In my culture I find that reading is a negative thing. And people call you a "reader". Negative connotation around reading a book is really just...stupid to me. I enjoy books. Even though I don't read as much as I would like. Have you ever noticed book shaming? What is your response to it?
I don't think it needs a term, and allow to explain Most people ( or at least the most valued ) are extroverts and by nature they tend to prefer being around people, making noise, and living it up as a result when it comes to things like 'reading' which is more of a quiet and secluded past time they have a harder time understanding the interest and tend to poke fun at those who do it. Plus you'll find most people who do that sorta thing are dumb jocks and party kinda people. Not exactly the brightest around.
I've never come across someone who looks at reading as a negative thing. I do know people who would never voluntarily pick up a book, but even then they would never look down on anyone for reading or make fun of them, unless in a joking way. The only comments I've ever gotten from people who've seen me reading have been positive. But then again my high school was super tiny and had the friendliest atmosphere.
I've never noticed it. People in my country barely read, but I don't think there's book shaming. Actually, you'll most likely be seen as intelligent. It's a good trait. There's a difference between liking to read books and only liking to read books though. I love reading, but I dislike those intellectuals that read way too much and lose touch with how real life works.
Amusingly enough, one of the reasons I have the library position I do, is because a large percentage of people either do not make the time for or do not like to read, at all. So hardly anybody was rushing to work at a public library... Their ignorance is my gain. But the worst thing that tends to happen is, people may scoff at you if you are reading or admit to liking to read. People perceive it as a waste of time, or... if you want to get deeper... they don't like stimulating their minds, just their impulses. Nobody is having book burnings or throwing you into a jail cell about it, nor will you have your house broken into and vandalized just because you read something above picture book-level! At the end of the day though, I kind of like that not a lot of folks around here read. I like seeing their faces when I casually drop words like "chicanery", "asinine", and "pompous", LOL.
Yup I've seen that before. It reminds me of high school (a looong time ago) where there was a part of the student populace that loudly expressed a disdain for doing homework, getting above passing grades, reasonable attendance etc... If you had really good grades it wasn't exactly fun.
Well, never been aware of book shaming (in the sense that the act of reading itself is to be shameful), but I will sort of smirk when an adult (over 25) is reading a "young adult" novel (cough, cough John Green :lol. ... says the guy who likes John Grisham books :lol:.
I've never been aware of this happening. However, I have noticed things similar to what AlamoCity mentioned: I've been excluded from a friendship group for not liking Harry Potter (then again, I was reinstated the next day). And people in my school get teased a bit for reading things like Diary Of A Wimpy Kid. But other than that, books don't have any negativity surrounding them where I am, and lots of students at my school can be seen reading at break times.
Any book shaming I've come across is usually in the form of a question like Why read when you can [activity that is totally not reading]? or Why don't you just watch the movie/TV show/documentary? or with backhanded comments like Must be nice to have time to read a book! I roll my eyes as respectfully as possible before I call them out on all the "luxury of time" activities they do that others might find just as boring or time-wasting as they find reading. Some get it, some don't. I'm not looking to convert anyone but I do like to point out their confirmation bias or just plain ol' obnoxiousness.
At first I thought this thread would be about shaming individual books! Darn... Anyway, sure. I grew up around many "thugs" who didn't see the point, or thought it was for "nerds", but didn't receive much flack from them, directly. Personally? A lot of people might be intimidated by it. I was surprised by how much some students struggled with it in school, since it was something I took for granted. You have a few who say, "I didn't read my first book until ___," and those stories bring it home for me. Oh well, now with the internet, anyone with a working connection will be forced to adapt!
I've heard people ask 'who reads anymore?', but that's really it. I have been asked why I'm so quiet and why I always have my head in a book, but I don't think anyone looks down on anyone who reads a lot here. 'Nerd' is actually seen as a positive term where I live, and everyone who is a 'nerd' is happy about it. I've never heard of someone being looked down on or shamed for reading.
Where I live only children/pre-teens shame others for reading. When you become a teenager, everyone starts to want to look smart and show how cultured they are, lol.
I've never really encountered this. I have generally been much more of a reader than most of the people around me, but it seems like most people seem a little embarrassed that they don't read. Part of that may be the fact that I am also quite outgoing so I guess I don't really come across as "bookish".
I love reading, and these days the only reaction I get to saying that is "That's great," or "I should read more, too," or just no reaction at all. Reading is awesome, and most adults either don't care, or respect it. When I was in middle school, I was bullied for being the weird, quiet, clever, bookish, short kid. The fact that I always had a book with me was only a small part of the equation.
I used to be the Hermione Granger of my elementary school, and was made fun of it. I mean, I prefer the company of people, but if I don't like those people, I'd rather escape to a magical world where I wake up one day and realize I'm the heir to the unicorn throne! It's much better than listening to the insipid and shallow conversations that most girls were having. And as Justine so eloquently stated, reading has an impact on one's knowledge; and it is quite amusing to see someone who is astounded by your superior diction.
My dad got made fun of a lot when he would read books as a kid. And maybe some people used to make fun of me in middle school for reading while everyone else was socializing. But other than that I have not really been aware of a prevalent anti-reading culture. There are just some kids at early ages that make fun of others for being "nerds" or whatever but that died out as soon as I hit 15 years old. Even if lots of people don't read, they don't look down on books or readers. Education and literacy are typically things we humans respect, if not revere.
It is interesting that a lot of you have seen people who get made fun of for reading, but when the 1st generation amazon kindle came out it was back ordered for 4 months because of demand.
hey watch it LOL. i enjoy young adult books too. i've actually overheard someone criticizing a person for reading saying ' i don't have time to waste on reading ' i was sitting behind her on the bus. after she said that she snapped a selfie an up loaded it to fb. what ever
