I am a poser.

By society’s standards of what a true fan is supposed to be, I am a cheap cardboard imitation, trying hard to act enthused as others passionately talk about the latest “Grey’s Anatomy” season.

I have yet to decide if I am an anomaly.  

I was in elementary school when my best friend at the time lived and breathed “Twilight.”

I tried so hard to share her passion—I wanted to love it. I read the first book, watched a few of the movies and moved on with my life.

I enjoyed them, don’t get me wrong. That whole tortured vampire thing. But I recognized there was a difference in the way I appreciated it as a movie and book, and the way my friend fell asleep staring at Edward Cullen’s poster every night.

Growing up, I was faced with much of the same problem. People would ask me what kind of music I listened to. My answer was an awkward ramble of 15 different artists who had no correlation to one another. Some of them I only liked for one song.

I just can’t get attached.

I hear people all the time get belligerently angry when they see someone wearing a band t-shirt they don’t feel deserves to.

“They probably couldn’t name five songs!”

I see things on Facebook all time about people shaming others for acting as “posers.” It’s as if you have to be completely infatuated with something to say you like it. It’s as if you need to know every single song created by Nirvana to say you like the band.  

I don’t see why we need to shame other people just to feel a little personal validation.

Because if we are being honest with ourselves, everyone has been on the receiving end of this type of talk. We perpetuate it by turning around and doing the same thing to someone else just to feel better about ourselves.

It’s no different than when my sister and I separated the room we shared with a line of duct tape. We want to divide ourselves up into sections and we hate for ‘those people’ to cross into our territory.

As someone who is a scattered compilation of many interests, we need to allow people to be what they are and like what they like.

We shouldn’t be surprised when a cheerleader listens to screamo. We shouldn’t be shocked when someone wearing all black likes to knit while watching “Downton Abbey.”

Hobbies, art and music are created to be appreciated.

Who are you to choose who is allowed to appreciate it?