Interesting perspective! I do agree with you on many points. Seriously, it is so irritating that the market is saturated by "writers" who don't take writing seriously, or even write their own stuff. How wild is that?

However, I think we just need to read things that genuinely interest us. Sadly, some people are interested in people because they are popular. Including me sometimes! That's not wrong or inferior, I don't think. We can always take something away from another person's story, even if it is cultural criticism and understanding.

I'm interested in the Billie Eilish book, and I'm curious about why it did so poorly. Her career absolutely exploded in the last two years, and from what I know of her, she seems like a positive influence for young people with mental illness. Someone also mentioned the book by Emma Ratajkowski, which I also agree is worth diving into.

That being said, I'm a pop culture critic so of course these books interest me. Thanks for the thought provoking piece! It's obviously a complex issue.