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BookTok is a dynamic and rapidly growing community on TikTok dedicated to all things literature. This vibrant platform allows users to create and share short videos that showcase book recommendations, reviews, reading challenges, and discussions about literary themes. With its engaging format, BookTok has become a powerful influencer in the publishing world, driving significant sales and sparking renewed interest in various genres. 

BookTok and Tropes

One of the defining features of BookTok is its emphasis on popular literary tropes. Users frequently highlight recurring themes, such as enemies-to-lovers, love triangles and found family, often reducing complex narratives to their most basic components. Business Insider has talked about how the format of TikTok has led to this result. “The focus on tropes has to do with the short nature of videos on TikTok… With one-to-three-minute videos, creators have mere seconds to capture the attention of a viewer and condense the plot of a book. Tropes make the task easier.” 

The problem is that this focus on tropes can lead to an oversimplification of literature, boiling a book down to its most basic points. As Isabella Madruga said in her article “How can reading make you dumber? BookTok makes that possible.” “…it’s like if someone took The Great Gatsby and marketed it with the tropes ‘pining,’ ‘exes to lovers’ and ‘love triangle,’ and ignored the themes of social class, cynicism toward the American Dream and glamorization of certain problematic/abusive themes.” 

While familiar tropes can enhance the reading experience by providing comfort and predictability, this reductionist approach can also detract from the richness of a story. It risks overshadowing nuanced character development, intricate plots and the deeper themes that make literature so compelling.

But that’s not the only problem found in the land of BookTok. Additionally, the focus on easily digestible content can create unrealistic expectations for readers. Many books that deviate from popular formulas may be overlooked. This could result in a  lack of diversity in reading choices. This narrow focus can stifle exposure to different voices and genres, ultimately limiting readers’ literary horizons.

The Positive Impact on Reading Culture

Personally, I have read a fairshare of books I found from TikTok. Whether it be a nonfiction book about the Donner Party or a “trope-centric” romance novel, BookTok has reinvigorated my love of reading. In this way, BookTok has played a crucial role in making reading more approachable and accessible. By creating a vibrant community where users share recommendations and discuss their favorite books, it has fostered a culture of enthusiasm around literature. 

When I was younger a book was always in my hand and to be able to return to even half the enthusiasm I used to have for books is so refreshing. In a lot of ways, reengaging with books and bookish culture has felt like coming home and I don’t know that it would have had happened without BookTok. 

BookTok and the Publishing Industry 

It has become obvious that people are buying books more than ever in no small part due to BookTok (though it is perhaps another question to ask if they are reading more than ever). According to The Week, BookTok contributed to the sale of 20 million print books by adult fiction writers in 2021. By mid-2022, sales in the genre had risen by another 50 percent. This phenomenon illustrates how social media can impact cultural consumption. As more readers discover titles through trending hashtags and relatable content, authors and publishers are keenly aware of the potential for viral success. This not only benefits established authors but also provides a platform for new voices, diversifying the literary landscape. In addition, authors and publishers are increasingly using tropes as a marketing tool to sell books by making new releases feel familiar to readers. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, I can neither fully endorse nor fully scorn the BookTok community. BookTok represents a transformative force in the literary world, bridging the gap between readers and books in innovative ways. While its emphasis on popular tropes can lead to oversimplification and limit exposure to diverse narratives, it undeniably fosters a vibrant community that reignites passion for reading.

If your TikTok “For You” page is anything like mine, chances are you have seen plenty of TikTokers complaining about preteens at their local beauty store. These “Sephora kids” have taken to popular brands like Drunk Elephant, a company known for their (rather expensive) skincare products. These children have been accused of making a mess, disrupting other customers and creating dangerous skincare “smoothies.” But how much of this is kids just being kids? Who should we point the finger at: Gen-Alpha, their parents or society as a whole? For the first time, we are forced to consider who should be using skincare and how. 

Many TikTokers have turned the blame onto the parents. However, while parenting is definitely a huge factor in kids’ behavior, this seems to be indicative of a larger problem. It’s no surprise that society has often made young girls and women feel somehow lesser than, a trend which has only been made worse with the rise of social media. But 10-year-olds buying anti-aging products seems to be a new low. The reality is that kids nowadays have access to the world much earlier than any generation before them. With this freedom comes the pressure to fit in, which means they feel the need to have the newest products, amazing skin and the perfect skincare routine. 

Not only is this societal pressure bad for young kids’ self-esteem, but dermatologists are warning it is also bad for their skin. Dr. Brooke Jeffy discussed an 11-year-old patient who experienced a pronounced rash around her eyes due to retinol, an anti-aging ingredient. “This rash had been going on for so long and was so intense, it’s probably going to take at least a month, if not more, to totally resolve,” Jeffy says. “All for trying to use an anti-aging product that she doesn’t need.”

Jeffy and other dermatologists have shown us that using these products is not harmless fun, it is detrimental to their health. 

It’s not new for kids to want the hottest product. It’s not new for kids to want to be like the older teens and adults they see, but this has been taken to a whole new level. Some online users have defended the pre-teens, arguing that skin care is a practice of self-love, something we should be encouraging. Skincare routines can be a wonderful way to take a few moments for yourself and feel refreshed and ready for the day. However, it’s important that the products we use are appropriate for our skin and that our desire to use them comes from a place of self-love. For both the “Sephora kids” and the adults reading this, skincare should not be about the newest product. Make skin care an act of self love by focusing on spending a few minutes with yourself, keeping your skin healthy and clean, and becoming the best version of yourself, not copying an influencer or celebrity.

In the last 10 years or so, the journalism industry has had a 25% decrease in the number of jobs available. In the next 10 years, jobs will likely decrease by another 9%. 

And though online readership has increased, this is still not enough to offset the sharp decline in print readership. Furthermore, younger generations increasingly use social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Twitter in order to get their daily news. 

Some of the difficulties The Hilltop Monitor faces now are reflective of these broader problems in the journalism industry. The past two years have seen a decrease in readership for The Hilltop Monitor and a decrease in the volume of articles published each issue. There is less incentive for students to write involved articles on a weekly basis when information and gossip can be easily shared in a quick YikYak. And reading these posts takes almost no effort at all – all the more convenient for the bogged-down college student trying to make it through undergraduate classes. 

But if this past year as Chief Editor has shown me anything, it’s that local news coverage – and in particular, coverage of campus events – is crucial to the development of a good college community. William Jewell College is undergoing a great deal of change. A sizable chunk of the faculty has retired or will retire soon. New programs and minors such as the Faith and Culture Center and the ancient Mediterranean studies minor respectively are being added next year. The institution is committing itself to values of radical inclusivity, diversity, access, and equity. The administration has ambitious plans for the College moving forward – they are attempting to increase the size of the student body and provide highest quality education and highest access to that education. 

And while social media sites like TikTok and YikYak are useful for getting bite-sized morsels of information, they are by nature inadequate for giving a comprehensive account of the changes at Jewell. Thus, the importance of student journalism cannot be understated. Student journalists are tasked with investigating and reporting on those issues which are most pertinent to the members of the community (and to prospective students who want information on the culture and programs of the College). 

More than keeping the community informed about important changes, student journalism itself keeps the institution accountable throughout its ongoing metamorphosis. For example, this year The Hilltop Monitor has covered an ongoing, institutional conversation concerning the nature and value of student and faculty academic freedom. Where information on this conversation was often difficult to obtain or difficult to wrap one’s head around, The Hilltop Monitor’s staff worked tirelessly to disseminate key points to the community. 

My time as Chief Editor is almost complete. I am grateful to my wonderful staff for writing substantive and well-researched stories on all sorts of subjects. I know that the staff will continue to do excellent work. And you, dear reader, are encouraged to participate in student journalism – whether as a reader or a member of the writing staff. In doing so, you will contribute to the proper development of Jewell as an institution. 

Studies such as those done by media marketing company Nielsen have made it apparent that social media has no doubt allowed for significant expansion of access to information. This access allows people to connect with some of their more niche hobbies. Not only are these sports becoming more popular but it also attracts more growth strategies such as more sponsorships. 

TikTok has been a successful conduit for this access to information. People will become interested in topics they have never heard of before because the algorithm just happened to show them a video on the subject. There have been two major revelations from TikTok regarding niche sports. The first is that there are sports that I have never heard of, like Professional Face Slapping. The second is the significant expansion of previously niche sports, like Esports. 

Face slapping, originating in Russia, involves two competitors taking turns slapping each other across the face until one person surrenders or is knocked out. While the sport has generated controversy due to its violent nature, it has also gained a loyal following online and now has its own world championship event.

Esports, or competitive video gaming, has exploded in popularity in recent years. Millions of people tune in to watch professional gamers compete in games like League of Legends, Fortnite and Dota 2. Esports has become a legitimate industry, with tournaments offering millions of dollars in prize money. Professional teams and players can even find sponsorship deals with major brands.

Niche sports also serve as a way to preserve traditions and history. For example, jousting, rooted in medieval times, may seem like a relic of the past. However, jousting is still alive and well today thanks to a dedicated community of enthusiasts who compete in tournaments around the world.

In the end, niche sports remind us of the limitless potential of human creativity and ingenuity. They allow us to push the boundaries of what we believe is possible and inspire us to discover new worlds and experiences. So, the next time you are looking for something new and exciting, consider trying a niche sport – you never know what you might discover.