In 2020, the boredom and isolation of the COVID pandemic sparked reading renaissance via TikTok. Now, the appropriately titled “BookTok” community is a go-to for readers looking for new book recommendations.
However, as BookTok continues to reach wider audiences, creators are starting to turn to extremes to attract views.
Whether intentionally or not, this desire for views on BookTok is fostering a community that praises devout fan culture, outrageous takes, and, worst of all, careless overconsumption.
The Rise of Fan Culture
As described by author Steven Gong, “fan culture” (or, “fandom”) is simply a group of people who share a common interest toward a piece of popular media, whether that be a film, TV series, or a book.
Many people love fandoms because they can be a great way to connect with others. However, for many, their enjoyment comes with a sense of loyalty. In many cases, this loyalty is completely unwavering. Depending on how deeply you immerse yourself in a fandom, it can quickly become toxic.
While I think this blind loyalty is most prevalent with musical artists, BookTok is not innocent by any means. An author can face battalions of valid scrutiny, but if they are popular enough, their fans will be quick to blindly defend them without even hearing the criticism (totally looking at you, Colleen Hoover stans).
Blind loyalty stems from various factors, including obsession and the fear of being labeled a “fake fan.” Fans feel they must do whatever they can to support and defend their favorites. The anonymity of social media, compounded by the intensity of fan culture, only makes the repercussions of being a “fake fan” worse.
Overconsumption and the Need for More
The main way BookTokers show their dedication to the book fandom is by consuming hundreds upon hundreds of books.
Aesthetics, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, and weekly book hauls are the norm on BookTok. But when does this Uber-consumerism lifestyle start to become absurd?
@readbypaulina Bookhaul Part 1 ✨ #BookTok #bookhaul #bookunboxing #bookbuying #newbooks #bookmail #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #booktokfyp #tbr #openingpackages #reading #books #bookish #unboxwithme #bookunpacking #bookshelf #bookshelfinspo #specialeditionbooks #sprayededgebooks #hauntingadeline #fyp ♬ favorite (english) – Isabel LaRosa
Creator @readbypaulina, for instance, shares Part 1 of a massive book haul with several (expensive!) special editions and even copies of the same book.
Recently, people have begun to question these extreme book collectors. At what point does collecting books as a hobby turn into mindless mass consumerism?
Why do people need multiple editions of the same exact book? Better yet, why do people need every special edition available, especially if the book is not their favorite? Why do people want their own personal libraries full of mass-produced books?
The answer: Because having every available copy of a book and every stunning special edition transcends a love for reading—it is a status symbol.
The more books that a BookTok creator has to show off, the more likely they are to garner attention and get views. Additionally, creators will appeal to the algorithms of other users by exclusively showing off and sharing the most popular books. Why is this such a problem?
Why we need media literacy
First and foremost, there is nothing wrong with reading popular books. They are popular for a reason!
However, an issue arises when the books we consume and the way we consume them threaten our media literacy.
In simple terms, “media literacy” is the ability to encode, decode, and analyze messages and symbols portrayed through media. For instance, remember those old wartime propaganda posters your teacher would ask you to summarize in history class? In that instance, you were practicing media literacy.
Whether we realize it or not, we need to practice media literacy with just about every ad, every movie, and every book that we consume.
Whether we want to believe it or not, most media is hardly ever black and white. Media is meant to have hidden messages and be interpreted in different ways. It exposes us to different perceptions of life, culture, and society.
Without media literacy, we risk losing our curiosity, individuality, and ability to question. We risk falling into mindless conformity.
The Dark Ages of Book Consumption
Arguably, the trends dominating BookTok contribute to a decline in media literacy. Just take a look at the books that receive the most attention, as shown by @rachelmarieschmidt on TikTok.
@rachelmarieschmidt Have you read any of these books? 📚 #books #booktok #bookrecommendations ♬ Its HARD – Aaron Dodge // Content Creator
There is no need to be pretentious and shame people who love reading trope-heavy romance and fantasy books. However, when this is all that people choose to read, it can affect their behavior beyond the page.
For instance, many BookTokers favor smutty, “dark” romances in which the love interest is toxic, a mafia boss, or even just plain abusive. While morally-grey characters can be very complex, readers of this genre often brush off the character’s terrible actions. Instead, they romanticize and defend them, swooning for the misunderstood hot villain.
On the flip side, people typically love lighthearted romance books because they are so easy and enjoyable to read. Though there may be conflicts between the love interests, authors usually write and market these books with favored tropes in mind. Most importantly, the books end with a predictably happy ending.
The problem with only consuming cookie-cutter, tropified books? They are simple, repetitive, and predictable. In turn, readers have no room to exercise their media literacy skills.
However, these are the types of books BookTok heavily promotes. These are the types of books that creators are filming $500 hauls for. Because these books are popular, they garner views; thus, they are the only books that some readers consume, because they are comfortable and familiar.
Books, especially fiction books, are so special because they can expose us to different opinions and issues about the world in the most creative ways. They can challenge us to see the hidden symbolism in what we read, which we can then apply to the real world. The written word is one of the best ways to practice media literacy.
But when we consume the same books over and over, the need to analyze what we read disappears. We become mindless shells, only consuming books to maintain status and to have easy, unchallenged enjoyment.
Is There Hope for Change?
When all the pieces are put together, overconsumption and the declining media literacy issue can seem pretty hopeless. However, there are things we can do as readers to fight these problems:
- Implement sustainable reading practices. Libraries are a great resource for borrowing books for absolutely free. Check out and read a book from the library to see if you like it before you buy it for your personal bookshelf.
- Branch out into different genres. If you find yourself reading exclusively in one genre, try out a popular book from a new genre. This will test your media literacy skills differently than you are used to.
- Engage in healthy debate online. If you see an online take about your favorite book or author, do not immediately reply with a defensive comment. Try to understand where the opposing side is coming from. If you don’t understand, start a respectful debate to try to come to an understanding. Remember to stay open-minded.
