Welcome to WTFF. In which I attempt to answer a single question--normally a thought on a book or a bookish subject--that I've been pondering for the past week. This week it's
"Why the f*ck are you so smug?"
This one is kind of the reverse of "
why the f*ck do I have to care?" The question this week is why the f*ck some readers are so smug about their reading habits.
We're all guilty of our smugness (no one can be completely unsmug). So what makes readers feel superior to TV watchers or frequent movie goers? What does one form of entertainment have over the other? Not much, actually.
There are several lines that come from devout readers (I am guilty of one of these):
- "I read the book first."
- "I don't watch TV."
- "I'd rather read a book."
To which I respond (internally):
- "I'm sure you read it first, but I don't care."
- "I watch TV on my computer, so that's a false statement."
- "Me too!"
Then there are those that are so smug that they absolutely must--must--talk about how crammed their apartment is with books. About how many they. Just. Have. As if book hoarding were some sort of virtue or art that mankind has lost over the ages and they're out to resurrect it.
The Following is a Real Conversation:
Former Coworker: What are you reading?
Me: It's a science fiction novel...
Former Coworker: Oh I love science fiction! I have a bunch of books in my apartment.
Me: It's about cyborgs in love that time travel.
Former Coworker: I have about ten thousand books in my apartment.
Me: That's nice.
Former Coworker: I just like having full shelves. I love having so many books. How many do you have?
Me: I'm not sure? 200?
Former Coworker: I have way more than that!
While this former coworkers is very proud of her collection (that I do not see the point of) I'm wondering if her cantankerous attitude has been noticed by other readers. I pointed out to her at a later date that there isn't much of a point to having so many books if she wasn't going to read or share them. Her response: "I'm not a library." Then why tell me about your books?*
There also continues to be this issue of people who think reading makes them superior to others. It might make you smarter, but it is by no means an indicator of intelligence (see: former coworker). While we can learn from books: we can also learn from video games, movies, The History Channel, Animal Planet, etc.
I really contribute this week's WTFF to a few rogue readers or book collectors that smug up the universe for the rest of us. That make us appear as if we think our chosen form of entertainment is superior over any other. I am aware that previous WTFF are full of reading complaints and complaints about readers who don't read, but never would I be smug to someone about books to their face. I have more tact than that. Obviously. I'd do it behind their back first.
That's it for this week's why the f*ck friday. Different opinion? Similar experience? Similar thoughts on this subject? Post it below in the comments. Feel free to berate me, praise me, or buy me some fancy coffee. You can even tell me to f*ck off and then buy me a coffee. I enjoy hearing the bookish and nerdy thoughts of others.
*The extra fun part was when she couldn't remember who wrote them or what they were about.