Snippets from my Instagram account
Book porn is a thing. While not as wide-spread as food porn, among the camera-wielding, photo-oggling bibliophiles, book porn is a rising trend (I made that up. I don’t have stats to back up this claim but I stand by it anyway.)
Look up the hashtag #bookporn on Instagram and Tumblr. You will be inundated with images related to books. Just don’t bother separating the porn from book to search for “book porn” on Tumblr. Their metrics don’t take too kindly to the term “porn” even if it’s part of a phrase.
Defining Porn
Porn, as we all know, is short for pornography. And what exactly is pornography? Let me remind you with the help of Merriam-Webster:
- the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement)
- material (as books or a photograph) that depicts erotic behavior and is intended to cause sexual excitement
- the depiction of acts in a sensational manner so as to arouse a quick intense emotional reaction [the pornography of violence]
—Pornography, Merriam-Webster.com
Juxtaposing porn with books makes me uncomfortable. No matter how much I admire a book, fetishising/eroticising books is never ever on my mind! Why #bookporn yields more search results on Instagram than #booklove (as I’m writing this, 84,761 vs. 68,562) and why Google too returns more results for “book porn” as opposed to “book love” (1,060,000 vs. 658,000) is beyond me.
Love vs. Porn
Love has so many facets and there are so many different types of love that the English language completely fails to grasp. Book love has its place somewhere amidst all that love.
For the sake of comparison, here’s a relevant definition of love:
- warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion [love of the sea]
—Love, Merriam-Webster.com
Porn however, references sexual and erotic behaviour. There’s that third definition that detracts from eroticism but the example of “pornography of violence” does nothing to assuage my concerns. Porn has no place for books. Even if it does, I want no part of it because it simply conjures disturbing mental images.
Connotations of Pornography
By and large, porn carries negative connotations. (For an overview, you can refer to Milton Diamond’s outline of why porn is viewed so negatively.) Considering the negativity surrounding porn, it’s another reason not to associate books with that, even if it’s just on the basis of borrowed terminology.
Books should be positively encouraged and people should not be shamed into engaging with books in clandestine manners. Then again, #bookporn isn’t hidden away such that it has to be consumed in secret. Nonetheless, that link, however tenuous doesn’t sit well with me.
Beyond Mere Words
I belong to the camp that believes that porn encourages the objectification of women—something I am vehemently against. Words we use to describe things acknowledge their existence. Thus it is good that the term pornography exists. It defines activities within the parameters of arousing sexual excitement through particular acts. It doesn’t ignore that phenomenon.
This is why I think that book porn (technically food porn too) shouldn’t be a thing. Glorifying things via the very term that is viewed with condemnation by many detracts from its original meaning. If book porn and food porn are so readily celebrated, what will porn even mean in future anymore?
After porn has come to roll off people’s tongues so easily to signify indulgence in things that are socially acceptable, isn’t there the danger that attitudes towards pornography might shift towards more favourable opinions?
My Stand
Language and culture are after all inextricably linked, influencing and reflecting each other. As much as sexuality is part of human nature, I am wary of flippantly using a term such as porn because it describes something that I am morally opposed to. This is why I never tag my photos with #bookporn. #bookstagram, #booklove, #books, #instabooks and the likes will have to suffice for me.
How do you feel about the term book porn? Do you agree with me or do you think I’m being overly sensitive?
Confab ˈkän-ˌfab, kən-ˈ noun an informal discussion, often about a particular topic
Discussion posts are some of my favourite posts to read. New ideas get shared that way, or old ideas are revisited and given a new spin. And of course, I get to be my opinionated self as I hoist my views upon others, while pretending to be objective. Or maybe not. I do welcome alternate views and I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Great post! I’m glad you shared it again on Twitter. I haven’t seen anyone else bring up this topic, maybe because people do worry that they’re “overreacting.” Personally, I agree with you. I always feel uncomfortable when I see the terms “bookporn” or “foodporn,” and I don’t know why either books or food need to be eroticized. I also think using these terms diminishes the value of book photography or food photography as art forms.
My language teacher once said that people were the ones putting meaning into words. They make them more or less what it really means. Proper usage of a language is important but we shouldn’t box it, because it’s one of those things in life that will be evolving as long as we use it. Or so she said. Personally I don’t find the term offensive at all & neither do I use it; though I understand what you mean. Fact is people use some words too causally and interchangeably like it means the same thing when often times it’s not (e.g. lonely ≠ depressed). Language develops because of how we use it. We humans innately & firstly use it to express and sometimes forgetting the true essence of the words we use.
In my case, I find “love” stronger emotion than “lust.” Porn is just too negative for me to use (like I said I don’t mind, but still). I think how travelers use the term “wanderlust” for their desire to travel. I think lust is a better choice of word (because lust can be associated with love, too. Romantically speaking, people desire the person they love…or so I think). I’m not making any sense. ^^;
I agree. I’ve always felt uncomfortable with the use of the word porn in book porn and even food porn. It makes it sound dirty when it is far from that. It’s just something that I’ve never thought about in great detail till I read your post. I think we should as a community start promoting book love instead of porn
Thank you for sharing your feelings and opinion on this matter. I too find the term “porn” insulting and distasteful. In a world where we are so very numb, i think it’s reassuring that some people are still “sensitive” to vulgarity and filthy language.
It shows me that there is hope for us, if not all of us, then at least some of us, when it comes to trying to retain the virginity of the soul/purity of the mind.
As i myself am a recovering pornography addict, it hurts and depresses me to see how “ok” many people are with the vulgarity and disrespect of the term “porn”.
Porn relates to lust. Lust is a very dark and destructive emotion. Its an addictive force that can completely control one’s conscious mind. It is a terrible way to live. I can attest to this because i have lived that way. It was only through the grace of Christ Himself that i was saved from my sad little life.
But the effects remain. Slowly i am being healed but it has taken much time and much “giving up” of my pleasures and selfishness. I have had to let those aspects of my personality die. But they die slowly. Mostly because they feel like they are my “friends” and they gave me some sort of “identity”. I was known as the girl who would do anything with anyone…such an ilLUSTtrious title :(
Don’t be fooled or coerced into thinking they are just words. Words become ideas, ideas become actions, actions that lead to reactions.
Wow. Thank you for being so honest about your past and where you are at now.
I know speaking out as a former addict isn’t easy and to do it publicly, even when hiding behind a screen, is a scary tough thing to do.
My heart goes out to you and I wish you the very best in your healing process.
I love the post! I’ve never been comfortable with terms like bookporn or foodporn for these very reasons.
I agree, pornography is a bad thing that objectifies women. Why would I want to elevate a term like that by using it in a positive connotation with books? Why would I want to sully books by associating them with something so negative?
Words definitely have power and shape our cultural and how we individually engage with the world. I love your point at the end about how we shouldn’t be flippant with the words we use b
I have certainly used the term Food Porn before. You look at a picture of an amazing dessert that you drool over and you need to make that.
I have never looked at a book cover or someone’s stack of books and thought, I have to have that.
There are some erotica novels out there that are a book equivalent to porn. That I would consider book porn. Especially when it has no plot, just graphically described sex scenes.
I am not offended by the term, but I guess I just wouldn’t do a hashtag search for book porn unless I was looking for erotica.
Hmmm. Book porn on social media sites are basically photos/images of books. Much like food porn refers to photos/images of food, especially when presented in a particularly pleasing way. This means that the content of the books are secondary. It’s like book porn is meant to be a feast for the eyes, the way actually porn is supposed to appeal to carnal desires through visual mediums. And it’s that parallel that makes me uncomfortable.
Personally, i’m not bothered by the term – it’s up there with #carporn and #bikeporn, as a shorthand term to describe a certain way of looking at things. Carporn and bikeporn for example is used to describe films like the Fast and Furious franchise – poor story line, shit dialogue, long lingering camera pans looks over things you know are not natural but still look good, get you excited whilst watching but ultimately you know it’s worthless and meaningless…….
I suppose if you take a utilitarian view on words, then I completely understand why you’re not bothered by it too much. It’s true that, unless we ascribe meaning to words, they don’t mean anything since meaning isn’t intrinsic to them. Still, to me language is something that is alive and is a discourse of culture, which is why I’m very sensitive to particular usages of words.
I agree with you about the term book-porn. I can understand how food-porn evolved, because like sex, eating is another basic biological drive that can be taken to excess, with deleterious results. My parents used to lecture me, “Eat to live, don’t live to eat.” You can say something similar about sex- enjoy it as a part of your love life, but don’t treat it as all you live for.
Reading on the other hand, is not a basic biological drive. It’s an intellectual exercise of the imagination. And it’s so much more interesting than the passive act of letting images wash over you while you view something on a screen. Instead you imagine the scene and how it happens. Not a candidate for porn analogies in my opinion, because even though reading can become an obsession with some (and I say this having gotten my degree in English), it can’t hurt you as over-eating and sexual fetishes can.
And may I add, great discussion! I’m following you now.
It didn’t cross my mind to look at it from a biological standpoint. That’s an interesting way to look at it.
Although, when talking about “book porn”, I actually was talking about images. Often photos of books are tagged with #bookporn, which I feel isn’t very mindful of the what the term “porn” entails.
And thank you for the follow, Fiona! I hope you’ll enjoy some of my other future posts as well :)
You’ve definitely left me with something to think about considering I never really had an issue about the term before. However, now I can definitely see your point albeit knowing that a lot of people will still continue to use the phrase despite everything. I think using the word porn over love gives it more “excitement” and “amazement”, like “omg look at this book/food porn”. It creates a hype around the post.
I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment as to why people use those terms. In a world of hyper sensationalism, we constantly look for ways to create a greater impact. Sad thing is, in that process, our senses are dulled due to overstimulation, such that things that excited us in the past no longer wow us today. All the more then am I wary of “book/food porn” because in my opinion, it trivializes the meaning of porn itself.
Honestly, I don’t mind.. I think it’s great books get more attention and whether people talk about ‘book love’ or ‘book porn’ I couldn’t care less. The whole porn part is only because people are *drooling* over the gorgeous covers, so to me, it sort of make sense. I also don’t have a bad/negative feeling when I think about the word, so perhaps that’s it :)
Haha. Yeah, I guess personal views on porn do come into play in terms of how one might feel about the terms “food porn” and “book porn”. I’m generally particular about words though, so even if I’m not offended by the use of a particular term, it still agitates me when wrong terms are used (e.g. using “bemused” to mean “amused”, even though it means “confused”) Just one of my quirks, I guess.
Since porn and trafficking are two very different things, I hesitate to conflate the two. If the term was “book trafficking” that would be different. Also, I don’t think anyone is looking at book- or food-porn in an erotic way. Mostly it’s about visually pleasing images, much like pornography is all images.
I also think it would be a good thing if society’s perception of pornography turned toward favorable. That way we could regulate it better, there wouldn’t be a stigma towards sex workers (which would lead to better work conditions which is what I expect you want since you’re against the trafficking and exploitation of women), and we’d be better able to discern trafficking with consensual sex workers.
Anyway, this was a really interesting discussion! I love seeing posts like this around the blogosphere that bring in other parts of our bookish communities.
You’re right. Porn and sex trafficking are two different things. Yet so are porn and sex. Just as prostitution is yet another matter. Though all of these are related.
As much as I agree with Miranda’s comment about how she thinks there needs to be greater openness towards sex, I don’t think porn is the way to go. A lot of porn objectifies women, oppresses women, glorifies male dominance and perpetuates distorted images of sex. That’s why I’m not ok with trivial uses of the term “porn” in relation with food, books or anything else along those lines.
Although, yes, there do need to be greater protections in place for sex workers.
I’m totally with you. I’ve read articles from many women in porn that say they were forced into it, lied, beaten, raped, and manipulated by porn and the industry. I don’t use the term “book porn” because it’s a serious topic that needs to be discussed and not celebrated. If someone used the term “book rape” I would be so uncomfortable and really pissed off because it’s not a subject that should be taken lightly.
I understand that there are women in the porn industry that do enjoy it and they are liberating themselves and I’m not going to stop them, but for the women that were brought into porn and manipulated and lied it, I prefer not to use the term.
#booklove needs to become a thing. And fast.
It’s really sad when you think about all these women who are forced into the industry and also the resultant negative impact it can have on the perception of women and sexuality. And you’re right. The mere idea of “book rape” makes me shudder. I’ve heard people use the term “rape” for completely unrelated things in a positive manner and it made me rather uncomfortable. Some words just shouldn’t be trivialised, in my opinion.
I’ve always thought the term food porn is a bit weird, as it has nothing to do with porn. I didn’t even realize there’s such a thing as book porn, that might be because I don’t use Instagram.
Yeah, the first time I heard the term “food porn” I didn’t know what to make of it either. And yup, the term “book porn” has caught on as well; not just on Instagram either. It also can be found on other social networking sites like Tumblr.
Wow. I never thought of it like that. #booklove all the way! Thanks for this great post!!
Yay to #booklove! <3 Glad my post expanded your horizon a little bit ;)
I was also pretty uncomfortable with porn and how it’s used with books and food. It just sounds so wrong, because here’s a word normally treated with disgust, and then turning it into bookporn and foodporn makes it sound so mild. Because, well, the photos are mild. But there’s a bad connotation the word porn, and I think that it should stay that way. And mashing it up with books and food is just so wrong.
The first time I heard the term “food porn” I was flabbergasted. I thought it was weird that anyone would say that but nowadays it seems to be pretty much the norm. Some people refer to eating great food as orgasmic experiences, which is something I wouldn’t do. On one hand, it portrays greater openness towards sex (which I think is good) but at the same time it trivialises the negative aspects of porn. That’s why I agree with you that “mashing it up with books and food is just so wrong.”
Hmm this is very, very interesting. I agree with you but I also happen to agree with Miranda as well which I know doesn’t sound possible! The thing is, the term “book porn” makes me very uncomfortable. You’re absolutely right, porn does have negative connotations and though I don’t believe it’s necessarily BAD, attaching that word with book or food makes me uncomfortable. I don’t use it but I don’t mind when others do. I know it’s just a personal preference so I do understand what Miranda is saying about how it’s all in good fun and supposed to be good natured. I get that. I just don’t want to take part in using it.
And just a random thought, maybe a little relevant but in the same vein how porn is used in this context, I hate when people say grammar nazi! That, to me, is not okay whatsoever. I get the meaning. I get that it’s not supposed to be offensive. But I hate it and I feel like it’s really insensitive to use the term “Nazi” so trivially.
Lol. It is possible to agree and disagree with her. I agree with her that sex shouldn’t be viewed negatively and that open discourse for sex can only be a good thing. At the same time, I don’t think porn is the way to go because of the treatment of women in porn, both in the production and the distribution of it. It also perpetuates warped views on sexuality and human bodies, holding them to aesthetic standards that are impossible to achieve (though the warped aesthetics of bodies also spills over to advertising etc, so hmmm…), so while some porn might defy these questionable ethics, a lot of it doesn’t.
Funny you should bring up “grammar nazi” because that’s another term I so throughly despise. I’m such a stickler for language, that I’ve been called that many times over. Even worse when people who called me that burst out laughing afterwards, thinking it’s such a clever pun to call a German a grammar nazi. It’s not funny. I think it’s downright offensive. I usually try to shrug it off though because there rarely is any malice intended but it still bothers me too.
Hmm. I totally get where you’re coming from, but personally I disagree. I think that people who have a problem with “book porn” or “food porn” are maybe being a tiny bit too sensitive. It’s just a fun phrase that doesn’t really mean anything — like, people look at book porn because they’re obsessed with books so much that it’s almost an erotic experience. I think that’s kind of funny, and might actually be an appropriate way of describing some people’s love for books, haha.
You make a good point that a lot of porn objectifies women…but I also think that porn in general doesn’t strive to serve that purpose. Some porn is bad, but not all porn is bad. I actually think that porn, in general, is a good thing. People should take part in it in they want! So what you’re saying here: “isn’t there the danger that attitudes towards pornography might shift towards more favourable opinions?” is, to me, a little confusing, haha. Because I think that porn actually SHOULD get more favorable opinions. It’s a sign that we’re growing as a society and becoming more open about sex. Because there’s nothing wrong with reading a book or watching a video that turns you on and is meant for that purpose. And the less we associate it with objectifying women and the more we associate it with sexual freedom, the better! And using the word “porn” to describe other, not-bad things is a great way to emphasize that it isn’t something to wrinkle your nose at.
But I know that there are people out there who don’t agree with me that porn is a good thing (and not ALL porn is, clearly), so I guess whether or not you like the phrase “book porn” totally depends on whether your view of pornography is inherently positive or negative, and what you want society’s view of it to be.
This is such a great post, though! Gave me lots to think about :) Thanks for sharing your opinion!
Haha. I’m quite a stickler when it comes to words in general. I get agitated when people use words with the wrong meanings, like using “bemused” when really they mean “amused” and stuff like that.
I agree with you about the need for openness about sex. Sex is a natural part of humanity and shouldn’t be undermined as something to fear or as something evil. However, I don’t think that porn is the way to go. There needs to be open discourse and proper education on it, whereas porn tends to distort the reality of human sexuality and can have very negative impacts on the sexual wellbeing especially of youths who are exposed to it at younger and younger ages (some kids are as young as 11, which at that point might very well be their very first encounter with sex).
And as much as some women do feel empowered through working in the porn industry, a lot of them don’t. Female oppression also stems a lot from the portrayal of male dominance that forces women (who become mere sexual objects) into submission, at the same time perpetuating the image that men should have the claim to sex, thus subverting women’s agencies.
On a side note, porn is illegal in many parts of Asia and Africa and over the recent years some countries in Europe seriously considered banning porn. Then there are regions that don’t outrightly ban it but do restrict is. Of course, there are countries like the USA where porn is perfectly legal. Still, porn is highly contested, which is why I don’t think it should be reduced to casual use in relation to things that have nothing to do with it.
Nonetheless, you’re right. Personal, cultural, religious, societal views etc do matter as well in determining whether one’s views on porn are positive, negative or neutral.
I’m the same as you. #bookporn and #foodporn has always made me uncomfortable. It seems like users of those hashtags don’t fully realise the meaning of what they’re saying. Excellent post :)
Either that, or they simply view words as words, where associations don’t matter to them. Much like how some people are comfortable with swearing while others are not…