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Wednesday, August 25, 2004

A room without books is like a body without a soul

“Men who wish to impress the opposite sex at the beach should leave their Harry Potter books at home. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings also belongs to the worst possible reading choices. According to a research by the English publisher Penguin Books woman find reading fantasy-books a turn-off. Penguin questioned 1000 women about which book their ideal man should read during his holiday. Autobiographies, classics and thrillers are considered attractive; romantic, sports-, science fiction and erotic books a turn-off. Tracey Cox, expert in the field of sex and relationships says a book can say a lot about someone’s personality. According to Cox, men who are attracted to fantasy-like stories have less grip on the real world. She says it is better for men to read a classical author like Emily Brontë, because this shows they have a sensitive nature.”

This might just be the biggest bullshit I have ever heard. They only questioned 1000 women and those particular women probably just weren’t into fantasy themselves. How can you come to the conclusion, after only interviewing 1000 women, that fantasy is a turn-off for women? How can you come to any truthful conclusion after only questioning 1000 people? And why are they foolish enough after questioning merely 1000 women to conclude that every single woman in the world must feel the same way? What do you mean generalization?

When I go anywhere and see someone (whether male or female) reading a fantasy book I am more likely to talk to them then to someone who is reading Emily Brontë or some other book. [with the exception of Jane Austen’s books, because I like those a lot too. But I’ve never heard of a man who really likes her books] As I’m totally into fantasy myself, I am more easily drawn to people who read fantasy themselves then to other people. So the entire research is bullshit in that sense. And it’s not just me! I know a lot of women who feel the same way and who rather see fantasy as a turn-on than a turn-off.

Tracey Cox saying people who are attracted to fantasy-like stories have less grip on the real world is even larger bullshit. Such a statement is drenched with prejudice and obviously coming from someone who doesn’t know anything about fantasy. Like I always say: if you don’t know what you’re talking about, then shut the hell up!

The title is a beautiful quote from G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936)

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