"I'm going to go grab some paper towels and then we can go." My mom says as she pushes the shopping cart to the back part of the store.
"Okay, I'm just gonna look at the books."
Ever since I was young I loved fiction. At my youngest I was more of a book collector than a reader, but as I matured I tried getting my hands on as many novels as I could.
My eyes dance over the assortment of books on the shelves, all different shapes, sizes, colors. With covers containing golden embossed titles, to mass market paperbacks that possess "Now A Major Motion Picture" stickers in the bottom right corner. I do not stop gazing until a specific cover catches my eye. I suddenly hear some old woman in my head saying "Don't judge a book by its cover." I pull out my iPhone and start typing feverishly about how that phrase just rubs me the wrong way.
I understand that you should never judge someone or something by its appearance because that can only convey so much, but coming from an actor's perspective where your image is very important I have shifted my thoughts on such a idea.
Take this book that grabbed my attention, it is medium in size, both in thickness and in height. The title of the story is all in capital letters, dense font, and the color red, contrasting to the forrest and lake scene in the background. It made me want to know more. Compared to the book to its left, which has a solid red background with thin letters labeling the novel.
Some would say that I am shallow for picking one book over another because of its cover, but it is how the human mind works. Your eye is naturally more drawn to something more attractive than a plain red background.
That publisher hired a graphic designer to construct that cover and it is their job to entice you to pick up the book. Yes, the title, or the author's name might also be a deciding factor, but a lot of the time people will just look at the front and decide if it is worth their time even reading the synopsis.
As an actor I have been taught that presentation is very important. How you present yourself, with what you wear, how you speak, how you act towards others, is just as important as your talent. Some would say it's even more important.
Present yourself the way you wish to be perceived and you will never have to worry about people misconstruing your identity.
So I say that in theory, yes you shouldn't "judge a book by its cover." But if the designer did their job right, you wouldn't have to worry about that.
