Ever get that feeling when someone asks you about a certain preference of yours–say, what books you read–and you find yourself feeling embarrassed about your answer? So much that you could barely look that person in the eye as you blush and say Twilight or Fifty Shades or whatever it is that floats your boat but you secretly feel is too plebeian or baduy to be announced to the whole world? That happen to you too?
Oh, the shame!
That has happened to me, and not just once either. But now that I really think about it, why should I be ashamed of my choices and preferences? What does it matter if what I read is not high literature or that what I listen to is mainstream music? Why must I always pretend aspire to like or understand the elitist “high” culture? Why should masa or mainstream culture be looked down upon? What is wrong with liking simple common things? Most importantly, why care about what people would say?
So yes, I have read the infamous Fifty Shades series. And yes, I liked it, sex and all. But no, I do not consider myself a pervert because of that. If you could get past all the kinky fuckery, you might actually see the underlying fairy tale story in there, wherein the princess is not some helpless (although quite besotted) damsel and the prince a perfectly imperfect beast. It was for me a light, entertaining read. Nothing to lose sleep over, but nothing to needlessly bash either. 😉
Before the movie Edward Cullen became a sparkly object of ridicule to some, I have read and loved the Twilight saga. The movie series is another matter altogether. Suffice it to say I anticipated the release of the movie adaptation, watched the first one and never bother with the next til the last. 😛 But, the books are really good. They have a depth that failed to translate into the movie. Which is a crying shame, really. Reminds me, I even got a collectible set of journals in an über-adorable tin can:
I gave a journal each to my two best friends and kept the other two with the cute tin can for myself. 😉
For the record, before vampires even became that popular (Twilight’s fault mostly) I was already a fan of these emo blood-sucking fiends. To this day, I would still pick Lestat de Lioncourt over Edward Cullen any time. 😀
Those are just a couple of examples of things I like which are generally looked down upon their noses with contempt by high culture snobs gurus. I don’t blame them, as we are all entitled to our own opinions. But I am not shying away from those contemptuous gazes either. Just standing my ground is all. After all, an opinion matters only if one truly believes in it. Otherwise it is just an empty thought.
The bottomline is our choices are ours and we must own it. We all have our own decisions, and as long as you believe in your own sound (or not :P) mind that you made them in good faith, there is no reason to feel ashamed. There is no right or wrong opinion. Same as there is no right or wrong decision. It only depends on which side of the line you stand, if you make a stand.
We all have our preferences and fuck what others have to say.
I dislike 50 shades of Grey not because it’s jologs, but because Christian Grey is such an asshole.
And about Twilight, I actually enjoyed the books. I felt like a teen when I was reading it. But I still hate Bella Swan. :-p
I like book Bella; Kristen Stewart’s Bella is another thing. Granted, she looks the part, but it all stops there. 😐 Oh well.
I have read twilight and I also found it enjoyable to read. Stephenie Meyer is such a good storyteller. Nakakakilig talaga si Bella and Edward. Lalo na yung first one. I would read them again anytime!
Yeah, she is a good storyteller. I really love how Breaking Dawn tied up all the loose ends in the first three books. 😀
I love this! Your right. To each his own. Own up to your choices,whether people approve or not.
I love Lestat too,so much more than Edward. 🙂
Not caring about approval is scary but liberating, right? Nice to know I’m not the only one who still remembers Lestat. 😀
“After all, an opinion matters only if one truly believes in it. Otherwise it is just an empty thought.”
i like this line sis 🙂
I did not became one of twilight’s avid fan. but i like jacob. i’m biased since i really love lyccans/werewolf characters most of the time. But if we would count “interview with the vampire”, that is another story lol
Thanks sis! Sometimes coherent thoughts like that spill out when I don’t think too hard. I should do that more often, I guess. 😛
So you’re a fan of Anne Rice too? 🙂
True, sis. I used to be shy of my preferences way back in elementary. Lakas mam bully ng mga mean, rich girls eh. At ng iba. Pero as I age, I learned how to speak my mind and express what I truly feel. Liberating siya. 😉 And now, I don’t effing care about what others think of me. or of my choices. 🙂
Apir sis! 😀
To each his own. 🙂 I love Christian Grey and The Cullens too. 🙂 Never be ashamed of your reading choices, because I think in this day and age, not a lot of people explore this hobby anymore and being a wide-reader you understand more than what others can.
Yeah, it’s not like I only read those books and nothing else just to jump on the bandwagon. 😛 I have been reading so long that my eyesight has suffered. 🙁
I used to feel somewhat needing approval back then when ask about my preferences, so my answers were safe because after all I was seeking validation. Fast forward to the present, I’m glad I’ve gotten over my dirty habit. I’m proud about the things that catches my fancy, and I don’t try to pretend on feigning interest in things in which I really don’t have real interest in.
I have read all Twilight books and watched all the movies, and I’m not the least bit ashamed. 🙂
Yay for us! 😀 These days I am not ashamed to admit that most of the music I love and usually listen too as from the 90’s. The glorious era of grunge, alternative, and everything good about music. 😀
I’ve read the entire Twighlight Saga including the unpublished-supposed-to-be 5th installment (Midnight Sun?!) but didn’t bought a single book, Hehe.
Same here sis! I just borrowed the books from various friends too. 😀 But I did not read Midnight Sun. How about the kinda spin-off story, The Short Second Life of Bree Turner? Did you read that as well? 🙂
I read it online from the not-so-legit-site… and midnight sun is just a draft that leaked from nowhere. Hehe.
After twightlight saga, the next book that landed my hands were What to expect when your expecting and some breastfeeding books. I haven’t catched up since.
Yeah, I read somewhere that Stephenie Meyer was quite upset that somebody close to her leaked Midnight Sun. Tsk. Oh well.