Bet you never thought you’d see these two books pictured together!
I like the Walking Dead, Longmire, and Man in the High Castle. I couldn’t care less about Game of Thrones.
I liked Twilight and 50 Shades of Gray, but I liked The Girl With All the Gifts by MR Carey and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury better.
I see judgmental articles online all the time about what it means if someone likes “trashy” books like Twilight and 50 Shades. I also see tons of response articles with people saying they won’t apologize for their taste.
Why is this so common? Why is it such a thing for people to pass judgement on other people’s choice of entertainment? What in particular does it say about me as a person that I can enjoy the entire spectrum of novels, all the way from the widely criticized to the highly revered?
In my opinion, the answer is not much.
What it says about me is that I have broad tastes and that I enjoy many things. I enjoy things, not because I’m supposed to or they’re popular (or unpopular), but simply because they entertain me. I’m all about relishing what entertains me, unapologetically. I don’t feel the need to hide fondness for romance, or to brag about it when I’m reading classics. Because while one might expand my knowledge and thinking, the other is something I like. I don’t need reasons to enjoy something, just like I don’t need to explain why, for me, mint chocolate chip will always win over vanilla.
If you see me sitting at the coffee shop, and I’m reading a book that you consider awful, think about this: yesterday, I may have been reading a classic or difficult book. And if I am reading that “difficult book” while I’m standing in line at the grocery store, don’t assume that says anything about me. I’m likely to also have something by Nora Roberts in my purse.
I read a lot, and I don’t judge other people for any reading habits, other than when they say, “I like to read, but I don’t have time for it.” If you don’t like to read and don’t do it, that’s cool. But if you claim you don’t have time, I call shenanigans. There’s always time for what you like.
Anyway, the point is that judging people based on their taste in entertainment is silly. And if you weren’t sneaking peeks at what I’m reading, maybe you’d have time to finish that book that’s been sitting on your bedside table for the last six months.
Not that I’m judging. 😉
Doree Weller 
I take the train to/from work every day and see what people do with their time. I notice who is reading paper books, who is reading on their kindle, and who is playing a game on their phone. We all have our own way to pass the time, it seems like these people like to use theirs judging others. Stop following them. Let them hate alone on their laptops.
Good point.
Very entertaining post!