According to popular discourse, reading has become a victim of mass aestheticisation. The cohesion and visually appealing nature of an ‘aesthetic’ draw in views online, creating a behavioural and social media trend. Reading has become an aesthetic both as an activity and as a look, painting it as an intellectual and attractive pastime, as it does with those who partake in it. Books are photographed and admired for their natural aestheticism; no filter is required. With their neat uniform layout and scope for a range of cover artwork, there’s no doubt about it: books are pretty. In this vein, it is not unusual to see pictures of stylishly untidy bookshelves shared on social media (yay books). This can also be applied to more popular mediums, such as Film and television, where it is commonplace to see clips or sounds taken from the show Gilmore Girls, particularly from the studious Rory Gilmore. Online content romanticises her scholarly activities. Fans idolise her work ethic and academic focus. Fans watch and idolise her on the cosy autumnal show; they want to be like her. They want a place in the aesthetic they admire, so they visit their closest library and borrow The Iliad, for example.
It is argued that some people concern themselves with looking like a reader, rather than focusing on the reading experience itself. TikTok, a cultural hub with over two billion users worldwide, has provided a truly niche space for book lovers. This corner of the internet, with upwards of 44.9m videos, dubbed with the hashtag ‘BookTok’, promotes books with snappy and digestible content. This is where app users aim to find inspiration for their next read. Authors respond accordingly, using ‘#BookTok’ as a space for self-promotion. Anything that can be explained in a TikTok-appropriate timeframe becomes the next popular read amongst younger readers. This presents an issue that is pervasive in impacting the landscape of what books are deemed popular and taking the focus away from literature that has the potential to influence significant change; simple and uncomplicated genres, such as trashy chic lit and smut, are now the most promoted genres in the ‘BookTok’ circulation. Literature is incredibly powerful, with the power to change societies, influence personal philosophies, and take the mind away to a new world. Perhaps, then, it isn’t right for quick easy reads to dominate the book industry. While ‘good’ literature is subjective, the world of reading is vast, and young people should be introduced to it through a reflective range of genres and authors. If I see one more TikTok promoting Sally Rooney or Colleen Hoover, I will scream. Diversity, people, please!
Another problem with the reading ‘aesthetic’ is the problematic romanticising of overconsumption. Online creators portray themselves as hardcore readers, with unrealistic videos titled, ‘Top 10 Hot Girl Reads This Week’, ‘How I Read 10 Books a Month’, or videos of large amounts of books ‘just for the aesthetic’. The result of this practice? Consume, consume, consume. ‘What is she reading? I’ll read it too, so I’ll be more like her.’ Waterstones, one of the biggest book retailers in Europe, raking in £528 million in 2024, has an entire section dedicated to #BookTok. It is no secret that social media influences people’s spending habits, but people need to exercise their freedom of choice, and not just buy a book because it’s trending on TikTok. Literature is also incredibly diverse; Everyone has the ability to write and share their unique personal experiences and perspectives. What do you gain in an echo chamber? The same sentences, views and reading experiences bouncing from mind to mind. I encourage you to diversify your reading experience. Reading is a beautiful activity, not a hashtag ‘dark academia’. Reading is knowledge. Reading is individual and personal. And it is powerful. Find your niche. Read for yourself, not for the sake of a trend.