{"id":27,"date":"2024-12-02T14:05:26","date_gmt":"2024-12-02T14:05:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/noelia-fernandez-perez\/?p=27"},"modified":"2024-12-19T21:31:26","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T21:31:26","slug":"is-booktok-promoting-anti-intellectualism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/noelia-fernandez-perez\/2024\/12\/02\/is-booktok-promoting-anti-intellectualism\/","title":{"rendered":"Is BookTok promoting anti-intellectualism?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In recent years, BookTok – considered a vibrant corner of TikTok dedicated to book lovers – has gained a lot of popularity, especially after COVID-19. What began as a platform to discuss literature has grown into influencing the sales of books, trends, and creating an online community for passionate readers. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, as BookTok keeps growing its influence, some critics have raised concerns that the platform may be creating a culture of anti-intellectualism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anti-intellectualism is defined as a ‘mistrust of intellectual pursuits, expertise, and discourses.’ This concept can manifest in the different rejections of complex ideas or in the preference for simplified and populist views, as most of the plots of books promoted on TikTok. Whilst BookTok has brought a new perspective to books and reading, its rapid rise in popularity has sparked debate about whether it promotes a superficial approach to literature that only focuses on entertainment rather than giving an intellectual depth with the help of critical thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To understand this connection between BookTok and anti-intellectualism, it’s important to have a perception of TikTok’s rise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

BookTok began as a safe space for young readers where they could share book recommendations and engage in critical discussions in catchy and short videos. During this period of time, the use of the hashtag #BookTok led everyone to rediscover some of the most popular books of these past five years such as The Song of Achilles <\/strong><\/em>by Madeline Miller and It Ends With Us<\/em> by Colleen Hoover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It Ends With Us <\/em>by Colleen Hoover – Image credit: Noelia Fernandez Perez<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Song of Achilles <\/em>by Madeline Miller – Image credit: Noelia Fernandez Perez<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The appeal and main concept of this platform is clear: fun, social and overall, personal.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The appeal and main concept of this platform is clear: fun, social and overall, personal. Users post videos where they talk about books, their favourite characters or even new releases they’re looking forward in the next couple of months. The platform is fully community-driven, with creators building an identity based on their favourite characters, genres and clich\u00e9s, and literary tropes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, critiques have put an emphasis on the emotional connection over the intellectual analysis and have risen valuable questions about the discourses happening in the platform. Does the focus on populatiry, emotional and easily digestible reads come at the expense of more intellectual readings of literature? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Newcastle Waterstones – Image credit: Noelia Fernandez Perez<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of BookTok’s most distinct strengths is its ability to make literature feel accesible and relevant to a broader audience. For many, this platform introduces them to books they might not have otherwise discovered, introducing reading to new people and sparking a love for books that could last a lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this sense, BookTok is democratising literature and making it fun, relatable, and approachable, especially for young readers who may feel disconnected from traditional literary circles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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