I give them my best non-reaction and remind myself that I have a degree in English Language and Literature. Quite apart from reading Harry Potter, I collect various series of twentieth century children's literature, and I can't see that it's in any way, shape or form a demeaning activity. It is, in fact, exactly like the people who don't get that you can be an adult and enjoy reading comics. Or enjoy watching science fiction on television. (Apparently it's somehow okay to go and watch it at the cinema, provided you don't obsess about it afterwards.)
There were examples of both types of that snobbery while I was queueing on Friday night. There was one Kiwi guy in the queue behind me, who clearly had no intention of reading the book, and was being rather funny about it to his friends. He was queueing to buy it for someone else, and as far as I can see was there more for the experience of the ritual than anything else. His snobbery took the form of declaring that it wasn't a patch on fantasy series X. Then there were the stragglers coming and going from the various pubs and clubs in the town centre, who just happened to walk along past the queue, had it occur to them what it was, and felt the need to disassociate by making a sarky comment. So unnecessary.
"Not my thing" or "I don't care for the writing style" or "The story doesn't interest me" are fair comment, I think. But "You're a brain dead moron for reading a kiddies book" shows up nobody's ignorance but their own.
There were examples of both types of that snobbery while I was queueing on Friday night. There was one Kiwi guy in the queue behind me, who clearly had no intention of reading the book, and was being rather funny about it to his friends. He was queueing to buy it for someone else, and as far as I can see was there more for the experience of the ritual than anything else. His snobbery took the form of declaring that it wasn't a patch on fantasy series X. Then there were the stragglers coming and going from the various pubs and clubs in the town centre, who just happened to walk along past the queue, had it occur to them what it was, and felt the need to disassociate by making a sarky comment. So unnecessary.
"Not my thing" or "I don't care for the writing style" or "The story doesn't interest me" are fair comment, I think. But "You're a brain dead moron for reading a kiddies book" shows up nobody's ignorance but their own.
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