The True Issue with BookTok: Critical Thinking, Rapid Consumption, and Superficial Morality

BookTok isn’t ruining reading—we are. 🌲 instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dylanjosephwrites 🪵 my substack: https://www.soitgoeslit.substack.com 🏔️ preorder my debut novel: https://www.dylanjosephwrites.com 🦦 patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nolongerstrangers 🦦 business inquiries: dylan.joseph@thestation.io This isn’t a “BookTok bad” video or another white guy complaining about ACOTAR. It’s about what we’ve turned reading *into* online. Somewhere between the five-star sobbing videos and the “read 150 books this year” challenges, we stopped actually sitting with the stories. This video is me trying to figure out why. I talk about: – how feeling replaced thinking – why speed reading and surface-level reviews don’t mean you understood the book – why we copy each other’s opinions instead of forming our own – and how reading has become a moral performance instead of a personal experience. It’s not about blaming BookTok — it’s about taking a step back and asking if we’re still reading for ourselves anymore. If you’ve ever finished a book and immediately opened Goodreads instead of just… thinking about it, this one’s for you. Chapters 0:00-1:56 Intro 1:57-2:26 The Topics 2:27-7:49 The Death of Critical Thinking 7:50-13:54 Rapid Consumption Over Reflection 13:55-16:47 Nobody's Opinion is Their Own Anymore 16:48-21:48 Algorithmic Morality 21:49-22:26 Parasocial Relationships with Books 22:27-23:57 The Quality of Literature 23:58-26:01 How to Fix Booktok 🦦 About me: I'm Dylan. I read sad books (and sometimes happy ones) and try to make sense of what it means to be a reader in the digital age. I make vlogs and video essays about literature, internet culture (i.e: booktok), and mental health through the lens of someone deeply ingrained in them. I never shy away from bringing up tough topics and holding people (and myself) accountable, but this will always be the place for thoughtful discussion (just keep it cute). #booktok #readingculture #booktube #videoessay #bookdiscussion