who /selfconcious/ about reading big books in public? At first I didnt really pay any mind, but after like two years of commute to work and back home, I've gotten several comments and questions about what I'm reading and the size.
I dont know why people are so intrusive, and why it bothers them, but every now and then if i'm carrying an obesse 800 pager or more I gotta deal with some shitty condescending remark or incredulous glare. I had several people come up to me while I was reading Underworld, two of them thought it was some sort of Stephen King-esque horror thriller and when they ask what the fuck am I supposed to explain? should I be a shit about it and tell them to mind their own business? because fuck if I'm gonna explain what Against the Day or Executioner's Song is about, they'll call the damn cops on me. This shit even happens when I remove the cover.
Eli Torres
Tell them it's a book about death and flash 'em the crazy eyes and they'll leave you be
Nicholas James
just make sure what you're reading appears so disgusting that no one will bother to approach you
Lucas Thompson
an e reader is not an option
Nicholas Barnes
at least you're not a girl, op
Cooper Rivera
would you approach a girl if she is reading one of your favorites books?
Jackson Moore
I'm not self conscious, I just find it hard to focus while reading in public. Besides, people look at me funny when I stroke my dick while reading Infinite Jest.
Isaac Nguyen
Get a generic Bible sleeve to put over everything
Nicholas Davis
Whoa, are you implying America has an anti-intellectual problem? Could of fooled me.
Jeremiah Rogers
oh shut your trap, you unpatriotic nerd.
Jose Clark
Jesus christ read what you want you pussy. And don't scorn people who are lonely and just striking up conversation.
Jayden Hernandez
They give me lots of comments too about the size :^D
Benjamin Bennett
There's a time and a place for lonely souls to meet new people, public transit during rush hour is not one of them.
Thomas Lewis
>anti-intellectual >could of
W E W
Blake Diaz
Of course not.
David Long
Kinda makes your noggin puzzle
Dylan Watson
It's some kind of an intellectual compensation thing. You are reading, they are not, thus they feel guilty af. I guess that the vast majority of the people that casually ask you about your book are trying to show (to you and to themselves) some "interest". Interest, which in their mind should make them feel better ("at least I asked" or something like that I think it's important to remember that people are led to think that about books the bigger is the better. Keeping that in mind, if you read big books filthy casuals will be very surprised (and very pleased about themselves when they ask you what is it all about etc)
Jason Murphy
>Hey watcha readin' user! >U-uh...you probably haven't heard of it-- not in a bad way! It's just really niche. Like no one has heard of it. Uh. I mean it's about egoism. Uh. Not that kind of egoism! It just has the exact same name even though it's completely...look...uh, it's just some book. Yeah. It's embarrassing.
Jayden Parker
I simply cannot comprehend people like these. I swear to god.
Just fucking answer the question. >What are you reading? >Oh, it's called X by Y >Interesting, what's about? >It's about Z >Cool, peace. >Cheers!
Sebastian Perry
>doesn't say "it's a ghost story"
David Nelson
>doesn't say its a love story
Carson Campbell
Have you taken your medicine today op? If you go out in public without them people might know you're disabled, ok sweetie. Have a nice day at school, enjoy that book I gave you, I always loved harry potter as a kid too.
Isaac Cooper
Fuck OP, could you possibly be more beta?
Matthew Murphy
I read in public all the time, never once got any questions about it. It helps that the culture here values privacy alot, people will keep to themselves unless you invite them in some way.
And it helps that my resting face is kind of non-approachable.
Jason Long
>Hey user, what are you reading? >Phenomenology of Spirit >What's it about? Uhhhhhhhhh
Lucas Rivera
>the phenomenology of spirit, that's why it's the title
Samuel Taylor
You should always read books with offensive or controversial titles in public like Lolita or Confessions of an English Opium Eater. Make sure to hold the book up so people can get a good look at it.
Joshua Bennett
>historical fiction >true crime
Is saying this really that hard?
Kayden Lee
>tfw been reading Naked Lunch in public hoping for someone to get triggered but no results
Brody Kelly
Just say metaphysics or philosophy, it's obviously an inadequate answer but most people will understand.
Henry Foster
Where do you live?
Jose Morgan
>Approach a girl
Where do you think you're asking this?
Caleb Robinson
>What are you reading? >American Pyscho >What's it about? >Uhh... 80s culture.
Sebastian Jenkins
Just read user. At the end of the day what happens doesnt really matter. Theyll probably forget about you and approaching you in an hour anyway.
Ive had people ask what im reading but i just tell them the title and they leave me to my reading.
I think it's just best to tell them the premise or "it's hard to explain." In the end they probably dont give a shit.
Alexander Jackson
I'm self concious about reading in public in general. Unless it's at the book store or library.
Connor Parker
don't worry. stupid people just interpret everything as an insult to their ego, and that everything anybody does except watch TV or sit on their smartphones is done with the explicit purpose of trying to show off/be better than them.
>he's reading a big book >he thinks he's better than me because he's reading a big book >he's only reading that book to show me that he thinks he's better than me >what a dick
Colton Evans
I do that :^) Well to an extent
Aaron Parker
It's as easy as picking one core concept and dumbing it down >well you know if you get into an argument with someone about something and afterwords you work a few of their points into your position so you're more prepared the next time you talk about it? Well this is a philosopher who talks about how life is a series of these interactions where you come up against something and gain something new out of it.
Liam Sanders
God why are the people on here so fucking weird? I have bothered many girls and guys about what they're reading and had really wonderful conversations. Only one time some autist was reading an obscure African American author I had never heard of and he made fun of me and said "It's not Dan Brown.." or some shit, but the guy was practically a eunuch. I used to work in a bar and this very pretty girl was reading du Beauvoir and we started talking about her, soon she became a regular and eventually we slept together for a few weeks before she moved. I'm not saying you should constantly bug people on the metro or make a show of what you're reading, but the world isn't going to end if you engage strangers who have similar interests.
This seems like a hover-hands kind of crowd though.
Dylan Bailey
>I have bothered many girls and guys about what they're reading and had really wonderful conversations. Not an excuse. >but the world isn't going to end if you Well that's a relief because that's exactly what I thought would happen. >This seems like a hover-hands kind of crowd though. No, we're a don't take photo with me crowd.
This made me seem more bitter than I am. Have a memepic
Brody Lewis
when you get married, I'm the guy your wife is going to invite to her "wife time" parties with all her married friends, and I will pork them all at your consent so that she doesn't leave you and drag your kids through an ugly divorce
Ian Jackson
He being a beta cuckold doesn't make what you and his wife would be hypothetically doing any less wrong.
Anthony Wright
I've done it before, but I usually wait untill they're not reading. And even then I hesitate to do it because bothering people in public transit is terrible.
Jayden Scott
Get a n ereader, they're light and portable, and no one can tell what you're reading.
Hudson Walker
>Hey m8 bruh dude man whatcha reading?
>fuck off
Wew sure was hard
Eli Murphy
>when you get married kek >at your consent would be kek if not for above kek making it moot
Nolan Bell
I don't think I'll ever again be self conscious about what I read in public after going through "memoirs of an anti-semite."
Jose Kelly
>marriage
Joke's on you I can't even get a date
Angel Harris
when normies ask "what is it about?" they mean plot and story, not genre. I might as well be speaking gibberish to them.
Logan Cooper
>Hey dude what are you reading? >A book wew that sure was hard
Seriously though, are you really unable to think of a normal answer to this? It depends on the book obviously, and with some books it's harder, but you must be really socially crippled to find this situation hard
Gavin Ross
>Hegel tell them that everything is connected, art, literature, science, religion, maybe they will read it.
Andrew Rivera
the problem is not explaining. The problem is that they ask in the first place. I dont want to have to wear shades and headphones all the time while Im reading because apparently thats what it takes for people to leave you alone.
Grayson Gutierrez
No you aren't
Gabriel James
>The problem is that they ask in the first place why do you hate this?
Bentley Ramirez
nobody has ever talked to me while I read in public.
Mason Sullivan
Same. Doesn't matter how large the book I'm reading is. I was never even asked while reading on campus during university.
Juan Gomez
better yet >Hey dude what are you reading? >Words, words, words!
Adrian Walker
This.
If you can't describe the subject of what you're reading to a random person on the spot, then maybe you're not understanding it properly.
Remember that an intelligent person can explain complex topics to those not so knowledgeable.
Ian Flores
Truth.
Thomas Green
You sound more fragile then a fifteen year old tumbler feminist.