My Thoughts on Bookstagram
I love bookstagram, but despite that, it isn’t perfect.I’ve been on bookstagram for almost three years. In those three years, I’ve seen trends come and go, books come and go, and an endless amount of aesthetic pictures. All of those are fantastic, but there can be negative sides.
To begin, there can be some toxicity. In general, the community is quite supportive, however, there is a side of the community that can be negative. Sometimes, if someone claims they didn’t like a “popular/trending book” at the time, then some people may come for them, in varying intensities. It’s one thing if you make a playful joke about it, but it’s rude and disrespectful to attack someone for their valid opinion. Not everyone will have the same taste, in the end, but you’ll just have to accept that.
Another topic is the glorification of abuse. There are many books that do that, but are categorized as “dark romance”. I haven’t read any books in that genre and don’t plan on doing so. I feel like there’s a thin line between reading and enjoying that genre, and romanticizing the actions. You can read a book, understand the issues, but overall still enjoy it. However, it’s different if you glorify the dark and abusive themes going on in them.
While I do enjoy a good aesthetic picture, sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. When I first started my account, I wanted my account to look perfect. Of course, that isn’t realistic. It’s a lot of work, and for a teen who has school and extracircaculars, it can be stressful. But, it’s different for each person. Some may just like their account pretty, but I understand (and want as well). It also depends on your amount of time you have to put into your account.
It’s also popular to buy loads of books at once, but that isn’t sustainable. I have one bookshelf full of books. Not five. Buying dozens of books, reading it once, then having it sit on your shelf may not be the best option. Sometimes too much is too much. I rarely buy books, and when I do, it’s one or two. When I know I won’t read a book again, or don’t like it, I donate it to my used bookstore. It isn’t common to spend two dollars at Barnes and Noble for fifteen books. I do love a good shopping spree, but all the time isn’t the best economic or sustainable choice. Check out some books from the library. I like to use the library app on my phone, then download them.
That’s it for this post. These are all just my opinions on some of the less-than great parts of the community, despite my love of it. Thank you for reading!
