, if you don't like it, just don't read it.
Ask yourself if what you are saying is actually accomplishing anything or if you are just doing it to put someone down. If you are doing that, that's bullying and is inherently not cool. So the next time you want to make a comment on how stupid a person is for reading only what other people tell them to, just don't.
This post has gotten a bit out of hand and feels a bit personal, but whatever. I thought it needed to be said.
So let me know what you think about the mainstream in book culture. What are your thoughts on the elitism on both sides of the coin? Let me know on twitter!
Speaking of Twitter, you can find me on there, Instagram, YouTube, and Goodreads at dsbookie!
I'll catch you next time!
XO
Dana
Okay, hear me out on this post. I know a lot of you reading this do not necessarily disagree with me. We all love our favorite prime time shows and blockbuster movies. But for some reason, when a person loves their favorite best selling book (and tries to get others to read it and love it as much as they do) there is a more negative reaction from the book community.
I am in no way saying that people are not entitled to their own opinions. I respect that fact and want others to feel comfortable enough to share those opinions whenever they choose. But once an opinion turns into trying to control what their peers enjoy, that's when it becomes a problem.
I am sure you have gone through this yourself once or twice in your lifetime. You'll be so excited to share this cool new thing you've found out about and then be shunned by your peers because it isn't high cultured enough. Now, this hasn't happened to me for quite some time, my friends all being super cool and not really caring if I like trashy novels or not, but it used to keep me from being comfortable to talk about my interests when I was younger.
So why has this come about? Why has the "mainstream" become a bad thing?
People have made individualism into the be all end all of our culture anymore. It has almost become a cult to be a part of the individual club. You cannot like anything that other people like or else you will be lost in the vast wasteland that is the world. But I disagree with that. Yes, you do not want to be a carbon copy of someone else. Yes, you should like things because YOU like them, not because you see someone else liking them and you want to become them. But it's important to know that it's okay to be caught in the stream of everyone else every once in a while. People are so afraid of the "hive mind" mentality that they spend so much time trying to stay out of this "mainstream hive" that they become a part of a counter-hive sort of structure. They forget what they actually enjoy in life and tend to like things only to impress others.
Some people give the reason that they cannot be bothered to only read what everyone else is reading. This, to me, gives me the feeling that they are trying to make themselves seem above everyone else because they are into more "highbrow" literature, or only want to read the stuff off the beaten path. Needing to be "above" everyone else (aka elitism) by not reading these books you may actually enjoy is doing nothing but depriving yourself of an amazing book.
This elitism does go both ways though. Some people who find out about these new books that later become super mainstream lord it over other people who are just getting into the series. I have found myself doing that before and have rectified the behavior because I thought I sounded like a complete asshole for doing it. People will also think that anything that has been independently published has to be bad writing. This is NOT true in any way. So, those of you who only read mainstream, I know it's great stuff, but you can also step off the beaten path and possibly find some hidden jewels yourself.
I know that standing up for what you enjoy can be nerve-wracking at times. I only just started doing it more openly since I had started college. Unfortunately, some people won't listen and will still try to tear you down. So if you have people treating you like this, here are some reasons you should not let these people get you down about your interests.
They are popular for a reason. These books have strong characters who go through life, through struggles, through a lot of the same things we do. And yes, a lot of these are heightened for dramatic effect. No, you may not find yourself leading a rebellion, or fighting demons, or saving the love of your life from a sadistic immortal faerie. But you can see what the reprocussions of human trafficking can be, you can see a person's mentality when they know they are going to die, you can see how people deal with grief. I guess what I'm saying is that there are often good moral messages hidden in the pages of these books that, if unread, will be lost on a person. So if they don't want to try it, to see what good it can do them to see a different perspective, then there is nothing you can do about it.
And most importantly: YOU like it so YOU should get to enjoy it to your fullest extent.
So go out there and love The Hunger Games or Harry Potter or Throne of Glass or whatever else people are telling you you shouldn't like. You've earned it. You have kicked ass and survived until this point, there is no reason you shouldn't love what you do just because someone tells you not to.
Now onto those of you who have been on the dealing side of these ideas.
Just because it's popular does not necessarily mean it is bad. There are some really good books out there that have become mainstream, especially in the young adult realm, that should, in my opinion, be even more revered. But I know they are not for everyone. So if you don't want to give them a chance, there is nobody saying you have to. Just don't be an ass about it to other people. I mean, if you don't like it, just don't read it.
Ask yourself if what you are saying is actually accomplishing anything or if you are just doing it to put someone down. If you are doing that, that's bullying and is inherently not cool. So the next time you want to make a comment on how stupid a person is for reading only what other people tell them to, just don't.
This post has gotten a bit out of hand and feels a bit personal, but whatever. I thought it needed to be said.
So let me know what you think about the mainstream in book culture. What are your thoughts on the elitism on both sides of the coin? Let me know on twitter!
Speaking of Twitter, you can find me on there, Instagram, YouTube, and Goodreads at dsbookie!
I'll catch you next time!
XO
Dana
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