Go On And Take A Bow

Warning: I might risk offending some of you but this message is not intended for you. This is just a general sentiment I thought of five minutes ago. So allow me to just say this.

I am not big fan of literary novels, nor a big reader. I never claimed I had read some of the best books ever published nor written by world-class writers, authors or critically-acclaimed novelists. I just happen to be not inclined to reading, that's all. My mind flies off to dream land as I imagine the first few lines of any book I attempt to read. That's why I always say comic books are the best for me. 

One night someone told me that his taste is quite eclectic when it comes to reading. Eclectic? You mean you're quite choosy with the books you pick and read? Wow. Before that this same person also told me how much he abhorred TWILIGHT. For him, it was a literary crap and drivel that shouldn't deserve any attention. 

Okay, so far the two claims only point to books which are literary masterpieces. But then eclectic, so in my mind..."Boy he is probably reading books that I have never even heard of." I scanned through all the possible titles in my head. I gave my brother's books a quick visual scan of what could be deemed as eclectic as I try to be smart and pa-know. My brother probably owns a thousand and so books here at home. Some of them expensive, some of them very expensive, and the others I just have never heard of. His taste is quite definitive. He reads certain kinds of books and orders it from all around the world even before it becomes a hit or something. Good taste in books, I should say.

So I curtly asked, "So what are these books that you read? I hope I know something from your list (at the risk of sounding ignorant)..."

"Harry Potter. Lord of the Rings. I also liked Da Vinci Code stuff written by Dan Brown."

I nearly fell of my chair. How can books like such be eclectic when it is sooooooo mainstream??? I wanted to just go away and leave. It's such a pretentious comment. The thing is, we work for advertising. Didn't you think we would already know by now how to read pyshcographic and poseurs?

Come on! I'm not a big book reader and I would know that these books are nicely written but come on, couldn't you try better? These are mainstream books reviewed a thousand times but others. Dan Brown his several accusations for plagiarizing doesn't make up for a credible writer now, does it?

I am not here to argue which is a good book or not. I am just surprised at brandishing yourself as eclectic and selecting teen hits like those. Honey, those are puffball stuff in my department. Namedropping those books will not actually make you credible. How about reading John L'Carres' The Secret Pilgrim, or The Last Tycoons or Monster of Florence? I don;t know just any book that would not come from mainstream.

My years in advertising always told me that when people get to no-choice and spontaneous moments, they resort to top of mind. This is one instance. To be able to say something clever nalang, we just rely on our top of mind general information,

Pathetic. I am jologs at heart and never claimed that I am sophisticated. I am proud that my choices are quite mainstream. That's consistency. I don't know about you.

The next time I will be asked what my favorite movie is: i"ll probably say Lawrence of Arabia or Dr. Zhivago. Para eclectic din. hahahaha.

The show is over; go on and take a bow (lyrics from Rihanna).

Masa talaga.