I’ll go with the low-hanging fruit: Mein Kampf. I’ve read it, cover to cover. As a piece of propaganda, it’s good. As an example of good writing? Absolutely not (though I will admit I have only read it in translation). Oh, and the whole fascist, racist, and generally shitty worldview of the author that he infuses into the text. And the fact that the author is literally Hitler. You 5-star that book? You’re a Nazi. Period. And as a Jewish person, I don’t look too kindly on them.
After reading through some of the comments, the biggest turn off for me would be automatically discounting someone as a partner for liking a book you despise. I mean, sure, there are the obvious political red flags, but generalizing someone’s entire personality based on linking a piece of art that you don’t like speaks to a lack of nuance and capacity for empathy, and also a lack of curiosity.
I don’t like metal music, but my husband likes it. I try to understand why he likes it, and I have found a few bands that I can actually like over the years. He is the same with my indie music. So we have both grown as people. Imagine being so set in your tastes and preferences that you would not attempt to understand or extend yourself slightly for someone else?
Same. I didn’t realize this sub was so pretentious.
Agreed. The Venn diagram of mine and my husband’s reading tastes is basically two separate circles lol. But what I do value is that we both really like reading books and talking about them and enjoying them and we share the hobby in that way without having to actually read the same content. I like Twilight and he likes American Psycho and we are both fine.
Books are not music. Books present ideas and if you like a book, you got excited by the ideas it presented. If you are able to get unironically excited by Mein Kampf, The Secret or The Alchemist, that says a lot about the state of your mind, what you value, what journey you are on and/or what stage of your journey you have reached.
Not appreciating certain genres of music is usually just because you don’t understand them yet. I don’t like jazz but would never rule someone out for loving jazz the way I’d rule someone out for loving The Secret.
You don’t think music presents ideas??
“Southern trees bear strange fruit Blood on the leaves and blood at the root Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees”
“You that never done nothin’ But build to destroy You play with my world Like it’s your little toy You put a gun in my hand And you hide from my eyes And you turn and run farther When the fast bullets fly”
“I was on a heavy tip Try’na cross a canyon with a broken limb You were on the other side, like always Wondering what to do with life I’d already had a sip So I’d reasoned I was drunk enough to deal with it You were on the other side, like always You could never make your mind”
“This plot is bigger than me, it’s generational hatred It’s genocism, it’s grimy, little justification I’m African-American, I’m African I’m black as the heart of a fuckin’ Aryan”
No, I could not disagree more. There isn’t just one way to enjoy a book. You can enjoy the ideas or the voice of the narrator, or the narrative itself. Lots of ways. Same with music.
But yes, please go on limiting your life experiences by eliminating people from your life that don’t see art the same way you do.
couldn’t disagree more. a song is also a story, and also has a message, just like a book.
I agree with this. I work a lot and then come home to an 8 year old so my me-time is limited. I enjoy a wide variety of books, but I also like having a book like Colleen Hoover’s that’s easy to read, gives me a little drama in my drama free life, and has a little spice that makes it fun for a girl to fantasize about. Do I think it’s a groundbreaking piece of literature that will bring about lengthy plot discussions? Nah. Is it a little guilty pleasure that brings me a slice of happiness in this crazy world? Sure!
I would appreciate the fact that anyone reads anymore at all, regardless of their taste in books (unless it was political differences.)