All the books you've never read

I had an argument in the pub about Harry Potter the other day that reminded me of this thread. If you can get a kid, or an adult for that matter, reading for pleasure, then they are further ahead than the posers who, when asked which books they like, list off the same fashionable, 'literary', sub-undergraduate authors with cool covers as all their mates that they never actually read but which they think that having on their shelves will make art-school girls want to do them.

At least the people reading harry potter books are enjoying them.

I'm not sure I agree. Dan Brown readers are clearly an exception. Not all reading is good.

Your argument hardly differs from stating that "even if people read the Daily Mail every day, that is far more desirable than someone who purchases [insert intelligentzia 'zine here] just to attract a mate but yet never opens it and couldn't comprehend it".

Surely damage is done to the ones who read the Daily Mail, whilst no damage save for embarrassment befalls those who haven't read something worth reading? The smart girl will see through the dumb boy, but who is helping the swarm of buffoons who actually think that Dan Brown has a point? Care in the community should start by not encouraging this type of thing. The dumbing down isn't worth it you know, there's a point at which "reading at any cost" isn't actually a good thing.