Whenever someone says something like that, I always think of one of the most ubiquitous phrases in our house growing up: "Why not? Think you're too good?" Maybe I should start asking people that.
BWAHAHAA! Yes, please. I would love to see this occur. We should all start asking this. A movement of people furrowing their brow, eying snobs suspiciously, and asking, "Why not, you too good?" It would sweep the globe!
I didn't read that Joel Stein article, but I read about it, and honestly, yeah. It just sounds like snobbery. Why, really, shouldn't adults read YA? I mean, I'm reading Hunger Games right now, and it's better than plenty of books I've seen marketed to adults. And there's some stuff I've been thinking a bit about, but I'm not really well-enough informed to know if I'm full of it or not--but I was thinking about how it seemed like a lot of YA is targeted at girls, which means--cue the ominous music--well-developed female characters. Also, it means more female authors. What it *doesn't* mean, however, is a focus on fitting in with the exact gender-standard for women. It doesn't mean being figuring out how to be a perfect woman or finding a perfect man or other stuff that a lot of books that are marketed to adult women emphasize (or appear to emphasize--I think publishing houses and marketing machines tend to twist the content of so-called Chick Lit, making it seem like mindless, gendered fluff, when really it is just stories about women--stories that aren't necessarily fluffy, but they *appear* fluffy based on the marketing, but I digress).
Also, I've told you this before, I think, but this whole "I'm too good to watch TV/regular-people movies" thing is seriously the reason that I hate Johnny Depp's guts. I hate him. With a fiery, burning passion. Because how stupid is that? He's an ACTOR. This is his craft. You're telling me that you can get NOTHING from the Wire, Johnny Depp? Or Mad Men? Or any number of excellent shows that I can't think of? Because if you think those artistic efforts are worthless, then I don't really think much of your opinion. And if you've just randomly judged ALL TV and modern movies (because Depp says that he only watches classic, 1930s and 40s-era films) then what does that say about YOUR work? And about how involved you are in your artistic vision? It's irresponsible, I say! To act like it's cool to not care about the people you will be working with, to not know anything about your colleagues' other projects. It's especially irresponsible when you're as influential as Depp is. But whatever. /Johnny Depp Soapbox.
no subject
Whenever someone says something like that, I always think of one of the most ubiquitous phrases in our house growing up: "Why not? Think you're too good?" Maybe I should start asking people that.
BWAHAHAA! Yes, please. I would love to see this occur. We should all start asking this. A movement of people furrowing their brow, eying snobs suspiciously, and asking, "Why not, you too good?" It would sweep the globe!
I didn't read that Joel Stein article, but I read about it, and honestly, yeah. It just sounds like snobbery. Why, really, shouldn't adults read YA? I mean, I'm reading Hunger Games right now, and it's better than plenty of books I've seen marketed to adults. And there's some stuff I've been thinking a bit about, but I'm not really well-enough informed to know if I'm full of it or not--but I was thinking about how it seemed like a lot of YA is targeted at girls, which means--cue the ominous music--well-developed female characters. Also, it means more female authors. What it *doesn't* mean, however, is a focus on fitting in with the exact gender-standard for women. It doesn't mean being figuring out how to be a perfect woman or finding a perfect man or other stuff that a lot of books that are marketed to adult women emphasize (or appear to emphasize--I think publishing houses and marketing machines tend to twist the content of so-called Chick Lit, making it seem like mindless, gendered fluff, when really it is just stories about women--stories that aren't necessarily fluffy, but they *appear* fluffy based on the marketing, but I digress).
Also, I've told you this before, I think, but this whole "I'm too good to watch TV/regular-people movies" thing is seriously the reason that I hate Johnny Depp's guts. I hate him. With a fiery, burning passion. Because how stupid is that? He's an ACTOR. This is his craft. You're telling me that you can get NOTHING from the Wire, Johnny Depp? Or Mad Men? Or any number of excellent shows that I can't think of? Because if you think those artistic efforts are worthless, then I don't really think much of your opinion. And if you've just randomly judged ALL TV and modern movies (because Depp says that he only watches classic, 1930s and 40s-era films) then what does that say about YOUR work? And about how involved you are in your artistic vision? It's irresponsible, I say! To act like it's cool to not care about the people you will be working with, to not know anything about your colleagues' other projects. It's especially irresponsible when you're as influential as Depp is. But whatever. /Johnny Depp Soapbox.
In short, I love your rants.