An Apology

>> Tuesday, May 25, 2010

I’m in the middle of a reading cleanse to try and figure out my own passions and what I really want to read. Its weird. Although after Finnegan’s Wake, Mina Loy and Stein it was the only way to regain reading sanity. So with my reading cleanse, I have a heartfelt apology to anyone I ever slammed for reading something I deemed too juvenile. I had no right to and while at the time I was formulating large arguments against light reading based on what my classmates and Professors were talking about. Anyway, let me try to make it up to you and talk a little about why any reading is good.

Despite my various slams on Twilight and the large dismissal of one of my favorite bands selling out I have this to say to them. Good for them. Expanding the imagination of what is categorized as a certain entity and doing it successfully enough that the whole world buys into it. Well despite my large defense mechanism on not messing with folklore and myth, if that’s what makes it successful then kudos to the creator. And to Muse, well exploring their sound and style based upon books despite largely not loving the music is gutsy and successfully gathering a new audience, well good for them.

My Twilight anger was because I couldn’t read it super closely and have all these awesome connections pour out, but that’s because I was reading it wrong. Having been spoiled with J. K. Rowling’s genius (all the spells were in the right Latin mood, tense conjugation and declensions, hero’s cycle implemented,) I thought that despite calling something adolescent or young adult, that didn’t mean that it wasn’t incredibly deep. So I expected a lot from Twilight. I read the first 3 books and had a theory formulated, could Meier be pulling off a Hugo? Why all these references to the Moon and the Sun? Red and Blue, Stone and Fire? And my expectations for the fourth book were built and consequently dropped on its head. My time and theories spoiled I was of course hurt by the books, much like being stabbed in the back. My precious time that I whined I did not have enough on had been partially spent on something that would not reward me for added research and queries.

So my bitterness at being so incredibly wrong made me resent all things attached to the book series. All a long there had been refutes that I was expecting far too much, and I was. I’m sorry to anyone that felt I was slamming their interests by going into a literary snob rant, I’m sorry. Really, I’m just glad people are reading. It does so much for you to be able to connect with literature and enriches your life. So kudos to readers of all genre styles and here’s to tearing down these literary snob walls I’ve learned so well to defend.

Hi my name is Angie Meeks and I am a recovering literary snob. Its been several days since I have attacked someone for their reading selections and I hope I can mend any relationship that I maimed by lambasting anyone’s leisure reading choices. Please forgive me.

A

4 comments:

Captain Knightfall May 25, 2010 at 11:27 AM  

I had no idea you were so insane...

Rachel Steed May 25, 2010 at 12:29 PM  

You've encountered the age-old battle of the humanities: what is good, how do we recognize it, and who decides. The arts are, by their very nature, purely subjective, and since there's no "academy" around anymore to tell us what to like, we are all free to like what we want. "Good" art, "good" literature, "good" music, etc. is purely a matter of personal taste and preference, and I think reflects the diversity of humanity itself.

That's enough deep thinking for today. How are you? When can we play?

A May 25, 2010 at 1:14 PM  

Touche Rach, and while somethings may not be my cup of tea it still doesn't mean it isn't desirable and well appreciated by others, I'm just trying to humbly apologize to everyone I had previously stepped on their toes.

We can play whenever, we have lots to talk about, go shopping and crafting. We must play soon.

Katie Gruber May 25, 2010 at 3:18 PM  

Totally relating to the finding my own new reading passions now that I'm not assigned a bizillion academic articles to read. It's weird and hasn't sunk in for me yet.

I too had to apologize on my blog for my snobbery about Twilight after I voriciously read them one bored weekend. That and skinny jeans (which I used to not like at all). Oh well.

‘To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.’

— Henri Bergson

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