Too Much To Dream

If people are reading, and more importantly, enjoying what they're reading, then what is the problem? This reminds me of all the LotR bashing that goes on by those literary high mind types.

The deeply sinister reason I read the Potter books? They're good reads. (See also: Den Beste's posts on the subject).

Gee, I pity Caz for daring to have an opinion not held by the majority. Isn't that what blogs like hers (and yours Andrea) are meant to be about?

Dan,

Everyone's got their own taste. I deride particular genres of movies, music, and so on, but don't generally deride those that go see them. If they want to take my criticisms personally, well that's their right.

Now, fans of Potter (of which I am not one, haven't read a Potter book or seen a Potter movie to date) have little choice but to take Caz's spittle personally. It is, after all, aimed right at them. Not only is Potter bad, you see, but those that disagree with that assessment and actually like Potter not only have diverging tastes, but are mindless sheep without taste.

After all, anyone who likes what Caz doesn't are obviously her lessers.

I recently talked with a mother who didn't like her son's newfound interest in Harry Potter because it involved witchcraft. I helpful pointed out that, uh, it was fiction, as in, ummm, made-up stuff that wasn't real.

I mean, seriously people. It's a freaking book. And if it has more kids interested in reading, then I think that's great.

If there's any herd mentality here, it's in the desire to be first in line when the doors open - and this phenomenon is hardly limited to Harry Potter.

Being first in line wasn't really what it was all about here in El Paso - and elsewhere, I'm guessing. What kid wouldn't give his right eye to be able to go to a store, play games, be on TV, stay up past midnight, and buy a cool book all at one time? Personally, I can't stay up past 10:00, but my husband took my son, and he had a ball. I also find it very cool that kids and their parents are willing to wait until 1:00 in the morning to buy a book, of all things.

I didn't even know who Harry Potter was till my wife bought the DVD, I thought it was cute, nicely done. But my interest is no greater than that. I've since discovered that she has and is reading the books. No doubt she'll introduce our kids to them as they get a bit older. That's fine.

That Caz is awfully mean spirited about it all. Hell I can remember the huge buzz around several things in the past, some involved things that I thought were silly, but I can't remember holding those that liked them in contempt. Caz must be a very small person inside to brand such harmless people as sheep, it might be interesting to know his likes, just so they can be made fun of.

I'd break a mans face for insulting my wife like that in person.

cough Star Wars cough.

wow, you just gotta love those people who are so "special" that they know good taste from bad taste 100% of the time, and they know what's good for everybody, and happily share their snarky opinions of other people's interests in the name of "educating" the masses...

reminds me of the poseurs I went to college with who quit listening to their favorite bands when said bands started making money because they were now "sell-outs". Or of the jerks who used to hang out in front of the coffeehouses and make running commentary on how badly the people around them dressed.

I've just come to the opinion that people who always need to put other people down do so because they have some kind of deep sense of insecurity. Or some kind of non-obvious anatomical deficiency. Kind of like guys who drive big, loud, yellow pickup trucks...

Well, big, loud, yellow pickup trucks don't make the anatomical deficiency as obvious as do Porsche Boxsters...

Funniest event in the history of Harry Potter is when a parody from The Onion regarding occult practices started circulating with attribution merely as "a newspaper article."

I'm of the opinion that anything that can get kids to read voluntarily, during summer vacation, not forced by the homework police is a damn good thing.

I'm with you, LeeAnn. Who else has been able to get kids to count the days until a BOOK comes out?

And it cannot just be sheeple type mentality, the new book is HUGE. Kids have short attention spans unless they are really, truly interested.

My son's had his nose in the new one for the last day or so--trying not to rush and have it end too quickly.

I love it. And if people don't like adults having FUN reading a light and delightful children's story: Fuck 'em.

You might notice that all the great kiddie lit works on an adult level too. Such is the case with Harry Potter.

Yes, Will. Even Steve den Beste wants to attend Hogworts.

I just want to hang out at the alley.

LeeAnn, I'm of the opinion that anyone who can encourage their kids to read, voluntarily, during summer holidays, is a good parent.
Reading for a few hours a week is as important as riding your bike or playing cricket in the park and other summer day fun things.
Sure, it's easier to give your kids unlimited Playstation time rather than do the hard yards and read to/with them, instilling a love of reading, but parenting's not meant to be easy is it?

Caz is probably equally wounded by those of us who watched American Idol. Mayhap I'll do it again next year, knowing that somewhere, somehow, Caz is in agony as a result.