Wait, what? So there’s a guy on Instagram who’s been taking photos of people with books or reading for some time now. He also started #LiterarySwag. Evidently he’s done these things to make reading more accessible to those who don’t like to read.
Except there’s a major flaw to his entire project. There’s nothing wrong with people who don’t like to read just like there’s nothing wrong with someone who reads 100 books a year. There’s some fashion aspect too, but it’s entirely irrelevant. What does it matter if someone is really into fashion and likes to read or if they are really into sweatpants and romance novels? It doesn’t.
Reading doesn’t have to be stylish or cool. It’s just like any other thing. Some people like it and some don’t. So let’s all post pictures on Instagram of ourselves with books with #LiterarySwag so we can show how stylish we are and say we’re part of some stupid movement.
Ugh.
Johnny Reads 
Hi, John! Does this guy take photos of people reading on tablets or phones? I’m guessing there could be a lot of people reading books on those that #LiterarySwag doesn’t know about… so, as you say, what’s the point? I happen to think reading is very important… but I fail to see how posting images of people reading on Instagram helps promote reading. Seems to me it just gets the guy posting the images his five minutes of fame.
LikeLike
I don’t think he photographs people reading on phones and tablets because it’d be difficult to know that they’re reading and not doing one of any other thing. I also don’t see how it promotes reading by posting pictures. He even gives away money to the one person who posts the most photos using the tag for the year. Like, why?
LikeLike
It seems to me that having the hashtag and a prize takes the focus off reading, instead putting emphasis on taking selfies and spending all your time on social media.
Not that those things are necessarily bad. But this hashtag isn’t about reading or promoting literacy. It’s about appearance and attention.
LikeLike
Yep. To me, this doesn’t focus on reading at all. Fashion. Photography. Instagram. Those things. Not reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The funny thing is, with this post you are feeding into what he wants. He wants, as someone suggested above, his five minutes of fame.
Promoting literacy isn’t a bad thing if that’s what he’s doing but I don’t see how swag has a damn thing to do with it either. *shrug*
The only time I’ve seen swag associated with reading is when authors go to signings; they generally have book bags and other items associated with that particular book or series.
LikeLike
Am I? I didn’t mention his name. And I didn’t link to any social media accounts. Eh.
LikeLike
A hash tag search would yield the results where it is, any posts it’s linked to and most likely his name *shrug*. The hashtag got you talking, giving him his five minutes.
LikeLike
Yeah. Okay.
LikeLike
My thought is that people who don’t read probably aren’t going to go search that hashtag, even if they know it exists.
LikeLike
Eh. No idea.
LikeLike