She totally ruined it for me
You must live in a box if you don’t know novelist J.G. Ballard died a little over a week ago. I never read anything by him and probably never will. This has nothing to do with his reputation as a writer, which from what I read is pretty good. It has a little bit to do with I don’t want to be that person who suddenly deems someone worthy of their time only after they have passed.
No, I won’t read J.G. Ballard because a woman I disdain liked Ballard. This woman, whom I affectionately call Bitchface, tainted the novelist with her endorsement. Now he is inextricably linked with her and therefore something I do not like.
It’s totally crazy, and I realize that. But somehow I cannot separate the art from the patron (so to speak). I keep trying to wrack my brain for other examples of this phenomena, where I’ve attached an unrelated person to a song/artist/author in a negative way. I can’t seem to think of any right now that aren’t romantic in nature (e.g. The Outlaw and that silly Paulo Cohelo parable/allegory/whatnot about following your dreams that I can never remember the name of).
So I’m wondering if my disdain for Bitchface is wholly unique in it’s tainting ability, or is this something all people do?
UH
April 27th 2009 - 9:59pm
My wife won’t drive a Toyota because an ex-girlfriend of mine drove them exclusively.
I guess that’s sort of similar.
Jodi
April 27th 2009 - 10:00pm
That’s totally the same thing. And awesome.
christa
April 27th 2009 - 10:51pm
in case you were wondering, i’m the one searching your archives for bitchface. there is so much i’ve missed!
shokkou
April 28th 2009 - 7:04am
PWNED! Bitchface has a lot of power over you if she can dictate what you will or will not read. Just sayin…
Barrett
April 28th 2009 - 8:31am
For a very similar reason, I have never read, nor will I ever read, Geek Love by Katherine Dunn.
bakiwop
April 28th 2009 - 8:53am
i haven’t read anything by ayn rand because most every person i’ve come across that uses one of her books in support of one of their political/economic positions seems to be a big meanie poopie head.
Jodi
April 28th 2009 - 9:01am
I have generally found that people who claim Ayn Rand as their all-time fave terrify me.
Zook
April 28th 2009 - 9:17am
I don’t know about the other stuff but I CAN tell you that your disdain for Bitchface is not wholly unique because I won’t even use the letters in her name when I write.
jags
April 28th 2009 - 10:41am
Although a decent writer, Ayn Rand’s fans seem to have a sophmoric fanaticism for her that is supposed to symbolize their hipness?–kind of like Jack Kerouac fans
Jodi
April 28th 2009 - 10:47am
Whenever someone says Jack Kerouac is their fave, I automatically think they haven’t read a book since college.
Barrett
April 28th 2009 - 10:58am
Same here. I’m like: Kerouac? What are you, 17?
I wanted to love Kerouac when I was a young man. I wanted to so bad. But I just couldn’t do it, because it just isn’t good.
Lori
April 28th 2009 - 6:44pm
Totally something I do. Often.