Here's a picture of a cute Easter bunny.
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| NO WAIT THAT'S A HAMSTER WITH FAKE EASTER BUNNY EARS!...Oh well, still cute. |
Moving on...
One thing that's always puzzled me about people is pretension. I've met several people in my life that I believe are pretentious, and I'm sure that with me going to college next year, I'm guaranteed to meet many more.
To be honest, I think that word is overused and misinterpreted. A pretentious person is generally someone who acts like they are much more important, intelligent, or overall better than someone else, even though they aren't. Basically, a phony. These days, with growing hipster culture and an increasing emphasis on appearing intellectual, people throw around the word to describe pretty much anyone who appears to be reasonably well-read on a particular subject that may not be commonly known. (I hope that last sentence didn't sound pretentious.)
For example, I have been called pretentious before because of my interests. I read books that maybe not everyone around me would find interesting. I love classics, and you'll frequently see me carrying my latest read around with me in school. But never have I decided that because my book choices are better than those of someone else, I'm better as a person. Frankly, I'm excited when I see people carrying around books, because I love seeing other people as passionate about reading as I am. Apparently, someone I know thought that I was pretentious because I was reading Catcher in the Rye in school. That really hurt, honestly. I don't think it's fair to be judged based on the books you choose to read.
It's one thing to think I'm a bit weird because of what books I choose to read or what movies I choose to watch, but to essentially label me as a phony snob because I'm reading a book I strongly identify with is very hurtful. I'm passionate about many things, and I can respect anyone else that is equally as passionate about certain things.
Of course, I can occasionally slip up on my judgement-free thoughts, but I am trying very hard to learn to respect that my views on culture and stuff are different from many people, and that these differences should never make me think of myself as better than someone else.
I really hope this post doesn't sound fake. Did I make any sense?
Yes, you made sense. And I don't think you're pretentious for reading classics, whether in school or anywhere else. Classics are your preference and you're entitled to that.
ReplyDeleteI think pretentious people are simply people who "pretend". Try to be something they're not. Read books they don't really like for the sake of coming across as intellectual, for example. No one can tell whether you truly like a book or not for reading it in school or anywhere else, the two are not even related together.
So try not to think about it too much and just let it go. It's no use to worry about those sort of things anyway.
You are not pretentious at all! Catcher in The Rye is a good book- though if I'm honest I had to read it twice before I really "got" it if you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI would think that before you can call someone pretentious you need to know the person. Because then when you know them you can tell when they are being fake/ pretentious.
I've realised reading your post though that my last blog post came off as pretentious and I hope you don't think I am.
Oh thank you for writing this post. Pretension.
ReplyDeleteBoy do I have a lot to say about those people.
They follow me wherever I go. There was a surplus of them in high school and now my entire Pharmacy class is basically pretentious person after another. It's the worst.