Know what drives me crazy? I hate my generation, and I have no choice but to be a part of this group of people. My generation is absolutely ridiculous, and it kind of disturbs me that we are actually better than the kids who are just a few years younger than us. People who don't remember 9/11. Those are the people I'm talking about. However, my generation is actually pretty bad, too.
I got a Kindle Fire for Christmas, and I absolutely couldn't be happier. No, it was not because I could play Words With Friends (although that is a lovely perk!), but it is because I love to read. I miss the feel of a book in my hands when I read, but being able to carry around one portable, hand-held device rather than a bunch of heavy books makes it worth it.
Before I get into the whole book subject, I just want to say that I don't understand the lack of proper grammar used in everyday language. People who mix up then and than, their, they're, and there, your and you're (or say "ur") make me absolutely crazy. Did I miss something? Is it "cool" to sound like a moron? Is it "cool" to have a potential employer look at your Facebook profile and deny you a job because you have the grammatical skills of a duck on heroin? Apparently, I'm a grammar Nazi because it bothers the living shit out of me when I see someone mix up "collage" and "college" or to, too, and two. No, I'm not afraid to correct your grammar when I see someone my age misspelling something or making some sort of obvious error that an elementary school child could point out. People who don't use adverbs correctly make me crazy. If I say, "How are you doing?" and someone says, "I'm doing good," I might just come back at them and say, "Whoa! You slut! Who's Good? Why haven't I met him/her?" Haven't we had the same education, or at least learned something similar?
Now that I'm done with the whole grammar thing, I want to discuss the reading level of my generation. If you approach someone from my generation and ask them, "What's your favorite book?" you will get the same response 90% of the time. This response is possibly the most irritating thing anyone could say to me. I have had so many people say this to me, it makes me wonder why I haven't killed anyone. 90% of my generation will respond to that question with, "Oh. I don't read. LOL." My response to that is a bitch-slap across the face. Oh, I'm sorry! I thought we went to the same school together and learned to read together. I didn't realize that you were illiterate! I'm so sorry for misunderstanding! Maybe I should start making videos instead of sending you Emails. Maybe I'll start calling you instead of texting you. Oh, you're texting me while you're in class? Maybe you should start paying attention and learn some grammar. Or how to read.
A large portion of the leftover 10%, let's call it 9%, of the people who are leftover who actually read will probably say Harry Potter. Or Twilight, but Twilight is starting to die down, I think. I love Harry Potter. It is a wonderful childhood memory, falling in love with the books, and I still own all of them. Reading and re-reading Harry Potter every time a new book would come out was always ridiculously exciting. I still absolutely love Harry Potter, books and movies, yet it is not my favorite book. Not even close. People whose favorite book is Harry Potter tend to have only read Harry Potter in their lifetime. Now shall we discuss Twilight? Yep. I read it. However, I read the books before the first movie actually came out. I liked the books, but let's face it. I was a dumb, 15-year-old girl who lacked a social life, who realized that no guy could possibly ever be interested in me. I saw the first movie when it first came out, and I immediately realized how fucking creepy it really is. Let's be honest. It is about a boring, homely, possibly retarded girl's difficult decision between necrophilia and bestiality. After I saw the movie and was thoroughly creeped out, I re-read the books to see what I possibly could have seen in them before. I think that maybe Stephanie Meyer might have some serious issues. The books were horribly written, and the story had more holes than Swiss cheese. When people say that their favorite book is Twilight, I wonder if they are actually capable of any sort of intelligent conversation, and I am tempted to ask if they ever read anything besides Twilight. Then I wander away toward people who are in the last group of people, the 1%.
Yes. The 1%. (Not to be confused with the whole Occupy movement). The 1% are the people who actually understand basic grammar. They understand why I hate my generation and people that are younger than me. They understand why I usually hang out with people that are several years older than I am. These are the "literate and proud" people of the world. Their favorite books tend to be books that are not for children. These books also lack pictures and may or may not be realistic. Simply put, these people like to read. To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, Of Mice and Men, The Great Gatsby, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Animal Farm might be one of their favorites. Or not. Maybe they like Stephen King's books, or maybe something like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. That stuff is pretty awesome, too. I am talking about people who read for fun, who understand symbolism, who use their imaginations, and were not afraid to admit that they read beyond what the teacher assigned in their high school or college literature class. I remember reading The Catcher in the Rye in one night, even though my English teacher at the time did not ask us to start it yet. I read it because I wanted to, and it is still one of my favorite books. When I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower about a week ago, I will admit that I was in tears throughout much of the book. I sought and continue to seek out good books that are thought-provoking and interesting. I love hanging out with people that also love a good book more than a decent movie that tells the same story. I love that I can read a book and visualize what is happening, using my own imagination instead of watching another person's interpretation on a screen.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, what happened to my generation? Where is the enthusiasm for books, and exercising your mind? Where's the imagination?
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