Read Whatever You Want and Don’t Let Anyone Shame You

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1823

Abstract

y taste in sci-fi for different reasons. Having strongly preferred the <i>Hitchhiker</i> series (and later finding out about Orson Scott Card’s nonsense), I then transitioned to the <i>Discworld</i> series by Terry Pratchett, which helped shape my views on many, many things.</p><p id="7528">Pratchett’s brand of lowbrow high fantasy concealed a strong message of social justice and equity, and it would form the basis of much of my drive to better the world. I have written about <a href="https://readmedium.com/militant-decency-the-art-of-channeling-anger-into-action-eae65076d25b">militant decency</a> and <a href="https://readmedium.com/now-is-the-time-to-channel-anger-into-action-a3e15af0fa8e">its applications in the real world</a>, and the fact that I haven’t written about the Vimes Boots Theory at this point is mildly shameful considering how much of an impact it had on me.</p><p id="8a11">The point I’m trying to make is that you can and should read whatever you want without worrying about how people will judge you. Want to read a Chuck Tingle novella unironically? Go for it. Feel like reading <i>Twilight </i>for the umpteenth time? Enjoy it, there are worse YA novels out there. Do you want to give <i>50 Shades of Gray</i> a shot? There are far, far better BDSM romance novels, but sure, go nuts.</p><p id="2323">People like what they like, and if you happen to like the Omegaverse, why let anyone judge you for it? Are you an Ayn Rand fan? Stay the hell away from me, but you’re welcome to enjoy her writing all you want. Don’t let anyone bash you for what you like.</p><p id="e14e">Also, don’t let people give you any crap for the format you use to consume your books. Like ebooks? Cool. Enjoy audiobooks? I do too. Don’t let the paper purists divert you from reading the latest <a href="https://www.ama

Options

zon.com/Necropolis-Case-Files-Undead-Book-ebook/dp/B07RH8NT8X/ref=sr_1_3?qid=1662393399&refinements=p_27%3AJames+Silverstein&s=books&sr=1-3">hard-boiled zombie detective novel</a> in ebook format that you’ve been wanting to check out.</p><p id="66b5">If you take nothing else from this, then take this: read what you want and like what you like.</p><p id="b4d4">Be well and read lots!</p><p id="8709">If you appreciate my work, <a href="https://matthewmaniaci.medium.com/membership">why not join Medium as a paying member</a>, which allows you access to unlimited stories (not just three free stories per month), using my referral link. You could also hit me up on <a href="https://ko-fi.com/matthewmaniaci">KoFi</a> if you’re feeling nice, or send a tip using the button below.</p><p id="0ef2">If you liked this, <a href="https://medium.com/thing-a-day">please subscribe to my publication, Thing a Day</a>. I publish something every day on a variety of topics, so you never know what you’re going to see! You can also <a href="https://www.facebook.com/maniaci.matthew/">follow me on Facebook</a>.</p><p id="92d6">Here’s a bit more about the popular media we consume:</p><div id="5324" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-media-we-consume-as-kids-shapes-us-as-adults-d03983ab691f"> <div> <div> <h2>The Media We Consume as Kids Shapes Us As Adults</h2> <div><h3>And the next generation is shaping up to be a good one.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*PwQ5vmA7eMCbMSpq)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Seriously, life is too short.

One of my favorite series of books is called The Parasol Protectorate. It is set in an alternate Victorian timeline where werewolves, vampires, and ghosts exist and steampunk technology abounds. It is part mystery, part supernatural thriller, part supernatural romance, very gay, and all-around awesome. There are a ton of books set in that universe, and I have enjoyed every single one I’ve read.

I am not about to let some random schmuck shame me for my taste in books. Have I read a lot of the “classics?” Yes, and a lot of them were boring or awful. For every Fahrenheit 451 or Animal Farm, both of which I enjoyed when I read them way back in the day, there were plenty of Catcher in the Rye and Walden-type books that I hated.

Seriously, both Thoreau and Holden Caulfield are wankers and I will die on that hill.

In addition to those and many more like them, I’ve read a lot of things that people would consider trash. I devoured just about every Star Wars Expanded Universe novel when I was in high school and college, and some of them were even well-written, but most aren’t exactly Hugo-worthy. I was just a big Star Wars nerd.

I also read the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Ender’s Game series, both of which shaped my taste in sci-fi for different reasons. Having strongly preferred the Hitchhiker series (and later finding out about Orson Scott Card’s nonsense), I then transitioned to the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, which helped shape my views on many, many things.

Pratchett’s brand of lowbrow high fantasy concealed a strong message of social justice and equity, and it would form the basis of much of my drive to better the world. I have written about militant decency and its applications in the real world, and the fact that I haven’t written about the Vimes Boots Theory at this point is mildly shameful considering how much of an impact it had on me.

The point I’m trying to make is that you can and should read whatever you want without worrying about how people will judge you. Want to read a Chuck Tingle novella unironically? Go for it. Feel like reading Twilight for the umpteenth time? Enjoy it, there are worse YA novels out there. Do you want to give 50 Shades of Gray a shot? There are far, far better BDSM romance novels, but sure, go nuts.

People like what they like, and if you happen to like the Omegaverse, why let anyone judge you for it? Are you an Ayn Rand fan? Stay the hell away from me, but you’re welcome to enjoy her writing all you want. Don’t let anyone bash you for what you like.

Also, don’t let people give you any crap for the format you use to consume your books. Like ebooks? Cool. Enjoy audiobooks? I do too. Don’t let the paper purists divert you from reading the latest hard-boiled zombie detective novel in ebook format that you’ve been wanting to check out.

If you take nothing else from this, then take this: read what you want and like what you like.

Be well and read lots!

If you appreciate my work, why not join Medium as a paying member, which allows you access to unlimited stories (not just three free stories per month), using my referral link. You could also hit me up on KoFi if you’re feeling nice, or send a tip using the button below.

If you liked this, please subscribe to my publication, Thing a Day. I publish something every day on a variety of topics, so you never know what you’re going to see! You can also follow me on Facebook.

Here’s a bit more about the popular media we consume: