Can This Fad Be Over Now?
Jun. 28th, 2012 02:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mousapelliI'm having this sort of problem in RL, and it's because of 50 Shades of Grey.
The thing is that it's making the rounds at school, like among the adults, hitting enough people that i've been involved in multiple conversations about it. Aside from the minor discomfort it invokes because a majority of my friends are married and it inevitably ends up with me finding out details I could do without, the other issue is that most people at this point have me pegged more or less correctly.
they know I read all the time. They know I am into off-beat stuff/know way too much about the internet. some of them have been there long enough to recall me from high school and no doubt observed one/both of my not terribly subtle high school relationships. Some know I write, and a very select few know about the fanfiction, and I'm pretty sure have figured out the rating scale a lot of it exists on.
What I'm basically trying to say is that people either assume that I've read it, or tell me that I have to read it. I have exactly zero intention of reading it, because quality of the writing aside, I am for real not into BDSM, at all. Not even reading about it, not in fic or anything else, not even a little. I do read fic once in a while, for one reason or another, but all it ever does is solidify my understanding that it's just not for me.
Let me tell you, the only thing more awkward than telling a bunch of adult teacher friends that, no, you have not read their BDSM book, and mm, are definitely not going to, is being forced to admit that it's because you are sure internally based on life experience that BDSM is not your thing, even (or maybe especially) in textual form.
It's not ruining my life or job friendships or making me avoid the staff room or whatever, I'm just ready for everybody to be over this. And I'm afraid that my mother is going to ask me about it next because I'm sure it's going around her office too DDDDD:
The thing is that it's making the rounds at school, like among the adults, hitting enough people that i've been involved in multiple conversations about it. Aside from the minor discomfort it invokes because a majority of my friends are married and it inevitably ends up with me finding out details I could do without, the other issue is that most people at this point have me pegged more or less correctly.
they know I read all the time. They know I am into off-beat stuff/know way too much about the internet. some of them have been there long enough to recall me from high school and no doubt observed one/both of my not terribly subtle high school relationships. Some know I write, and a very select few know about the fanfiction, and I'm pretty sure have figured out the rating scale a lot of it exists on.
What I'm basically trying to say is that people either assume that I've read it, or tell me that I have to read it. I have exactly zero intention of reading it, because quality of the writing aside, I am for real not into BDSM, at all. Not even reading about it, not in fic or anything else, not even a little. I do read fic once in a while, for one reason or another, but all it ever does is solidify my understanding that it's just not for me.
Let me tell you, the only thing more awkward than telling a bunch of adult teacher friends that, no, you have not read their BDSM book, and mm, are definitely not going to, is being forced to admit that it's because you are sure internally based on life experience that BDSM is not your thing, even (or maybe especially) in textual form.
It's not ruining my life or job friendships or making me avoid the staff room or whatever, I'm just ready for everybody to be over this. And I'm afraid that my mother is going to ask me about it next because I'm sure it's going around her office too DDDDD:
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no subject
Date: 2012-06-28 11:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-29 04:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-28 11:54 am (UTC)I get asked "Have you read it?" at least five times a day, though that is probably because I work in a bookstore and we have it on display just so people will stop asking if we have it, OBVIOUSLY WE DO (not that it stops them. People are shockingly unobservant). I usually respond with a deflating "I tried, but I really couldn't get past the first page," which usually shuts people up.
I did not actually finish the first page. The first page is like half a page long, and just... no.
Though it has provided some really hilarious overheard conversations.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-29 04:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-28 01:52 pm (UTC)So far I have not had to talk about 50 Shades much (mostly because I am on my summer break from work) and I'm very happy about that. I don't want to explain to coworkers or acquaintances that no, I haven't read it, but no, I'm not against erotica/explicit fiction, just not interested in that book in particular, or that sub-genre. And then make people wonder/ask what kinds of erotica I do like? Not a workplace conversation, imo. I also find it kind of strange that so much media coverage of 50 Shades depicts it as kind of generic erotic fiction, as if all women will enjoy a poorly written BDSM story, when in reality people's tastes for reading smut are usually quite varied.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-29 04:23 am (UTC)Right? ugh, exactly.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-28 02:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-29 04:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-28 09:52 pm (UTC)If an editor had gotten even CLOSE to it, it would have been cut down to one book because there is so much repetition in the text it isn't funny. She doesn't do her research and it follows the same tropes as Twilight about stalking, controlling men; the best friend not taking no for an answer and forcing himself on the main female but it's okay when the 'romantic interest' (and I use that term very lightly) does the exact same thing and so on.
This book was only picked up because she already had the fan base for it and the publisher saw the dollar signs.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-29 04:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-29 11:20 pm (UTC)UGH
no subject
Date: 2012-06-30 12:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-07-01 09:08 am (UTC)My mum visited last night, and you have no idea how glad I was that she hasn't heard of it yet. I was just WAITING for the conversation to come up.