Tuesday, May 28, 2013

On why I don't tell people I like to read/write

Me: I loooove reading and writing.
Random teenager: Oh, so you pretty much like to do school stuff.

>.<

I think when an adult claims he or she wants to be a writer, people typically respond like it's a cute idea. Like it's not a legitimate dream. Like somewhere the wannabe-writer's parents went wrong and that person received improper guidance as a child.

When a teenager claims he or she wants to be a writer, other teenagers typically respond like a) they think when someone say "write" it means essays analyzing various rhetorical devices and detailing the use of symbolism or b) "Oh yeah, that's cool. Maybe I'll write a book someday."

To be fair, option B probably applies heavily to both adults and teenagers.

But yeah. This is why a lot of people don't know that I like to read or write. Others rarely understand what it really means to me and I don't feel like I need to explain myself to anybody or justify the appeal of reading and writing.

Please note that this is a simple opinion and definitely a generalization. I used the word "typically" to indicate that these responses do not happen every time. I do not think all people who do not want to be a writer are incapable of grasping the concept.

And just for funzies I leave you with this:

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