I read quite a bit, about 1-2 hours per day during the week, and then about 6 hours each weekend. I read pretty much exclusively nonfiction. Occasionally, if I read a book I really enjoyed and thought was a great book, I'll post a photo of it on my facebook with some short caption about it basically just sharing my thoughts on it and how I enjoyed it. This seems to me like me just sharing a part of my life (kind of the whole point of facebook), but I've been told by several people now that it comes off as arrogant and pretentious which is not my intention. I don't think these people read much at all though...
What are your thoughts? Should I stop? Some people have commented and thanked me for sharing as my words sparked their interest. I'm not sure which group is larger...
I sometimes post photos of books I really liked on my facebook. I've been told this is off-putting to some people. ?
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Either way, if you care that much, you're probably in too deep with regards to emotional investment in Facebook. If you want to keep doing it, fine. I do see how it could very easily come across as very pretentious, and you do seem like a person who would tend to come across as boastful without intending to.
For instance, someone might readily interpret this very post of yours as a not-so-subtle brag about your own reading habits and perceived intellectualism. -
Tell people who post pictures of Trump hats, NRA posts, guns and pickup trucks that you find their posts offputting and pretentious.
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Post your workouts instead. Use LOTS of hastags.
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You can't judge a book by its cover. Why would a photo help?
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Keep posting.
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Yeah useful stuff like a book recommendation seems stupid. I'd rather see more #medalmonday #finisher #5k #gallowalk #fitbutfat posts on Facebook.
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Treat every run like a crossfit workout.
Hashtag everything wrote:
Yeah useful stuff like a book recommendation seems stupid. I'd rather see more #medalmonday #finisher #5k #gallowalk #fitbutfat posts on Facebook. -
You might enjoy goodreads, or another site where you can share your love of reading with others who have a similar interest.
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Don't let anyone tell you that you're not special.
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Yeah, I would stop doing that. Your Facebook page is akin to Chinese water torture with all those posts. If people are actually calling you out on it, there are many more that will silently be thinking the same thing.
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Absolutely you should post. Perhaps people who don't read are made to feel uncomfortable for some reason, but I like to see what other people are reading; I've discovered many of my favorite books through other people's recommendations. I don't read quite as much as you, but I'm not far behind (also mostly non-fiction, but I love when I stumble onto a good fiction book that I can't put down).
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I agree with Hobbsi. Your style of writing is pretentious, and there are absolutely ways of sharing what you read without rubbing it in people's faces. If you can, I'd sit somewhere quiet and really examine why you're putting these things on facebook. Is there a bit of you deep down that does want people to know how much you read for other motives than just sharing?
Take what you wrote here -
Not Pretentious wrote:
I read quite a bit, about 1-2 hours per day during the week, and then about 6 hours each weekend. I read pretty much exclusively nonfiction. Occasionally, if I read a book I really enjoyed and thought was a great book, I'll post a photo of it on my facebook with some short caption about it basically just sharing my thoughts on it and how I enjoyed it. This seems to me like me just sharing a part of my life (kind of the whole point of facebook), but I've been told by several people now that it comes off as arrogant and pretentious which is not my intention. I don't think these people read much at all though...
What are your thoughts? Should I stop? Some people have commented and thanked me for sharing as my words sparked their interest. I'm not sure which group is larger...
Your first two sentences are completely unnecessary to the question, and you lead with them, which gives them additional emphasis. Saying how much you read is annoying.
What if you said -
"One of my favorite hobbies is reading. A while ago I started posting on fb a photo and little description of books that I thought were especially good as a way of sharing. But some of my friends have started calling these posts pretentious. What do you think? I can't tell if I'm being pretentious or they're being sensitive."
But my guess is if you wrote like that you wouldn't have people calling you out in the first place. -
This is clearly a microaggression. Those of a less privileged background will feel victimized by your lofty musings. Take a chill pill and reflect on how you can make a positive contribution to society, mainly by shutting the **** up.
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Have you considered posting some time-lapse videos of you actually reading the book instead of just photos of the cover? That seems like the logical rebuttal to their comments.
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Who told you it was off putting?
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The fact that some people think that reading is pretentious is more a reflection on them than on you.
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Winning Social Media wrote:
Post your workouts instead. Use LOTS of hastags.
Treat reading sessions as workouts. Post results. Yes, use lots of hashtags.
For example:
90 minute reading sesh with Chaucer tonight. I think I felt my brain wrinkle. #howmuchistoomuch#whathappenswhenifinishalltheclassics#gettingmyreadingbod#chasingcanterburytail -
Barry Bandwidth wrote:
You might enjoy goodreads, or another site where you can share your love of reading with others who have a similar interest.
+1 -
Lower Class Judgement wrote:
The fact that some people think that reading is pretentious is more a reflection on them than on you.
There is no evidence that anyone said to him that his posts are off-putting. I think he is lying.
