Shitless Topic #2:
In my opinion, anyone who reads and loves it is a reader—whether it’s through audiobooks, e-books, physical copies, reading three books a year, or twenty.
When I was little I was exposed to books through my parents and teachers. I remember reading whatever non-boring (to me) content I could find, but my reading journey truly kicked off into a passion when I was in fourth grade and my teacher recommended me a book called eggs by Jerry Spinelli.
This book is about a young boy facing the loss of his mother, whose father was drowning his sorrows in excessive work—much like my one (and only) friend at the time—and a young girl whose father left her, and whose mother had greatly distanced herself from her own children, much like myself growing up. The two characters end up finding each other and helping one another cope with the everyday struggles of abandonment. My teacher showed me that there are stories etched on these pages that serve as small reflections of our own lives.
She later showed me more books, and soon I found myself lost in worlds in magic and war, with characters that go through exceptional trials and find their way in the end, these serve as a small escape from the stressors of every day life.
For readers, books aren’t just words on a page, they are pieces of us.
“I spent my life folded between the pages of books.
In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters. I lived love and loss through stories threaded in history; I experienced adolescence by association. My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thoughts and images all together. I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction.”~ Shatter Me, Taherah Mafi
Why is this my shitlist topic of the day?
To start, I fully believe that reading is not something that should be forced on people past a certain stage of development (anything past puberty). Studies clearly show that reading to children is very important, and adults still benefit from it as well. However, it seems like a waste of time—and a good book—if you have to trudge through every page.
Reading is an art, and authors are the artists. Pressuring someone who doesn’t understand intricate brushstrokes or color theory, and who can’t tell Van Gogh from Monet, to feel something while looking at a painting will not result in genuine emotion—it will lead to them coming up with whatever excuse they can to fulfill the obligatory ‘feelings’ you’ve placed on them.
Books are the same way. If you pressure someone—or even yourself—to read in order to feel a specific way, you’ll end up with someone who experiences the emotions they were pressured to feel, but not the genuine feelings the book is meant to convey.
As someone who surrounds herself with people who often call me nerdy for my reading habits, I can proudly say that the only way I encourage others to read is through my passion for it. I never push. If my partner/friend enjoys video games, I’ll read while they play. If my partner/friend likes fishing, I’ll read while they fish. I know I will never enjoy video games or fishing because they simply don’t capture my interest the way books do. So if they are fishers and gamers, why should I mold them into something they (probably) don’t want be, a reader?
So what makes a reader, a reader?
Well first let’s start with what makes you not a reader:
Non-Readers: In the most simplistic form, a non-reader is somebody that doesn’t find enjoyment in reading books. In my opinion, this is not a bad thing to be, many of my friends and family members have a hard time getting through a book, reading just isn’t for everybody.
Booktok Readers vs. Real Readers: During the COVID-19 pandemic, something amazing emerged: BookTok. Now, I am not dissing this side of TikTok because I thoroughly believe it helped non-readers discover their love for books and introduced active readers to a welcoming community. For the first time, I felt like I could be part of a group that made my reading experience feel cool instead of frowned upon.
However, BookTok also gave rise to what I call the ‘BookTok reader’.
BookTok Reader: (n.) A person who indulges in reading, but only because it’s a FAD, not because they truly enjoy it.
Having my hobby turned into a fad has been bittersweet. On one hand, it’s now a more socially acceptable hobby; on the other, I grow weary of people who read one series—usually a popular one—make it their whole personality, and then never pick up another book.
As in they read in order to (by societal standards) gain the title of a reader.
Conflict Readers vs. Real Readers: I also struggle with ‘readers’ that inevitably will build opinions on different books and characters, and bash everyone out who doesn’t have the same opinion.
Conflict Reader: (n.) A person who reads, but turns it into a source of conflict as opposed to a source of unity.
I believe that reading, along with sharing opinions and theories, is an important part of the book community. But when lines are crossed and reading becomes a source of tension, the community turns into a full-blown drama fest. This makes it less inviting, which defeats the purpose of having a community in the first place.
Everyone has different tastes—some people enjoy genres and books that others don’t—but that doesn’t make anyone a better or worse person. This category is full of avid readers, but in my opinion, if you turn reading into a tense or contentious topic, you aren’t a true reader.
Bookshelf Readers vs. Readers: Before you get all riled up, I’m not talking about TBR readers who end up buying ten books for every one they read.
TBR (To Be Read) Acronym: “To Be Read.” Refers to a collection or list of books that one intends to read in the future.
I’m talking about the kind of person who decides they want to be a ‘reader’ before they even begin their first series and ends up stocking up on books they will never read.
Bookshelf Readers: (n.) An individual who builds a collection of books with the false intention of ever reading them, resulting in unread books collecting dust for all eternity.
I don’t believe you have to read every book you own. Some books have been gifted to me that I simply couldn’t get into. Perhaps I’ve locked potential masterpieces away, never to see the light of day, but I also won’t force myself to read something I’m not passionate about. Every unread book I own was either gifted to me or purchased during my first attempt at exploring a genre in which I couldn’t find entrapment.
But not reading a book you own here and there is not the same as never reading a single book and owning the collection solely to display it.
Now those are groups of individuals that I consider false readers, so lets go back to the previous question:
What makes a reader, a reader?
A reader, in my definition, is someone who has the following (short list, I know):
- A passion for reading. I believe there is an important distinction between someone who reads books just to read and someone who reads because they truly love it. In my opinion, that love is what sets us apart from the rest of the world.
- An analytical mind for reading. The book community is a great concept, and it’s the people who debate books and share their opinions—rather than tearing others down for theirs—that truly make a reader. Debates are good, they are a manifestation of passion, but conflict? That’s formed from bandwagons and a desire of acceptance amongst a group.
So now that I have explained what makes a reader, what are some extra things to consider?
One-Genre Readers vs. Every Genre Readers: What makes a reader is not the genre(s) they read. Some people discover a love for a wide range of genres, delving into classics, self-help books, and simultaneously seeking adventure in thrillers and fantasy novels. Others find themselves drawn to specific genres.
A personal example: I have a friend I graduated with who reads anything from historical fiction to fantasy, while I will only finish a book if it’s fantasy, dystopian, or dark romance. And guess what? We are both readers.
No-Time Readers: Some people simply don’t have time to read, and that’s okay. Sometimes life gets in the way, whether it be because of work, school, or children, some people just can find the time to participate in what they love, let alone give the time and attention it takes to properly attend a novel. Which brings us to the next one:
Audiobook Readers: Like I said before, people get busy. But rather than considering audiobooks ‘not real books’ I consider them to a manifestation of the dedication one has to divulge in a novel that they otherwise would not be able to.
Other-Hobby Readers: Some people have other hobbies. This is acceptable. There are individuals that would rather play a sport, or play video games, or whatever other hobby they may have, than read. While some of us are consumed by our love for reading, and would rather do it above all else, that isn’t the case for everyone. As long as they love it when they do decide to open a book, then they qualify as a reader.
I firmly believe that reading is one of the best things out there—it’s a source of community, therapy, escapism, mental growth, and something to look forward to. So why ruin it with falsehood and tension? Why tarnish something so beautiful by turning it into a performance?
Things That Piss Me Off 
Leave a comment