Reply #11: I've been there. [View All]

I've read a lot of Thomas Pynchon, and have been called pretentious for it. I try to explain that, although it's difficult to read, the language is just so beautiful and fun to get lost in. Amazing stuff. I just don't get that kind of satisfaction with pop authors.

I always come to the conclusion that we will all be dead and forgotten someday, so just find what you like and stick to it, explore it. If you know you're going to hate the next Ann Rice novel or Staind (sp? hehe...) album, don't buy it. Don't even borrow it.

There's so much good, accessible music and literature from the last couple centuries (at least). If you're a curious enough person, you'll search out what you like. Since we have such a great perspective on the popular culture we live in, is that we know "intuitively" what's crap and what's not. I don't think that's a pretentious stance to take.