Most of my snobbery is of the intellectual variety, not the socio-economic. But still, it’s there. Since I was a teenager I tended to look down my nose at mainstream fiction and pop-culture. I was suspicious of anything enjoyed by “the masses.”
Which meant I missed out on a lot of good stuff. Like the entire Harry Potter series as it was being released, for instance. Gah!
Why? Fear.
I’m pretty sure that’s all snobbery actually is — just a fancy form of fear. If we partake in something that might be seen a silly, frivolous or low class, we’re afraid we’ll be judged harshly by those even snobbier (and more afraid) than we are.
But truly, I can’t think of a single instance where my snobbery has served me well (beyond maybe saving me from food poisoning, but food snobbery is something else altogether — that’s called having standards).
Every time I step beyond my own snobbish attitudes, I’m rewarded with fun new experiences and friends.
So, to hell with snobbery. I’ve decided that my middle years will be devoted to experiencing things I’ve always tried to avoid – like genre fiction. (Last year I tried zip-lining and it was AWESOME.)
Speaking of Harry Potter, for the new season of the Mommy’s Pen podcast, we’re going to analyze the story structure of all seven books! The first episode is already available.