Everyone seems to follow trends in today’s society and while this mob mentality does have an element of pressure, it leads many to discover new interests; Booktok is an example of a hobby that trends and encourages people to pick up a positive pastime, however this community on TikTok has degenerated into the butt of internet jokes.

Reading has always been a favourite leisure activity of many, mine included, and is one with a great deal of benefits. It should be viewed as a good thing that TikTok has been encouraging more people to put down their phones and pick up a book instead by giving recommendations for new readers to immerse themselves in the world of reading.

Though like many communities on TikTok, this safe space that once served as a hub for readers to share their enthusiasm on books they enjoyed has slowly soured, becoming infested with numerous people comparing themselves to readers on Booktok, avoiding their recommendations and almost seeing themselves as superior.

Internet culture has created a phenomena where enthusiasts of a certain media attempt to hype up said thing, however once it gets the acknowledgement they wanted and more, they turn their backs on it and create a whole domino effect of people now coming out and talking about how overrated it is, or confessing that they never liked it.

People seem to have an inherent desire to be unique, to possess individuality that makes them impressionable and unforgettable. Having a popular interest or common hobby makes many believe they have now become basic, making them someone who fades into the crowd. The joke of saying “I’m not like other girls” has some truth to it, where people attempt to put themselves on a pedestal for being different from the rest. 

While I can agree that differences should be celebrated, this need to be different and set oneself apart has gotten out of hand. It is at a point where when someone claims they enjoy something mainstream or popular, they meet reactions of ridicule or get shamed. 

This phenomena circles back to BookTok: with the amount of readers out there, it makes sense that they would want to create an environment where they can freely share reviews, as well as seek them out. The internet’s greatest appeal has always been that people are able to find whatever they may be looking for on it. Readers like myself are often after new books to engross ourselves in, and the most reliable source tends to be word of mouth. 

It is only natural that this niche little community would become somewhat popular, as social media has a way of advertising hobbies in a way that makes them seem appealing and like “the latest thing to try.” While it starts out as trying to follow the crowd and fit in by doing the latest thing, some people gain an actual hobby out of trending activities or media.

Why would this not be a good thing? The reason is the previously mentioned phenomena; now that reading is a popular pastime, many avid readers have begun to look down on those who discover new books on BookTok. Numerous articles and complaints have been made about how BookTok promotes shallow reading, or how the books that trend there are not even well-written.

People in the reading community on TikTok have become generalized as a group of shallow readers. BookTok members have earned themselves a negative reputation, now being a punchline to many jokes. On the internet, it is something of a popular meme to demean and ridicule the BookTok audience, spiraling into a trend of showing an educational book like a math textbook and captioning the short video with the question “Spice level?” Obviously meant sarcastically, because in no world is anybody picking up Nelson Functions 11 expecting there to be any level of racy content.

This is meant to be a commentary on the genre of books that trend on BookTok, and make a parody of people who seek out said genres through recommendations. Due to BookTok’s poor reputation, readers attempt to set themselves apart by looking down on viral books and making a commentary on how reading is largely promoted as an aesthetic on TikTok and thus should not be considered as reading. It comes off as pretentious and flaunting because they refuse to praise popular media, and continue carry this superiority. 

It should be called into question why some books or genres are not considered as “real reading” or why there is a need for readers to prove they do not associate with BookTok in any capacity. Hobbies are meant to be something people enjoy during their leisure time, and it could be hard to enjoy said hobby with the additional pressure placed. Now people worry about appearing as though they only read for the aesthetic and do not partake in educational, high-level reading.  While people who boast niche authors in an attempt to set themselves apart from BookTok readers seem pretentious, reading culture on TikTok is something that has soured.

Many books that go viral on TikTok are admittedly average novels. There is nothing particularly world-changing about them, anything that gives readers the feeling of having all their views altered or a literary masterpiece that will be praised for years to come. It leaves the expectations of many unfulfilled, and causes confusion about why there was so much hype around a teenage romance novel in the first place.

This is not to say that the novel is the problem, but rather the standard that the title of “viral” sets. When some type of media or event or even a person goes viral, the expectations of many raise as they anticipate what it could possibly be that is making the internet lose their minds. To some extent, this is understandable; while the words good and bad are subjective, it is not far-fetched for the general consensus of viral content being somewhat capable of living up to the hype.

However, at the root of it, Booktok is simply a community on Tiktok made to be a space for readers. As a community full of opinionated people, it will only lead to disappointment to go in with expectations of seeing award-winning books trending. As a safe space for readers, old and new, it is disrespectful to the very essence of reading to be ridiculed for the genres you enjoy or books you favour. As a community, it should be a shame that the internet has founded superiority complexes in those who believe they consume more ‘complicated’ or ‘deep’ media. At its core, reading is a hobby meant for people to enjoy and immerse themselves in. 

At the end of the day, regardless of whether you seek an escape or somewhere to feel seen, reading is something that connects people from all walks of life, all around the world.