"PEER PRESSURE
I" was looking through books yesterday at the shops and saw all the Twilight books, which I know basically nothing about. What I do know is that I’m beginning to feel like I’m the *only* person who knows nothing about them.
"Despite being almost broke and trying to save money, I almost bought the expensive book (Australian book prices are often completely nutty) just because I felt the need to be ‘up’ on what everyone else was reading.
"Have you ever felt pressured to read something because ‘everyone else’ was reading it? Have you ever given in and read the book(s) in question or do you resist? If you are a reviewer, etc, do you feel it’s your duty to keep up on current trends?"
When I was in junior high school, all the girls were abuzz over the Little House books, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I was one of the unpopular girls, so it was awhile before I even learned the name of the series. After giving it exactly one try, I found the books too tame and easy for my tastes, so I returned them to the library. Was that peer pressure, or was it curiosity?
That was the first time I jumped on the bandwagon. The second time was when I joined a social group and read reference after reference to the Dune series, by Frank Herbert, in the monthly newsletters. I wanted at least an idea of what everyone talked about, so I tried one. It was love at first sight. The first three books entertained me for hours. Again, I think it was curiosity, not peer pressure.
Nowadays, though, I tend to resist bandwagon jumping at all, in anything. Why? I don't know. Perhaps there is little attraction to being or doing what the crowd is or does; the Road Less Traveled, don'tcha know. I am somewhat curious about things that "everybody" likes, and about a great many other things too, but I am very selective, now.
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7 comments:
It's good to be selective; continue to be true to "thyself."
I agree with Sally. Be true to yourself first. I read the Little House books when I was six or seven and loved them. I picked one up a few years later and thought it very tame. I agree with you when it comes to the Dune books--wonderful!
When I was younger, all the girls were reading the Little House books, too. I never did get into reading them. Not my thing.
Nowadays I just don't have the time for things I'm not interested in.
JM @ TheBookStacks.com
don't we all succumb to peer pressure sometimes? don't be too hard on yourself. ;)
I've jumped on the bandwagon when the Newbery awards come out. Some I liked and some I didn't read because I didn't like the topic or thought the books were too advanced for the elementary environment I teach in.
With over 3000 books printed a day, it's impossible to read everything! Be true to you and what you want to read.
It's good to listen to the ideas and thoughts of others, but that shouldn't mean that you have to agree with everything they say. I bought the first Twilight book, mostly because I heard so many positives I wanted to try it for myself. I have always had a penchant for gothic anyway. I loved it.
I was always surrounded by so many books and things to read that it was impossible for me to read everything. Popular material never overwhelmed me because there was so much available.
Unlike most people I don't feel the urge to own most books, just to read them. I am lucky in this way. I try not to own books unless they have some unique quality or interest to them.
I am also rarely in a hurry to read something tomorrow. I can wait for the interest to fade to get something because there is already too much for me to read in my lifetime.
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