I find it weird how people have made reading an "aesthetic". I've been a reader for 10 years and never thought that there is an aesthetic behind it especially because everybody reads. Some people just read more. I also think it is funny when people expect all readers to be the same with the idea of the reader aesthetic.

@ZechsMerquise73

Жыл бұрын

I've known of it as an aesthetic since I was a young kid. Was very surprised to find out that adults unceremoniously read books with no chair, blanket, background music, snacks, tea, sweater, etc.

@andromeda_2410

Жыл бұрын

All thanks to the influencer culture, making the most normal thing into an aesthetic

@wiriwiri1668

Жыл бұрын

You must've been way too young then, because I remember when Tumblr was the popular website, it was CRAWLING with annoying people pretending to be nerds/intellectuals or w.e

@srose1088

Жыл бұрын

I think people who treat reading like this are the same people who use stylized stationary and things in the physical. It's definitely a mood, sometimes even ritualistic, like the way they prepare to get cozy before reading, organize book collections etc. I on the other hand, i am an unceremonious monster who listens to audiobook files at 1.25X speed, stop right in the middle of a chapter and still sleep well at night lol. However, I see those other types of readers and daydream I could be like them, be all organized and content with the mood I've deliberately surrounded myself with lol, I don't think I truly have it me tho.

@otakumultifandom

Жыл бұрын

@@srose1088 agreed. It doesn't have to be cause reading is our own solidary experience with our lecture and how we relate to it

As a child, I was told I was superior because I read books and didn’t act like other kids. However, I see that as harmful now because why does everything have to be in a binary? Why can’t I read books and be a silly child? Also, the elitism when it comes to Reading Circles in Elite Schools is another Video Essay.

@the_socialphobic_girl

Жыл бұрын

My thoughts exactly cuz I can relate

@dva5610

Жыл бұрын

Exactly people get surprised when I say my fave book is east of Eden but I like listening to playboi carti

@collyflower6623

Жыл бұрын

@@dva5610 ayyy we love an East of Eden stan lmao

@mightymeatymech

Жыл бұрын

Oooooh yeah they liked gassing me up for reading well too lol. Assumed I was gonna be sooo smart and make money as a lawyer or doctor... I'm going back to school for art LOL And yes the advanced tracks are elite everywhere. I did k-12 in three states total

@mightymeatymech

Жыл бұрын

@@dva5610 lol or when I say I love crime and punishment and Mr pickles in the same breath

the pandemic really made everyone take things they like and turn it into a commodity or aesthetic 🙃 edit: I think people are misunderstanding what i mean. During the pandemic people couldn’t go out, so normal things were heavily romanticized and made into aesthetics by influencers with nothing better to latch on to. this put pressure on normal people who just enjoy things like reading for the pleasure of reading, to then put some sort of flair and image into what they are doing. There is so much pressure to “do it for the gram” rather than just do it because you enjoy it. This has been a problem but it got 1000 times worse in 2020.

@stephlastname9101

Жыл бұрын

This is so true. Especially on Tik Tok.

@zkkitty2436

Жыл бұрын

I don't disagree with you but to me it feels like this is just the end result of capitalism, where we consider everything even our private lives a source of capital. I think the pandemic maybe just accelerated an already existing trend.

@amayasimpson9920

Жыл бұрын

exactly, and it’s making my brain explode; it’s like everything is inauthentic

@riyyahinglis3148

Жыл бұрын

it's insanely annoying

@biggusdickus7390

Жыл бұрын

in a way it makes sense. we were stuck inside, not doing any of the cool, fun stuff that people usually post about so people instead made “aesthetic” content about what they were doing at home. at the same time, it is so sad and telling that even when we are facing a worldwide, life-threatening public health crisis, we still feel the compulsion to make our lives appear interesting and put-together in order to gain the approval of random people online.

OK, I squealed seeing this, because Emma Chamberlain said in her architectural digest video something like, “And I mean, who reads these days?” And I was like……. A lot of people?? 😅

@simiki.

Жыл бұрын

yeah it gave me the same vibe as kendall jenner saying « we’re really weird »😜 bc she likes basketball in her housetour video

@GlamGoddes101

Жыл бұрын

Same! no one pointed that out

@dabestest1387

Жыл бұрын

Frrrr!!!! As if she didn’t start reading because she saw a bunch of other people reading on social media.

@abigailh7715

Жыл бұрын

Emma is such a follower.

@kaleidoscopeofmemories5023

Жыл бұрын

I know! that kind of rub me the wrong way cause people have been reading for centuries and a lot of people of all ages still do it lmao

Omg that fanfict in the beginning was a STAPLE in my childhood 😂😂 wattpad had me in A CHOKEHOLD as a kid

@meow.3440

Жыл бұрын

Girlie you are literally everywhere💀

@meow.3440

Жыл бұрын

@@nahla8328 i am watching another video right now and she is there too.

@Riaaonline

Жыл бұрын

It still has me in a chokehold 🙈

@poorva.s

Жыл бұрын

Same!!!

i’ll never forget this one new york post article that accused the hadid sisters of using books as accessories because the sisters weren’t at the same intelligence level as emma watson

@diorswrlld

Жыл бұрын

I remember that too. Society really flopped with that take cause what??

@araceliiris

Жыл бұрын

wtf

The good thing to come out of this trend (for me personally) is rediscovering my love for reading. I was that “gifted kid” that loved to read but I think public schools take the fun out of reading. When reading became mandatory, it felt like work. I stopped reading for fun because I had so many books to read for school. One of the downsides of reading becoming trendy is overconsumption. The reading challenges encourage people to buy more and more books & most people aren’t buying local/checking them out at the library. Capitalism doing its thing once again.

@revolutionaryndn

Жыл бұрын

THIS ALL OF THIS!!

@levislilthottie

Жыл бұрын

YES EXACTLY

@Meg_intheclouds

Жыл бұрын

THIS! So lockdown happened and I had a stack of books on my shelf that had build up over 2 years of not really reading. The last day of school in 2020 I was round my friends and knowing we were going into lockdown I asked her for some recs that I can binge and she recommended the knife of never letting go by Patrick Ness, and omg I took it home, we went into lockdown and with nothing else to do and no other commitments (I did A LOT of extra circulars) I binged the entire series in a week! And I was in love. I read the rest of my tbr and then I turned to social media for new book recs because I got really into my kindle and I needed new books. Then I found booktok and from there read my way through the Grishaverse and the selection, then about august found my way onto queer booktok, and Omg it was everything! Then I fell into a reading slump in year 11 because of school, then this new reading community and what I dub the “Rory Gilmore effect” has made me realise how much I really do love it and I’m slowly building up the momentum again

@Dani_1012

Жыл бұрын

Something that I also hate from assigned reading is that it is So Much that you don't have the time to read stories of your own interest AND that the books assigned are just.. so BORING and the class reading it out loud makes it worse. I can count with one hand the amount of assigned books I've liked, books I otherwise wouldn't have heard of or picked up, that's the only positive thing I've gotten so far

@mavohq

Жыл бұрын

exactly what happened to me! i used to love reading until late middle school when my undiagnosed autism/adhd really became apparent and reading anything was associated with doing schoolwork in my brain. i’ve been getting back into it lately by reading stephen king since i really love horror!

Seeing reading become cool/trendy is SO weird because I've loved books all my life, but a lot of the other kids I went to school with didn't like reading, and the adults always made it this "special" thing that I loved books, like i was superior or different for enjoying reading. I never felt that way but adults, especially my aunts and uncles, would tell my cousins to read more because I read a lot and for some reason, reading was seen as a "valuable hobby" i guess. I really hate the idea that reading makes you cool or that it's a better hobby than others, cause it's not. like sure, you learn more words and maybe get better at writing but that doesn't make it superior to other activities.

@mightymeatymech

Жыл бұрын

My stepmom tried the same with my brother!! I woke up EARLY just to read before school. My brother is more into graphic novels and video games, and I've always been supportive lol. Stepmom used to "oh he should read more" when like, he *does* like reading. He just enjoys some visual art too lol

@noone-re3zp

Жыл бұрын

no u love it

@maryam8538

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, it should’ve been considered a normal hobby for us when we were younger and still be considered that today, not as if it’s superior to other activities and be glorified sm so that we can shape our personalities to what we think is ‘aesthetic’.

@afrosamourai400

Жыл бұрын

Thank you...the arrogant reader trope is annoying!

@marvel096

Жыл бұрын

this exact same thing happened to me omg

As someone who has been an avid reader since I was a child, seeing reading become 'cool' does't bother me and actually makes me happy. What does frustrate me though is that because reading has become trendy, there is an insurgence of authors who are sweeping the shelves who I wouldn't say are good writers. In reading's development from 'nerdy' to 'cool' there is an obvious gap between those who are well versed in good writing and those who just follow trends. What I hope for the future is that reading continues to stay popular and the more well read people become, the more people start to recognise bad writing from good writing and give actual talented authors a chance.

@aisling8308

Жыл бұрын

Colleen Hoover 🤮

@Mikyshor2323

Жыл бұрын

For the better part of my teenage years I read trashy books, and now I read mostly classics. I too think people should hang onto whatever keeps their love for reading alive, no matter for how long. They'll eventually get to the good lit.

@EmyN

Жыл бұрын

Yeah everybody starts somewhere, right? But actually, if you only read "low brow" books I don't think it's a bad thing either, if that's how you enjoy books and/or is what makes you read then great!

i've been working for a library system for about a year now and i've found that patrons who read almost exclusively booktok or bookstagram books refuse to browse. they usually place their item on hold (which can have a wait of upwards of 100+ people on it,) pick it up, and repeat the process. while i am happy people are reading and finding joy in it, i am sad that they are just reading what they are sold and aren't venturing to truly find their own tastes.

@baconaxolotl

Жыл бұрын

i was like that in the mid 2010’s only reading what’s popular with tumblr but now i buy a lot of my books either from asking the bookstores cashier their favourite book or if the store has it, the blind books “wrapped up in brown paper with the tropes/themes written in the cover”

@jennymesas4699

Жыл бұрын

This is what's weird to me, I literally just commented the same, but I think it's a sign of our times, everything is fast paced and for the picture, I never thought that books could fall victims to consumerism and they did, but even so I still think it's good that reading has become popular, because I truly believe people will eventually start picking books because they spoke to them and not because it's the popular book of the week, and they'll find their own taste

@megantracy8750

Жыл бұрын

I usually put stuff on hold bc i browse online for what i think id like! my library has most of the books im interested in already checked out

@EmyN

Жыл бұрын

They likely will eventually

I think it’s really interesting how we put books morally above other kinds of media. We tend to doubt thing we read online but not the things we read on “paper” and I think it’s important to ask ourselves why? One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is to loosen the respect for books: anotate them, draw on them, write over them, fold them, lend them and loose them. They should feel more like a conversation instead of a sacred object in my opinion.

@anju8376

Жыл бұрын

yup, including the bible. ppl who use the bible like it was penned by god or whoever miss out on treating it like a book of philosophy, meant to be questioned and read alongside other books of philosophy.

@illegalhunter7

Жыл бұрын

@@anju8376 the businesses surrounding this book RELIES on the lack of critical thinking in its readers though.

@noel2223

Жыл бұрын

At least with something like news - paper is generally thought to be more reliable because instead of having to fill 24 hours worth of content, they have one deadline. It allows for them to do more research and get their facts more straightened than online articles and headlines. Also less infotainment than online

@tastyratatouille142

Жыл бұрын

Ive read 100+ books and i own only 30 or 40 and others i just read ebooks lol

@nad3506

Жыл бұрын

THIS!!!!!! i swear these are exactly my thoughts!!!!!

I've always been bookish, to the point that right now I'm doing a Ph.D in English Literature. I've never liked One Direction that much, but one of my best friends in high school actually made me go with her to a One Direction concert. SHOULD I HAVE BROUGHT A BOOK WITH ME, DID I MISS MY CHANCE TO BECOME THE MAIN CHARACTER?

@diorswrlld

Жыл бұрын

You in fact miss your chance but you probably saved yourself in the long run 😭😭😭😭

@zamjed8057

Жыл бұрын

@@diorswrlld what do u mean saved yourself 😂😂

@JLynnEchelon

Жыл бұрын

The funniest thing about those stories is how silly it is go to a concert and read. I understand skipping one to read, but doing in while the performance is going on?

I think something about books is that you can kind of judge a person based on what they read or based on what people want others to think that they read. So a glance at someone's bookshelf give you slightly curated but genuine idea about them. Nevermind that some people have so many books they don't read. Remember support your local library and bookstore. In the age of Amazon every bit can help.

@Heavin_

Жыл бұрын

Even buying used books from other seller on Amazon helps too!

@ZechsMerquise73

Жыл бұрын

My book shelf is 20th century fantasy and poetry (mostly Beat), essays and autobiographies by musicians, and Chinese-American children's books. Care to analyze me?

@wiriwiri1668

Жыл бұрын

Dumbest shit I've ever read. That only applies to closed minded people. If you saw my book collection it would be all over the place. You can't judge a persons character based on what they read, tf💀💀

@wiriwiri1668

Жыл бұрын

@@ZechsMerquise73 she can't. Thats not how it works, psychologically. For example, I read books of various religions, yet I don't practice a single one

@afrosamourai400

Жыл бұрын

@@wiriwiri1668 yeah but it says you are interested in religion as a concept, even if you don't practice any religion.

Fun fact: the other reason that Alexander the Great's troops would have been shocked by his ability to read silently was that in ancient Greek (and other scripts like Classical Latin) the most common way of writing didn't include spaces between words (scriptio continua) and so it was incredibly difficult to differentiate word endings and beginnings while reading silently.

I don't think the aesthetisisation or romanticising of books is a bad thing, I think it's the opposite. Sure, there are probably people just collecting people for the image, but certain types of people will always be chasing an 'image' of some type anyway. Rather an 'image' of reading, encouraging a larger number of people to read again than something else! As a big reader, I think it's so exciting that it seems to becoming more cool.

@MrSoy007

Жыл бұрын

I agree, why are we complaining about people reading more and finding joy in it.

@MrSoy007

Жыл бұрын

I’ve been a bookworm since childhood but I’m so happy people are reading more because I’ve been trying to get people in my life into reading😅

Omg the Wattpad descriptions gave me violent flashbacks

@tangyorange6509

Жыл бұрын

Violent??? Did you spasm??

@Ameliazee

Жыл бұрын

Literally just commented about WattPad. She can write a whole book and I’d read it 😂

Actually, books have been used as a sign of status for a very very long time. Think of those magnificent royal libraries, those full giant noblemen bookshelves, etc. Those were all marks of status. They were here to impress, because 1. books were expensive and 2. books meant you were cultivated. Moreover, they first meant you were educated, as most people weren't capable of reading in the first place. Books lost parts of that status when education became more widespread and also with the rise of paperbacks ("ugh, cheap books ?"/s). But it is still very much present to this day, even if we had a moment where reading wasn't considered "cool" anymore, I do believe it will always come back. But I am also a school librarian so I hope reading stays cool !

@alyssia7239

Жыл бұрын

I also wanted to say, I loved the chill vibes in this video. Very soothing, thank you :)

@DoodleWrite

Жыл бұрын

I see books being romanticized as an extension of dark academia and cottage core, yearning for simpler times

@estefaniaboujon6830

Жыл бұрын

Exactly! Always been, always will be, it only depends for whom

Ive always had trouble explaining this “phenomenon” but you capture my thoughts perfectly! It’s interesting how reading has always been tied to social status. I’ve loved reading since I was old enough to pick up a book and it’s been interesting to see how through my generation readers have gone from being seen as nerdy/boring/anti-social to now interesting/cool/enigmatic. I feel like there’s never been a time when reading could just be reading.

When I was 16 I published my first poetry book, which is a paperback. One of the first things my dad told me was “well a lot of people don’t read paperbacks, it’s all about audiobooks now” which I didn’t believe was true. He also told me to “write something people want to read.” I’m now 21 and published my second poetry book and years later, I always think back to that moment to realize how he couldn’t have been more wrong. Im happy to touch people with what i’ve written so far about relationships, healing, and growth. I hope to reach more people. Books can truly help people feel, reflect, encourage growth, and are just nice to read in general.

@sta._rina

Жыл бұрын

What’s the name of ur book?

@shadowblair9342

Жыл бұрын

Book name?

@jessicaburgos3549

Жыл бұрын

@@shadowblair9342 hey!! my poetry book "finding closure" is available on Amazon! it follows the beginning to the end of a relationship from both the woman's and man's perspective, written by me :)

@jessicaburgos3549

Жыл бұрын

@@sta._rina hey!! my poetry book "finding closure" is available on Amazon! it follows the beginning to the end of a relationship from both the woman's and man's perspective, written by me :)

While I think it's wonderful that reading has become this popular, I can't help but feel icky about how commercialised, fast paced and showy even reading has become. As you said, reading was rather a personal thing, you read for you and you usually read what you liked, but now with tik tok, most people only read what's popular, and what their influenced to buy, not venturing into new books to form their own taste, they read what's hot on the app and then move onto the next popular thing, and making sure everyone sees that they're reading. The book stylist is the saddest thing I've ever heard, to use books to appear as a certain person instead of forming your own taste and actually read the books is almost dystopian, it's like nothing can escape this for-the-picture fast paced lifestyle. But still, even with all that said, I think the popularization of reading is a good thing, because I'm sure people will eventually browse books that are not recommended by influencers and find their own taste.

The intro had me cracking up not the green orbs 💀😂

I was always a big reader, and growing up in a small town people would judge me as "snob" just for reading in my free periods at school, when I was just minding my business lol

Although I agree with pretty much everything you said in this video, I am actually very happy that reading has become ‘cool’ again. As a young child around 11 or 12, I was obsessed with reading. I read all the time so much that my teacher actually gifted me with a collection of Roald Dahl books. It’s safe to say that I went home that day screaming and crying of happiness. However, as I grew older, I lost my touch with books and stopped reading. It wasn’t until I was 15 and in school I started to study poetry and plays like ‘Macbeth’ and ‘An Inspector Calls”, that my love for reading came back. I fell in love with English literature, and it was all I wanted to do. Hell, I almost even changed my future career path because of this. *oh how I miss gcse English lessons* I recently turned 17 and I started reading again last year, and I don’t regret a thing. Books have always been something that I’ve enjoyed, and a sense of comfort. Although I wish some people wouldn’t read just because of the “trend” or because they think that it’s “cool” and an “aesthetic”, I’m glad people are reading more nowadays. Also, we cannot refuse to ignore what the “trend” of reading has brought. BookTok, and the popularity of books in general has helped save book stores and has changed the book industry. Social media may have its fault, but it has changed and helped the book industry to grow and us as readers are grateful. I’m so sorry for the long comment, but I am very happy that I have rediscovered my love for reading, and I hope new readers find solitude and happiness as they turn the pages of whatever material they read, book after book.

@pagethreemodel

Жыл бұрын

An Inspector Calls is soo good. A hauntingly great lesson on morality.

@KehindeOdeyemi

Жыл бұрын

@@pagethreemodel yes it is! I absolutely loved every second of it

I’m a lifelong reader but I’ve definitely gone through phases where I read more than others. It’s been my one consistent hobby- not to be quirky but just because I genuinely enjoy it. I appreciate so many people getting into reading post pandemic because I’m more open to trying different genres now that I know how well loved they are. Power of suggestion I guess. It’s made me get out of my comfort zone.

i always loved reading and i think the aesthetic posts are cute and introduced me to a lot of good books. i’m kinda glad it’s “cool” again.

“his green orbs light up” the way I SCREAMED lmaooo

Don’t Worry Darling is basically one big “Imagine” by Olivia Wilde

@Kittikee10

Жыл бұрын

how?

idk why reading was ever not “cool” 😂 books have played a huge role in my development over the years

I actually do like reading becoming aesthetic, I just wish it arrived earlier so I wouldn’t made be made fun of. couple of years of ago when I was in school from middle school to end of high school I was made fun of for reading and ppl said why would you read and made faces at me and would say that they don’t even like reading for school subjects It was the reason I left it and tried to take ‘cooler’ hobbies like dance or swimming, I wish my inner child in those times heard all this so I wouldn’t feel like an outsider or someone weird, it hurts a lot when someone makes fun of what you like when you are a kid.

@lunarrainbows

Жыл бұрын

Amen.

@savvy3tv632

Жыл бұрын

Same here. Even teachers would tell me to put done my books and hang out with the other kids. I’m like, no! Why would I do that when I could escape into my fantasy world?

reading isnct cool- acting like you read to show that you are intelligent and educated is cool

@khalilahd.

Жыл бұрын

Lmfao me as a child 😂

@hellokittied

Жыл бұрын

isnct

@punpunim

Жыл бұрын

these subliminal "nct" messages are getting out of hand

@choco1199

Жыл бұрын

👌

My now wife was originally interested in me because she saw me carrying around Battlefield Earth and wanted to know if I was serious or reading it ironically. If it worked for me, it can work for you.

@m.josena4485

Жыл бұрын

Ironically , this was my thought when I was prolly 11 y/o to try and see if anyone would ask about my books , though now seeing this , i shall go back to carrying books around lmao

This essay was so well done!! I‘m new to your channel and this is one of the best essays I‘ve seen this year. I really loved the little intro and the cohesiveness. Agree with you on everything you said. As someone who also got back into reading (heavily) in 2020, seeing this trend now is definitely an… interesting experience

There are two types of people who saw this thumbnail- people who wondered when reading stopped being cool, and people who wondered when it ever was.

I love that this is a critical analysis of the trend without gatekeeping reading. your videos are great!

i think emma is actually a person who does truly enjoy things like reading, art observing, thrifting etc. her dad is literally an artist and in some of her older videos she would to mention how much he tried to encourage her to read, so it would make sense that she is following suit. i think that she says some of the things that she does partly cause she is a pretty witty sarcastic person, but also because she knows her audience. and making an entire video of what she’s been reading will get backlash from other readers that she is as you said “just following the trend”, and will also get backlash from non readers thats she’s becoming boring and she’s changing. it really is a win loose situation when you have so many people judging your every move.

@paige6662

Жыл бұрын

Fr people need to let her live because she is a kind and interesting person who inspires younger women to be the same and hating on her is so lazy

@JulieteIRL

Жыл бұрын

Right it was absolute sarcasm and I’m not even big on Emma & I got that

@LivFP

Жыл бұрын

My instinct when she said "who reads" was definitely sarcastic. i dont think she was pulling a quirky move lol . she clearly enjoys reading, she's been talking about it for a year

@JulieteIRL

Жыл бұрын

@@LivFP she has☺️

@jannah5513

Жыл бұрын

@@LivFP EXACTLY

yay appreciated the inclusion of BookTube in this discussion!! I had no clue about the celebrity book stylist thing 🫢

@JulieteIRL

Жыл бұрын

Me either lol

My favorite kind of books are those written by African authors, I think it’s cause I can easily relate and I’m just so proud of how far we’ve come. I joined bookstagram and I found myself trying to read what everyone is reading, all the romance and fantasy books and it felt bleh, I started to lose my love reading it felt like I was forcing myself. Now I’m saying no more, I’m going to read what I like and not what is trendy on tik tok

@monsev.arellano9125

Жыл бұрын

What kind of books do you like to read?

@Ote_03

Жыл бұрын

@@monsev.arellano9125 more of African literature with drama and a hint of romance but not too overwhelming. Hbu?

Great analysis that put into words a lot of things I was noticing online regarding the surge of interest in reading. As a booktube channel, I (like many) got my start in 2020 when I wanted to do something other than watch youtube and play animal crossing for 8 hours a day. I think it's grown in popularity, in particular the trend of "reading vlogs" comes out of the quarantine era when no one could really do anything besides sit at home, so why not make a video about what you are reading when stuck at home? it seems for many lifestyle vloggers, just another flavor of content that they can add into be multi-faceted. Especially in combination with the "that girl" trend showing how we value people whom read as somehow better than others.

I felt so understood when you mentioned the fear of short term memory/attention span... I started to read a year ago (bc I never really cared and never was able to read) because of my English lessons, my teacher bought us Fahrenheit 451 and we read it together. Thru this book I understood the importance of books.. and bc books started to become popular again I got a lot of videos recommended about books.. I was really scared how fast the world was spinning and how my attention span made everything a little problematic so my goal was to read a lot of books, finde fun in it, learn more and being entertained with slower past things.. thanks for the video

it’s really annoying to me how reading became an entire trend tbh. i’ve lovedd reading since elementary school and everyone would always think i was odd because i enjoyed reading. now since the pandemic everyone uses it as an aesthetic. like do you actually enjoy reading? also booktok is so annoying they recommend the most awful books like colleen hoover. horrible writing. and now all these girls at my school suddenly read. ha. but i will say that i like some of the book community because when i was younger i didn’t really have people to talk to about my reading so it’s exciting to also have people to be just excited as me

Idk how to say this in English so it makes sense but you're so well articulated and you speak so well, the way you express ideas and get to the point of them has such a nice pace, and your contextualisation of 2012 made me so nostalgic, I was 15 back then and living my best life as a directioner/Tumblr user/avid reader/not like other girls girl

Highest of compliments to you and your videos Amanda! I found your channel sometime during the first lockdown and your videos are always really well-researched and get me thinking about recent developments/trends I've seen on social media or among my friend group. I'm currently writing a term paper on cottagecore as part of my masters degree in English and American Literature and the idea came to me due to your video on cottagecore :) My friends and I frequently discuss the points you make in your videos and it has made me a lot more aware of the performativity of social media and how this has affected my teenage years and still affects my mental health now in my early twenties. So once more: thank you so much for these great videos and the amount of preparation and research you put into them! Love listening to your thoughts and opinions.

It’s wild that we’re out here trying to make reading a distinct personality when it’s like??? There are so many kinds of books??? In the world??? Reading any kind of book in general doesn’t say anything about you?? That’s not even touching the weird intellectualism w ppl obsessing over ~tHe CLaSSicS~ oof

i really enjoyed this video essay, so well done and so well-researched! thank you for sharing your thoughts

I love how thoroughly researched this is! I have added 'The Shallows' to my reading list. Also, go off Ms. Reese Witherspoon!!!!

This was really good video and you have such a calming voice and vibe! It's so interesting to read about people's different experiences of being a kid who loved to read. I've loved reading every since I learn how to but I never felt like it was a unique thing per se. It didn't make me feel different from others and no one really made a big deal out of it - they just knew I loved reading and would gift me books for my bdays 😊 If anything people are more focused on it today and joke about how I spend all my weekends reading, though never in a mean spirited way. Having been an active bookstagrammer before the pandemic, my least favourite thing about the community was the gatekeeping and snobbery around especially classics and books some deemed "better" than others. From what I see online now, it seems like things are getting better the more mainstream reading is becoming again :)

@leahmorgan7803

Жыл бұрын

Yes to the gatekeeping and snobbery! I studied literature at uni, and the pedestal people would place certain books on would always aggravate me. It was James Joyce's 'Ulysses', until we actually studied it in a subject, at which time we were promptly told by the 'Joyce expert', well actually, 'Finnegan's Wake' is the more challenging and groundbreaking (read: superior) of Joyce's work. I realised the pinnacle of literature was always going to shift to the work that we mere 'plebeian' students hadn't yet read, because the professors and lecturers always had to have SOMEthing to prove their superiority above us. In my final year I did a popular fiction subject and it was so much fun! I realised, actually, all books are worthy and we can enjoy discussing them all, and essentially you should just read what you enjoy (also, I loved the professor who ran that subject because she never had that same air of superiority - it was clear she had read widely and was intelligent, she didn't need to 'prove it' with subtle brags about the books that she had read, that were too challenging for 'the masses')

I literally used to consume books like an addict. I personally love that more people are reading, but it sucks that the new books are so _bad_ and the most generic, problematic trash gets pushed more at bookstores. And yes I have noticed how some of the girlies do wear their typical bookish outfits with the tote bag lol!! Hopefully we can make reading accessible to everyone tho.

@theboredengineer2947

Жыл бұрын

I thought it's just me who noticed the forgettable and generic trends of books nowadays. I stopped reading books and shifted my interest in reading manga (part of Japanese language immersion) as manga offer broader plots and usually they are so out there and little to no sanitation with words or images. I just love plots thag can get as gritty as possible. Bonus is I get to see nice art too. Personal preference but I wasnt into Wattpad fanfics and I don't like the culture of shipping (which bled into manga and anime communities). Idk, maybe I've just gotten old (30 something) that my tastes have drastically changed. Priorities have changed and I hesitate to buy paperbacks in favor of ebooks to save more money and space.

'tastyfully well-read' is such a funny phrase to me. the rise of booktube for the past decade basically made reading a way to connect with other readers and the fame that came from it for some folks has definitely been critiqued so it's interesting to see the rise of booktok and just reading being regarded as good. i've always been a reader so it's been interesting to see the waves of reading interest and the influence social media has had on reading patterns too.

@ZechsMerquise73

Жыл бұрын

the thought that someone can be well-read in a bad way made me wretch a bit

This video was incredibly well researched and left me with a lot of reflections. Thanks for making it!

I love booktok and booktube because I'm finally getting the book loving community I wanted so badly when I was younger and didn't know many people who liked to read. I used to have to wait until movie versions of books came out to finally be able to fangirl about them with other people. However I noticed a lot of booktok just zeroes in on one particular author or series, forms an opinion, and that's pretty much the end of the discussion. I wish there was a lil more variety. Also I'm totally on board with reading becoming a ✨️cool✨️ thing. I'm just suffering with the aesthetic bit because I read all my books digitally so instead of looking well read it just looks like I'm vapidly scrolling on my phone forever.

I thought I was the only one who noticed the increasing popularity in reading! I've read all my life for fun, but once I was out of elementary school, telling other people that one of my hobbies was reading would earn me a blank stare. Everyone read in elementary school because of required reading, but continuing it after made people think you were "weird"? But I honestly didn't let that hold me back: I was that one kid that carried a novel in their backpack at all times and I was in a book club with my friends for like 4 years. Because I had a good amount of friends that liked reading too, I never really thought it made me "not like the other girls" I guess. Also, once you really get immersed in a good fantasy, contemporary, or historical fiction, it is basically like watching a movie in your mind. It's entertainment; it's not like you're reading a textbook for fun. Tbh, I can't imagine gatekeeping reading now that it is becoming popular. Like more people are reading? Yay! Although things like BookTok have their issues (like recommending the same books over and over and mislabelling every single book as enemies-to-lovers), I appreciate how they are normalizing/popularizing the reading experience.

absolutely loved this video queen

I love that’s it’s become more of a social topic as well. When I see my friends or sisters after a while we all like to discuss what books we’ve been reading.

“You have reluctantly agreed to attend because apparently she doesn’t have any other friends” this made me scream laugh 😭

I kind of enjoy the romanticization of reading and books, it has allowed me to reconnect with my love of reading I lost when I got to my senior year of high school. I’ve been introduced to many different types of books and new ways to enjoy books (such as annotating). It’s helped me to branch out with reading and I think that’s awesome.

Thank you for covering this topic!

such a great video amanda, thank you for posting!! it definitely sparked a lot of thoughts. i think the criticism of aesthetic book display/decor kinda echoes the 2012-era gatekeeping of rock n roll t shirts. it's giving "name 5 albums". if girlies are allowed to wear a guns n roses t shirt bc it's a well-designed piece of clothing, i think they should be allowed to use a book as decor if it's a well-designed cover. (the covers are art pieces in themselves!) i think perhaps the reason there's more backlash about posting about books/reading than with other hobbies is that, like you said, it's an innately solitary practice. it seems antithetical to social media. but i think the problem at large is the modern feeling that if you don't post about something, it's not real, and now ALL our hobbies have to be broadcast via yoga time lapses, cooking tiktoks, and pottery etsy shops. when the criticism shifts only to reading, it gives off hints of gatekeeping and whiffs of misogyny to me. i'll be thinking about this video for a while. thank you again!

17:50 the flute(?) that starts playing in the background at this timestamp is just amazing to me for some reason. Suddenly, it feels like you're talking about a magical world.

As someone who loved books before I knew how to read myself but hadn’t actually read a book outside of school for years because of burnout and terrible phone addiction, the romanticization of reading helped me find books that piqued my interests and get me back in to reading. In all four years of college I think I read one book that wasn’t assigned for class, and this year I’ve read 22 books so far because I was genuine excited about them. I think reading being performative is in the same way social media in general is- everything we’re posting is specifically curated to say something about us just like the music we listen to, the movies we watch, and clothes we wear all signifiers of what we like and who we are. I think one the reason we view performative reading as especially frustrating is because we tend to hold literature to a higher degree than we do other media.

Oh wow what a topic. Yeah I think I noticed that shift too. The one for appearance & then anything else that's just that like for (self improvement/good stories,less screen time like choosing apples over chips, etc)

Love your thoughts as always, and thanks for the 1D lore lmao I had no idea. I really like reading a lot, but I must say pretty shelves have become a nice result. I can imagine why someone only aesthetically interested would want that, my book shelves and plants together cheer me up lol. I do feel like modern fiction is doing a good job with the "look". It's kinda amusing, and I certainly don't believe there's some imparted nobility to it, but imo it's a net positive if aestheticising books gets people to give reading something they end up valuing a lot personally. Especially if they might not have otherwise...Then maybe they'd just be on their phone when Harry styles etc... Tragic

Let’s just appreciate how much of the hard work has been put into making this video!!👏🏻

i am sorry but you just have such a cute and positive vibe around you, I immediately followed^^ + elaborating and discussing these topics, I am such a sucker for "podcast"like youtubers like you; love that I found you :D

the beginning got me bout to go watch the After series rn... u forced my hand

Don’t have time to watch right now, but that is a 100% thumbnail face, excellent!👌

I wonder how audiobooks factor into this? I have gotten into audiobooks more recently because they are more accessible to me than traditional reading, and has made it possible to reconnect with my childhood avid love of reading. It used to be the main thing I did with my time and due to various factors I can't read books the way I used to. I do think about how chronic illness makes it much harder to divest from technology especially given the physical isolation we are still forced to maintain because people are pretending the pandemic is over. I feel shame about my tech use but things like reading (which people tend to point to as an easy alternative to using your phone, a la "get off your phone and read a book") aren't necessarily accessible, and the things that make them accessible REQUIRE tech use.

I was wondering about this today. I got into reading really early (kindergarten lol). When my little hobby became too apparent, it was weird to see adults make it into some phenomenal thing, 'KidS DonT ReAlLY rEaD ThEse DaYS'. I didn't think much of it because reading was as fun as playing video games. It was even weirder to see people my age associate reading with being uncool. It was like an unsaid rule. I personally stopped mentioning reading as a hobby. Then suddenly, there was this revolution and reading became 'cool' again. Because aesthetics.

I've always loved reading (I was hyperlexic as a kid due to autism) but I fell off it too once I got on social media. I used to not only eat my way through massively long series but I would read them over and over again too. I read so much that my parents would often take my books off me at night so I would go to sleep (anyone else?). I was still somehow labeled a huge reader even when I hadn't read a book in years. I'm pretty happy about reading becoming "cool" again as it got me back on the bandwagon (even if I was heading in that direction anyway since I was about 15/16), though I didn't realize it was "cool" until earlier this year. I'm liking how easy it is to find good recommendations lately as I was stuck in a rut before of exclusively YA contemporary romance - Adam Silvera, Becky Albertalli etc - before Tiktok happened. It's still true that reading is not super common but loads of people now are reading when they didn't before - and I think that's great. My only issue is that when a book gets popular on Tiktok, it's suddenly kind of ruined - you can't find it in a store anywhere, it gets a bunch of negative reviews because it's been hyped so much, and you can't talk about it without being labeled cringe or basic. I'm getting sick of the viral popularity that is Tiktok, but I've always loved books and I'm happy now that I have more people to share them with than ever before.

reading is my favourite hobby but i don’t think partaking in it makes me unique or different. millions of girls read. being on social media has made me realise i’m not as unique as i thought.

That Polyvore reference took me back in time so violently I almost got whiplash. Well done!!

I had a huge feeling this type of critique would come up, especially the annotated book aesthetic

@lifeofachristiannursingstu9498

Жыл бұрын

Totally

@adris4009

Жыл бұрын

what's wrong with annotating?

@morganjanaeee

Жыл бұрын

@@amandak.4246 YES. i hate it so much it’s so annoying. also people WRITING in their books i hate it so much

I did not expect a full on fanfic as the intro

Okay I love reading always and I'm happy to see people getting excited about it and sharing recs. The performative nature is frustrating but I think you're right that there are worse things. But side note....are the book stylists hiring 😹 I wouldnt love the dubious nature of the job but it would be fun!

to be honest i find it really cute, like yes i wanna read your annotated pages! like people just wanna show the world what they enjoy doing. its cute. let them. and if it becomes an aesthetic who cares, everything will be an aesthetic one day and everyone will be mad about that too.

that was a fascinating video! I’m glad I found your channel. One of my thoughts is that I’m happy more people on the whole have discovered books and bookstores are more filled now… but I do think losing the authenticity of reading and book choices is a tragedy. Reading is far more profound than a so-called “hobby for the elite”; book choices can show a deep part of a person otherwise unknown. they show what the person is willing to spend time in- whether that be a kind of book they’ve always read, or it shows they are open to new things when they explore different genres. a bookshelf should be a reflection of a person’s life, their contemplation, what they enjoy, all the people who’ve impacted them… and etc. Making that contrived by “professional library curations” and the such is so sad (btw: I’ve been a reader for my whole life)

@choco1199

Жыл бұрын

This is beautiful🥲

Love that lamp omg !!

So glad you included Emma Chamberlain's comment in the Architectural Digest video because I saw that and was like, what? but I couldn't find a comment under the video addressing it :D

Tbh I don’t see a problem about it, and I’m kind of happy that reading is becoming a trend. It’s helping out so many of our local bookstores, and charity shops, as well as the authors. However trends come and go, but this opened up the idea of reading for so many people, especially kids. There’s kids in our school wanting a book club, and I hear so many people saying they’re going to the library now. It’s keeping libraries open, and I’m happy about it. Also, I’d rather have influencers encourage reading, even if they’re doing it for aesthetic. It’s better than most of the ideas they encourage on social media.

I would die for a part 2 to this video talking about the influencer books like all the Colleen Hoover type books

I am gen Y I used to read all the time when I was younger, fell into the same screen time issue, it really makes you feel sluggish like you're only eating junk food. Completely agree reading feels like you're eating a salad after eating nothing but fast food, it's really refreshing especially reading in the morning.

Great video girl, subscribed!

I think reading fulfills two purposes. One is learning, which is not just learning about facts and theories from non-fiction, but also about the lives of others from fiction. The second is the practice of reading itself. Taking your time and concentrating on something for an hour or longer, appreciating the usage of language, using your own imagination, thinking about what you have read. Some people claim that it doesn't matter what you are reading, as long as you are reading, but I don't agree with that. Different types of book have a different type of effect on us. There are books that are ingeniously written, books that tell incredible stories and books that really make us think. You won't find this type of value in just any book you pick up. I am not saying that some books are worth less than others, but to truly get the value out of reading, I think diversity is very important in the material we choose to read. Try to read a little bit of everything. Naturally some types of books will attract us more than others, but I think it is very much worth it to see what is out there

I love the conclusion. Some of us don't use social media. The only form of social media I use consistently is KZread. Its basically television for me. Yet, I am someone who fits the asethetics* of social media influencers. I literally have one follower on my Insta and its a private account. So, the point I'm getting to is that sometimes we are interested by things in our own ways (and not because of the influence of what's trending). It wouldn't be right if I stopped by hobbies which help me with sobriety and other goals I'm upholding rn because of what is trending or what makes me seem like a poser or a pick me kind of guy. I think this assuredness in myself is reinforced by my lack of interest in social media. Do whatever you like and is cool to you if its healthy. You can paint without trying to be famous for it, its good to express yourself. You can play guitar or any other instrument without feeling the need to share it with the world. But its okay if you do want to share it with the world.

Enjoyed the video! Also like your background 🛋

The y/n fanfiction plot in the beginning 😃....I am certainly convince that you were one if those writers that had me in a choke hold-

It's so true. But it makes me happy to see so many people are reading and are aware of a wide range of topics, makes it easier to socialize. But then again, some people makes it a point to let everyone know that they read 😂 and painfully so. Like okay, you're not the only one. Every sensible person with situtional awareness should read, I assume. It's an inherent thing. But glad that this became a trend!

girl you really need a podcast 💗

the book obsession is great in that small authors are being recognized but books are becoming extremely expensive and those who struggle financially might not be able to afford them. we also now have people buying 60+ books to stick them in a TBR pile to never be touched again. the capitalism of it all is ridiculous. as someone who read all the time as a kid, i can’t help but miss the times when reading was not a competition and more of a past time.

Honestly I don’t care if it’s a “trend”, I know how long those tend to last- true enjoyers of books and reading in general will stick with it and maybe many are discovering there love for it once more through this “trend”

Girl, I love every single of your vidsssss🫶🏽🫶🏽💘 like I feel like I could talk to you over a coffee for hours

I am doing homework and the introduction made me laugh so hard I couldn’t write. I love your accents BAHAHAH

i'm a book historian and curated shelves of beautiful books that the owner never reads are a thing since around the 15th century (though even before when books were copied by hand and cost a fortune they still meant that the owner not only had money but was smart). books have really always represented Something, be it magic (for example cursed books!) or intelligence (such as happened after printing and once literacy became more widespread). it's very interesting and definitely not a new thing, so i wonder if it will ever go away. probably not, especially if you pair it with what amanda mentions in the video, online social awareness. i do think reading is very important even if the reader's intentions are showing off on social media. maybe something will stick! also the idea of reading at a concert is hilarious, but having a book around for when you're bored is sooo helpful, i try to do that instead of staring at my phone. it does make me sad that people with books at random places may look like they want attention though.

i used to LOVE reading as a kid til i got to middle school and we were assigned reading logs which made me start seeing it as a chore/homework more than something i actually enjoy and it ruined my love of it for YEARS. i'm slowly getting back into reading after realizing how unhealthy it is that i spend soooo much time online, but it's definitely a struggle after so long. speaking of films, letterboxd has also been something i struggled with in the sense of how bc of the review system, so many people have started using it as twitter part 2 and it becomes less about the films themselves, more about having your one liner review go viral + the aestheticization of lists over there tbh.

That expositonal fanfic was pretty good. And now I know that imagines are not what one calls fans of Imagine Dragons, but a specific type of fanfic pertaining to the group One Direction. I only listen to music occasionally, so please forgive me😅

I love the fact that I am agreeing with every point in this video while also being the person that tries to be cool by reading.

“Y slash N, that’s a beautiful name” I CAN’T

I really liked this video!! all of your videos are wonderfully eye-opening. I feel like books shouldn’t be seen as an accessory. they mean a lot more, and have different meanings to different people. although I won’t lie, posting books is still a habit of mine haha

This feeling that reading is a chore, not something done for fun, man... I loved reading sci-fi and fantasy as a child and teen, but then as an adult I became mentally ill and my concentration does not work well with reading anymore, and I feel guilty. Feeling like I have to read only made it worse. Its slowly getting better again now, but still it sucks, and I heard I was not the only one

I really love reading the comments of this video ! People have so much to tell and so diiferent opinion, I love it !!!

@Kittikee10

Жыл бұрын

it's mainly just people complaining about insignificant things

I just love the book community and I love that I can find other people who like the same books I do so maybe not gatekeepe? But the rest is fine I think