I Read Genre, Hear Me Roar…

In the relatively early days of the blog, I mentioned the culture shock I encountered from time to time when I went from my weird mix of boho and working class autodidact into grad school. In particular, I noticed the odd mixture of puzzlement and patronization I encountered because of my tastes in music (loud and fast) and reading (sf, fantasy, crime). Of course, given my usual lack of both protective coloration and a filter, I’ve kept right on doing those things, and I’ve managed pretty well, all things considered. Still, I’ll cop to occasionally feeling as though I have to defend my fascination with garage rock or pulp crime fiction. There’s a part of me that knows it’s just ego getting in the way, but I think — I hope — it’s just human nature

All the same, I have to admit to a certain frisson of satisfaction when I read things like this blog post by Brenna Clarke Gray at Book Riot. For example:

You should not apologize for what you like to read. The person you are apologizing to can only fit into one of three categories:

1. He or she shares your joy.
2. He or she doesn’t give a good goddamn.
3. He or she thinks less of you for what you read in which case don’t apologize to that person because he or she is clearly a douchebag who doesn’t deserve your obeisance.

Number 1 requires no apology. Number 2 requires no apology. Number 3 neither requires nor deserves! an apology.

As I said, ultimately I’ve muddled through pretty well — indeed, my pleasure in the “teen movie” Better Off Dead helped me connect with one of my terrific profs when I was doing my Ph.D. So pop culture giveth and pop culture taketh away. All the same, I’m glad to see folks like Prof. Gray steeping up to the plate. Nice work, ma’am.