Reading Should Not Be Political
Every time I look for book suggestions I end up staring at the wall.
Talking about literature is exciting, and it is a topic I am genuinely interested in. This is one of the main reasons I have created this blog; to share titles I think are worth reading, some details about cool authors who might not be spoken of that often, or anything else that could seem relevant at the moment.
Of course, I also like being on the other side—listening to what others have to share—, which is why I frequently find myself "navigating" online, in the pursuit of discovering fellow readers from whom I could learn things and gather new book suggestions. I admit, though, that except for a very few ones that I have found through time and I still pay attention to, I find it a bit difficult sticking to more of them.
This could be explained through the fact that I have noticed some patterns in the way information is being communicated, which makes it quite hard, or impossible, for me to tolerate without feeling that something is off. Even if some of these patterns (e.g. clickbait headlines) could be justified by the way the algorithm works, I still cannot agree with language being manipulated and certain narratives being "sold", particularly if it is just to seek social approval or to highlight a political point (typically embraced without second thoughts.)
One common feature that I have often encountered while browsing for reading topics is that of activism, which contains the aspect of forced inclusivity, as well as its opposite; multiculturalism, women authors, or black writers, for example, seem to be a required criterion in someone's reading list, in order for him to be considered a moral reader and avoid receiving irrational remarks that could suggest the opposite. On the other hand, though, there are authors and pieces of work that are currently considered unfavorable due to certain sociopolitical ideologies, and one should apparently justify himself, if he happens to be reading them.
Whatever one chooses to read is OK and should be OK. At the same time, one has the right to reject a book if he thinks is poor, without him being obliged to appreciate it merely for the sake of tokenism. Reading is not inherently political, although it has the option to be so, just like the decisions one makes in life. When some optional standards become mandatory for the purpose of someone to fit in, in order to avoid being "canceled", rejected, and being accused of disrespect, it is a sign that there is an issue going on, both with the part that acts as such and with the part who creates and reinforces this very limited space.
Every time I come across this kind of language and attitude—keywords that make speech sound monotonous, identical, or even imposing—, I get the impression that reading has become another means by which one has to advocate social issues, thus demonstrating that he conforms to an expected mold. And when this is the case, it shows, it screams, because a great portion of this behavior is just adopted—a sheeplike submissiveness to whatever is now considered mainstream, while omitting to evaluate the possible negative effects.
Reading only, is not enough anymore; having a passion for something, without politics being involved, seems impossible nowadays. Not to mention that whatever liking, hobby, interest, belief or idea requires a label and becomes automatically part of one's identity—a costume to dress and present oneself within society.
The risk of using language in ways that attempt to transmit what is socially accepted or not—according to some very subjective criteria—, as well as behaving in ways that spread unnatural division between people, lies in the truth that the human brain evidently absorbs information, be it consciously or unconsciously, and has the capacity to adopt certain attitudes through mimicking. Therefore, both the initiator and the responder share responsibility and should be aware of it; for instance, there is a reason in the past not everybody was suited for teaching, educating, or preaching. There is also a reason the role of parents is considered highly important, since their children's education is partially in their hands, exactly because they need to transmit information to them and be careful with how they do so.
In this day and age, since we have all been given the opportunity through extremely easy access to state opinions, share facts, or just rumble on social media and online platforms, where others might pay attention to what we have to say, the value and sense of responsibility have intensely decreased. Although this allows the existence of alternative sources of information (e.g. news), at the same time, it creates room for people to be misled and lost due to inaccuracy and overwhelmingness. Hence, the use of critical thinking when some sort of information is being provided is essential. However, the power of language is indeed strong and people can be easily influenced, especially when receiving information in a fast-paced cadence or if the information contains at least a tiny bit of truth, no matter how false the rest could be.
There is much to be said on these topics and I would not wish to deviate from my primary point, which is that any reading preference is alright, in the end. There is no wrong or right when reading, regardless of the controversial ideas that are being tried to be imposed on us. I should be able to read whatever I choose without others feeling personally offended by these book choices. For better or for worse, the world does not revolve around every single individual who chases attention, goes through an identity crisis, or has been deeply brainwashed.
I should also be able to like or dislike a book only because of its value as a work, and not according to whether its author belongs to a minority group. In any case, that would not be fair towards the capacities of the writer, right? I suppose not many people would wish for their creations to be appreciated only because of their skin color, their nationality, or other, which has nothing to do with the work itself, and which, by the way, could be totally considered as another type of discrimination, only vice versa.
Happy reading!
Note: No AI was used to write this post.