S is for Snooki.
We all know that “S” is for Snooki. But could it be that coincidental that the word “stupid” also starts with “S”?
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, star of Jersey Shore (from MTV.com)
I recently ran across a Huffington Post blog post that claims that the Jersey Shore star just managed to stumble through her first book. Yes. FIRST. BOOK. Was it a book about tanning? Machiavelli’s The Prince?
Nope.
Her first book, it seems, was Nicholas Sparks’ Dear John. I wonder how many fist pumps she gave it?
At any rate, I can’t believe that a girl her age has not managed to read a book her entire life. Granted, Nicole Polizzi may not be a poised or über mature 21 year old, but I think perhaps her tweet was an exaggeration designed to get attention. If it’s true, however, it’s a sad testament to the state of affairs among us (you know, the young people). How coincidental is it that the book Polizzi picked up is currently a movie topping the box office. Will teenagers and twenty-somethings today only read a book if it’s a movie?
It’s a good thing that books are coming to the forefront of media via e-books and movie deals. Harry Potter created a phenomenon that for the first time in years recruited an army of young readers. The problem with these flash book mobs is that once the popularity of the pop culture phenomenon dies down the readership might too. It’s hard to keep one’s attention when there’s so much out there to read. So many choices. Tweets, Facebook, texts, magazines, articles and blogs don’t require us to commit so much time away from our over-scheduled days. You just open your trusty laptop or glance at your iPhone or blackberry to get what you want. No need to travel miles to a bookstore or library.
So maybe Polizzi is as unintellectual as others have depicted her*. Or maybe it’s something else that we should be looking at. I’m not sure myself. But good on her for reading. I hope she liked the book.**
Although I love to read, when I was in school I never found the time to read a whole book that wasn’t assigned to me. I went for magazine articles, blogs and Google News to keep myself literate. Even with a little more time on my hands I have to push myself to start a book. I can only imagine how difficult it might be for someone who has not grown up with the expectation to read a book.
S is for Snooki, but if Snooki is “stupid” it’s not good enough for me and it shouldn’t be for our society.
young people I think I can still call myself a young person. After all, I’m only 23.
*Still unproven. She could be putting on a big act for PR purposes.
** To tell you the truth, I am a firm believer that each person should read what he or she finds appealing. I might not agree with you, but at least you’re reading something that makes you happy. It could be Confessions of a Shopaholic or a Stephen Hawkin treatise, whatever. I find it troubling, though, that someone might think or be led to think that it’s okay to not to read anything. Ever.
