Things I Wish Non-Readers Stopped Doing

Hello, lovelies! Today I’m going to write a post that is highly inspired by my daily life as a bookworm. I know you’re going to relate to some of these, especially if you’re surrounded by non-readers or heathens (like I am). Below are some things that I wish non-readers knew about us, our books and our habits. Let’s get right into this!

#1 : Suggesting me to watch the movie/tv show instead.

You know these people, they see you read a book and their immediate reaction is ‘hey, you know there’s a movie of this book, right? why don’t you watch it instead of reading the book?’.

These people frustrate me to no end. Don’t they know that it’s possible to do both – read the book and watch the movie??? Don’t they know that they are both very different experiences? I think this happens because these non-readers see reading as a very tedious activity – something that takes up a lot of time and concentration – while movies and tv shows are more accessible to them?

Whatever the reason for this behaviour is, please stop telling your fellow bookworm friend to watch the movie instead and stop bothering with the book because (s)he will dislike you forever. BYE.

 

#2 : Telling me that I’m reading too much.

This one has different variations – it can go like “you’re reading too much, you’re a bit obsessed with reading, don’t you think?’ or it can go like “shouldn’t you focus more on school/college/your social life instead of reading so many books?”

And the answers to both of these questions is obviously NO. Look, if I wanted to do anything else, I would be doing that instead of reading. It’s obvious that I don’t want to go to parties or study or go socialize since I’m reading. I’m reading and that’s what I want to do. End of story. Plus, there’s never too much reading. Do you have any idea how many books there are there in the wild? Millions, billions, too many to count. There’s a lot of work to be done and you are stopping me from reading all THOSE books with your pointless lecture, Susan.

(my face whenever someone tells me there are other things in life besides books)

 

#3 : Starting conversations with me when I’m reading.

I think that’s an obvious and very documented one, as the movie one, but it has to be on this list because why? You see me reading a book, obviously being very busy – like too busy to talk to you – but you start a conversation anyway. What’s the logic of it? If I was doing anything else – from watching a movie to writing a school paper, you wouldn’t do it. Why do you think reading is less important??? I want to focus on those characters and what’s happening in my book, stop telling me about your life. I DON’T CARE RIGHT NOW. Can’t you see my pained face? Can’t you see my longing eyes that keep glancing down to my book? Can’t you see I’m counting down the seconds until you leave?

 

#4 : Stop threatening my books!!! 

Okay, this one might be only directed to my mom. She once said that she will throw my books out the window because of dust or something stupid like that. (I HAVEN’T FORGIVEN HER SINCE THEN)

Also, my books aren’t taking up too much space, staaaap saying that, books have souls and you’re hurting them with your ignorant behaviour.

 

#5 : Assume things about me and other bookworms

You can’t read so much unless you never get out of house. You must be jobless and/or awful at school/college/university. You probably have no friends. You’re weird and probably a nerd. 

Or we’re all just a bunch of people with different personalities who enjoy literature. What do you think about this, buddy?

 

#6 : Thinking I read so much because I want to impress others

Bruh, everyone knows I’m not reading so much to impress some commoners, but to take over the world. 

This usually happens when I show my non-readers who act interested in reading see my reading challenge and they start asking me why I read so much and I try to explain them that I do it because I love reading. (such a foreign concept)  And since the concept of actually reading because you enjoy it is so weird, they instantly figure out that I do it to seem intelligent, to impress teachers or whoever seems important enough to them. Also, probably some of them think I’m lying because it’s inhumanly possible to read more than 10 books in a year. 

READING IS ENJOYABLE AND I DO IT BECAUSE I ADORE LOSING MYSELF IN OTHER WORLDS WITH PEOPLE THAT DON’T SUCK (LIKE YOU OBVIOUSLY DO).

#7 : Saying ‘they are fictional. they don’t exist’ 

That usually happens when I’m very invested in a character or a story and I’m analyzing it a lot or ranting about how they deserved better. And then a wild non-reader comes into the picture and whispers ‘why do you care so much? it’s not like they are actual humans’

How do I explain to these people that sometimes I care more about fictional characters than actual humans? I don’t think they would comprehend such a scandalous thing.

 

#8 : Behave like bookworms are aliens. 

There are times when I’m reading or fangirling about characters and otps and I can see non-readers staring at me like I’m this strange form of existence that should be researched. I can see in their eyes that they just don’t understand why I’m so invested in reading and in those fictional worlds.

BUUUUT, there’s hope for us in this world, my fabulous bookworms, because some non-readers are actually nice and buy us books from our wish-list and try to understand our obsessions and those are the best kind of human-beings. (sadly, I haven’t met many, but as I said, there’s still hope) 

What are some of the worst things a non-reader ever said to you?