From Harop
It seems that not a month goes by without the country having some simple cultural trends to overcome. these “discussions” It can be fun or not. But in almost all cases, battles over these fleeting constants are futile.
Yes. Let's get specific. There's this recent skirmish over something called… “Bookshelf fortune.”
never heard of it? Well, the architectural abstract is called Bookshelf Fortune “The first major design trend of 2024.” TikTok is everything.
What is a bookshelf fortune? It's arranging your bookshelf in a visually pleasing way. For luxury people, this means accumulating a “Chosen” A set of books laid out just like that. The intent is to advertise one's intelligent interests.
The related TikTok phrase is “The Dark Academy.” “It refers to a subculture that sanctifies reading and writing.” Typical decor includes stuffed sofas, sculptures, and walls painted a dark midnight blue.
Needless to say, there has been significant negative feedback from people who are or claim to be serious readers. To them, books are sacred objects with value far beyond decoration. Yellow paperback from “The Sound and the Fury” It deserves more reverence than a ceramic horse.
Some TikTok influencers are addressing this objection, or trying to. “These are not show books.” One insists unconvincingly. “These are books that have already been formatted and read.” If she says so.
Some widely circulated videos of bookshelves show shelves laden with vases, candlesticks and artistic black-and-white photographs — interspersed with a few book spines. “Embrace the odd numbers” The instructions say. And “Keep your shelves feeling as intentional as possible.”
One critic replied: “The wealth of a bookshelf does not mean that you have books. It means that you have built-in items. As evidence of her reading, the woman presented pictures of books stacked on the floor.
Libraries have become great labels in upscale new homes. It implies that the owners don't spend all their free time frozen in front of the monster's screen “Media room.” They also do quiet meditation
My favorite fake library was located in the now-defunct Ritz-Carlton in Manalapan, Florida, just south of Palm Beach. I was meeting someone there and I thought, oh, the Silent Library would be a nice place to hang out. the “Club room” She arranged the books carefully, all in the same moss green leather covers. A closer examination revealed the titles were all in Dutch. I decided to wait at the bar.
As you might imagine by now, we're not here to debate the merits or absurdity of bookshelf wealth. We are here to argue against arguing about this topic for any purpose other than entertainment.
If someone wants to arrange a bookshelf in a way that suggests intellectual heft—or to display a bowling trophy—it's their bookshelf. As for those who do not read but want to portray a rich life of the mind, no one stops them.
The Kindle has complicated things for readers who want to have physical books around them. The interesting thing about the wealth of bookshelves is that it encourages sales of vintage paper products. Serious readers can poke their finger into the rich aesthetic of a bookshelf by placing a stack of a Big Bird plush toy, but they should know that's a pose, too.
And given the current policy, no one is sure how long TikTok will be with us. But as long as this is the case, know that what TikTok excels in, TikTok mocks. There may be significant concerns about whether the social media platform is giving the Chinese government a tool to spy on us, but TikTok does something useful: it downplays ridiculous cultural conflicts.
Therefore, announcing the winners of the bookshelf wealth debate is of no consequence, even for the winners. Everyone does what they want with their bookshelves. This is how it should be.
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Froma Harrop can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com.
