Monday, January 28, 2008

On annoying pushy people

*Deep breath* I have to vent.

I’ve mentioned in a couple of posts my new obsession with blog/BB hopping and the discovery that there aren’t just five blogs out there as I previously thought, but that there are hundreds of blogs dedicated to books, romance novels, celebrity gossip and entertainment—all things I lub lub lub.

This, of course, makes me happy. Give me unlimited coffee, a big jar of Nutella and a computer and you have a content woman.

But there’s something that’s just sawing at my nerves—this huge pet peeve with book blogs and book BBs. You want to know what it is? The fucking irritating Pushy Book Pushers (PBP), and yes, that’s the scientific name.

A good number of us have probably encountered one or two (or 100) throughout our internet life. For the most part PBPs fit a set profile, most often than not, in it’s entirety:
  • You just have to read every single book they’ve ever loved and even if it sucks you have to like it because, hey, they loved it and they are the end all and be all authority on books. *snort*
  • Every word you mention reminds them of yet another book that should be forced upon you—even your silence will probably get you a book recommendation about a deaf-mute or something.
  • If someone else tries to recommend a book they’ve already pushily pushed on other readers they get all territorial because, you know, they have no life and need that recognition since it’s the only love they seem to get. (In BBs it’s easier to notice that these people are always complaining of having no friends or family and usually have problems/rifts with everyone around them. I’m no psychologist but it ain’t hard putting 2+2 together LOL.)
  • They become defensive and enraged when you don’t like a book they loved. You’d think you ran over their dog or something. Geesh. Get a grip you dim-witted, PBP. It’s a free world, ya know? And if I’m required to read your annoying comments and put up with your relentless book pushing then you can sure as hell take others not liking the crap you force on them like a big girl (boy?) now. *wink*
I’m just saying... *g*

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11 comment(s):

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have to say that last bullet point (er...heart point) puzzles me the most. If I recommend a book to a person and they hate it I always feel a little bad because, hey, I misjudged their personality and taste. I learn more for next time. I don't just haphazardly push books in people's faces. I mean, I wouldn't expect my bf to like my vampire books, and he wouldn't try to pawn some biography that would bore me to tears off on me. Everybody likes different books. :)

1/28/2008 04:10:00 PM  

Blogger Harlot and Trollop said...

Re: Everybody likes different books

Exactly!

Why can't people not understand that you not liking a book they loved/recommended is not a personal insult! It is a matter of taste and we're all different in that regard.

I wish I could program people to understand that there should be no hurt feelings when someone dislikes a book you love. It doesn't mean you have bad taste or that your tastes suck it just means you both had DIFFERENT tastes.

Like Sally Fields said in Forrest Gump "Forrest, if god intended all of us to be the same we'd all be wearing leg braces" LOL

1/28/2008 04:43:00 PM  

Blogger Menchie said...

Some people just take things a little TOO seriously. :D Even books.

1/28/2008 09:02:00 PM  

Blogger ... said...

Dude, I resemble those bullet (heart?) points.

Well, maybe (I hope) not to those extremes, but yeah, I like people to like what I recommend, and sometimes (depending on who you are or your reaction) I feel bad when you don't like what I've recommended.

Partly, it's the "where did I go wrong" part of the recommending, especially if it's a personal rec, instead of a more general, here-are-my-favourite-books post, and partly, I suspect, because it does feel a little like a personal rejection -- because what you like isn't "good" enough (perhaps this feeling also depends on how secure a person is in his or her book taste) or because you feel bad for wasting their time. Although how the other person informs you/the world that they dislike the book may have something to do with it too.

I don't have an issue with people pushing books on their own blog (because the ones reading it can come and go as they please) - heck, I do it all the time - but it can get a bit annoying, I agree, if they're in other people's space and being that pushy all the time (and not realizing it). And it's even worse, if it's a rabid fan doing the pushing, someone who thinks the author can do no wrong because they likely hurt their cause more than they actually get new people to read "their" books.

So... Why haven't you all read Astonishing X-Men yet??

1/29/2008 09:46:00 AM  

Blogger Alice said...

There is nothing worse than a book elitist. Grr..

1/30/2008 03:49:00 AM  

Blogger Shoshana said...

Oh, there is just this book which I am positive you will love...and if you don't, you have to or you're a dork...yeah...here's the looong freaking list!

LOL. I ignore those...really I do.

So, which books are you going to read because someone just loooooves it?

1/30/2008 01:04:00 PM  

Blogger Isabella said...

LOL. I have the tendency to do this sometimes. Especially to my clueless friends (I swear to God I love them but they are clueless when it comes to books). They are missing a lot of good books!

I don't get mad though, if they don't like the book I suggested. I only suggest when they ask me and I suggest books that I know they will like.

1/31/2008 07:22:00 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Uggh. I stay far away from these people. They live and breathe on the board they belong to yet they think they know better than you.

2/02/2008 07:47:00 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Forrest, if god intended all of us to be the same we'd all be wearing leg braces"

Love this quote.

2/02/2008 07:48:00 AM  

Blogger Lollie Rose said...

Bah. I hate pushy people on bulletin boards. They keep recommending you books and then they get mad when you don't want to read it. What's worse, when you actually read one but didn't like it. Was just talking to one, telling her that people have different taste in books. She doesn't seem to get it. Good lord woman, get a life outside of this board.

2/03/2008 02:59:00 PM  

Anonymous Agnieszka Batko said...

Thank you for thhis

8/13/2023 10:43:00 PM