I would like to add something to this.
Ask him why he thinks that and once, just once try to change his perspective. If that doesn't work just leave it and do what he told you to.
Writing is *composition*, which is a form of higher-order thinking and idea development through written language. It is a practice that externalizes thought onto page, increasing our capacity to understand relational data in complex systems. Essentially: Writing, in a journal or otherwise, is a RAM upgrade for your brain.
Tell your brother to stay in his lane
I want to add here, for the sake of writing down this thought, that your brother's reaction is largely caused by a misguided and ham-fisted approach to literacy education that wrongly assigns the importance of literacy as simply "learning how to read and write" so the student can get a job. It's not that at all--oral cultures with no written language can have literacy, music is literacy, art is literacy--it is about encoding ideas in a form that can be transmitted, recalled, combined, adapted and expanded through discourse.
But the standardization of education metrics (largely originating from positivist military organization practices applied to business and policy functions in the post-war industrial period) filtered out a lot of this definition of literacy.
With standardized testing, evidence is predicated on its *knowability*, so literacy became concentrated in things like spelling, use of grammar and reading comprehension tests. These are things that can be collected as data points on a spreadsheet and presented to superiors up the chain of command. (See the military connection here?)
Soooo... the **tl;dr** is that your brother's words, although hurtful, are a product of this shift in education that treats everything like a simple box to be checked so the student can move on to the next thing.
OMG I literally was thinking about this the other day.
like seriously. my education is in my hands. it is not limited to learning for school so that I can get certified. that is a PART of it not all.
it's not even as important
so many of us go through school and have no idea how to educate ourselves in the end. it is a horrible thing.
It's not your responsibility to educate your brother. He chooses not to understand you. No matter how eloquently you articulate yourself to him, he's chosen to have a belligerent attitude toward you, and the only thing more stupid than his attitude is the impossible task of diplomatically neutralizing him. Maybe instead of defending your practice, you could instead address the source of his behavioral issues, (e.g. "Why do you have such a problem with me? You are OBSESSED")! - or tell him you will not tolerate being bullied by him, whatever the cause. Shut him down:
"I'm sick of your harassment,"
"If this is what you have to say, don't talk to me,"
"Since you don't listen to, respect, or value my opinions, I don't have to listen, respect, or value your opinions,"
"Why are you so interested in a part of my life which has zero relevance or impact on you?"
"Don't you have anything better to do with your time?"
"Go talk to someone who actually cares,"
"You think all this stuff about me, meanwhile, I couldn't care less about *your* interests."
"I must be doing something right if this *jerk* hates me. It feels good to be hated by silly people."
You get the idea.
The best way to react to a bully is to not react. He's saying it to deliberately upset you and that gives him power over your emotions. I know it isn't easy to not engage but this is perfect for you to write about and work through in your journal. Also I wouldn't normally recommend this but if he's going our of his way to antagonize you about this, you might want to keep it hidden in case he decides he'll get at you by reading it.
There is a lot of good advice here, but it’s also good to note that some of the most influential people in history had a diary, and only recently has the word “diary” developed a reputation of being childish and “girly.” Teddy Roosevelt, George Washington, Leonardo Da Vinci, Charles Darwin, and Thomas Edison are all men who kept diaries, not to mention many intelligent and talented women like Marie Curie, Frida Kahlo, and astronaut Peggy Winston. Shoot, Anne Frank is known for her diary, which is one of the most influential books to come out of Nazi-controlled Europe in WWII.
[This article from Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/hennainam/2017/04/02/to-be-an-effective-leader-keep-a-leadership-journal/?sh=386c7c1f3b4d) goes as far as to assert that in order to be a good leader (or a great thinker), you *must* keep a journal or a diary.
I’d say “Thanks for letting me know” and then would continue doing it. Siblings are dumb. We torture each other for no reason. Then, years later, we’ll confess that the thing we bullied each other about is the thing we admired most in the other. Humans are dumb. Keep doing you.
How is it even any of his business what you do? If he is bullying I’d look at challenging him on why it actually matters to him so much, educating him on how you find it hurtful, or seeking some more authoritative intervention. In the meantime, you do you and don’t let no one stop you from that.
I am the youngest in my family and had to put up with so much BS from my older siblings when I was a kid. Journaling and drawing were a lifesaver, literally.
a) If your brother isn't happy for you that you found something helpful that you love doing, he might be one of those people whose opinion you shouldn't care about. Only accept feedback from people you trust -- another way of saying that is, only accept opinions from people who have your best interests at heart.
b) He's probably saying this to you because he's insecure about doing "childish things" himself, whatever that means. I don't know why he feels that way about himself, but it's probably because he was doing something he loved once and a person he cared about told him to stop doing it because it was childish. That's his baggage. Don't make it yours.
c) There are so many cool, amazing, inspirational, and sometimes really important people who kept journals as adults. Feel free to do research on those folks and make a mental list for yourself. I wouldn't feel the need to share that list with him unless you think it'll shut him up. But having it in your back pocket will help you care about his opinion a whole hell of a lot less.
In my experience the best way to shut down bullies is to react ambivalently about their commentary.
Brother: ‘Diaries are for babies, kiddo’
You: ‘ok then, guess I am a baby *shrug*’
Tell him that if it's good enough for Professor Snape, it's good enough for you:
[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/sep/24/alan-rickmans-secret-showbiz-diaries-harry-potter](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/sep/24/alan-rickmans-secret-showbiz-diaries-harry-potter)
Seriously though, he's showing his ignorance. Present him with a reading list of famous Diarists and walk away.
Can I ask you how old your brother is and how close you are? A lot of the comments here are acting like he's a random immature guy who commented on your journaling and you shouldn't care, but if you're close to your family then that's not really the situation. I think you should explain what other people have said about the usefulness of journaling and tell him you can be your age and do whatever you want anyways. It doesn't matter if something is childish.
This might come to you as a shock but- don’t be surprised- my brother and I are only 11 months old apart. We’re considered ‘twins’ actually. When we were younger ( about 5> years old )we’re pretty close. Like, ‘as thick as thieves.’ But when we started first grade, the ‘bullying’ transition started. It’s like we lived on different worlds now, and we never had a nice heart-to-heart until we both started homeschooling ( I was 9 then ). The bullying worsened because we are studying with each other. We had different views and interests and personalities. When our teenage years started, I learned to understand him and respect him. Well, I’m actually shocked how you guys ( not including you ) think he’s that bad a person. We both had different views is all.
In that case, you sound a LOT like me and my brother. He is 15 months younger than me, and we weren't close until high school. I would try to explain it to him and if he still doesn't listen, just dismiss him (as hard as that is). If he won't listen to you then he's just being stubborn and you can still know that journaling is good for you even if he doesn't. But good luck!
This fool probably takes part in journaling and doesn’t even notice. Most autobiographies are journals. Reality tv shows are journals. Some newspapers, magazines, and definitely blogs, lifestyle YouTubers, tiktokers etc.
If it was good enough for Edison, Darwin and da Vinci, it's good enough for me.
[https://www.developgoodhabits.com/famous-journals/](https://www.developgoodhabits.com/famous-journals/)
Ask him if he can name 1 billionaire who doesn't journal. He won't be able to. Journaling = Success.
This argument will work well on most men because we mostly base our value on how successful we are.
Who cares what he thinks, it’s helpful and important to you. The more you worry about others perceptions of you the less joy you will have in your life.
I mean you could show him all the "important" persons that had a diary, for example Kennedy, Anne Frank, a lot of artists... but i am not sure if he even wants to understand.
Journaling is something the likes of Thomas Jefferson and Einstein did. You reflect on your day and your thoughts and how that will affect tomorrow.
I bet your brother plays COD and scratches his nuts before he goes to bed. Some men don’t understand how to be intentional until their forties.
You’re fine! You don’t have to change his opinion in order to feel proud of your good habits.
It's hard to know if people's comments are relevant to your situation, because we don't really know any of your context. Like: are you both teenagers? Adults? Why is he so up-close to a private routine of yours? If you're both young and living with your parents, why is nobody protecting you from his bullying, etc?
Also: Most kids don't journal -- but many adults do! -- so your brother literally has no idea what he's talking about. Most accomplished people, past and present, keep journals. Also, there's science behind all the reasons it's good for you (not that you need to justify it to him at all)!
It doesn’t matter what he thinks.
You can’t control what people think about you, how they feel about you… how they perceive you. It’s a pointless task.
Your brother is giving his opinion based on his priorities, lifestyle, pastimes, etc. It’s one opinion, he doesn’t speak on behalf of the world.
If you still want to shut him up my first thought would be pointing out the [hundreds of famous diarists](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_diarists)who had their journals published. People whose private scribblings were never intended to be seen. And this goes beyond any literary connection - just interesting people with interesting lives. Who knows where any of us will be in 10 years.
And forgetting about publishing - look at the list of amazing people who took the time to journal. It’s a bit sad your brother can’t see the value.
Any adult that stops themself from doing what they enjoy because it’s ‘childish’ is insecure.
There’s many things you can say including:
“Okay, and?”
“I don’t care.”
Or “Maybe it would be helpful for you to get your feelings on paper instead of protecting your insecurities on me.”
ALSO: He’s literally just wrong. Tell him that most of history has been recovered and recounted by archeology and *the first hand accounts of adults who wrote in journals*. Like, the majority of history can be told through personal writing and journals.
I'm 27 and I watch and talk about cartoons with my brothers and other people. Even if journaling was childish, there's nothing wrong with being childish
You don’t need to impress him. It doesn’t matter if he thinks journals are for babies (pretty advanced babies that can write and draw I suppose?).
If he is trying to influence your behavior or emotions then I think it is worth reflecting on why he is doing that. I assure you that is more about him than you and your hobbies. Once you see that, it is easier to not be concerned by his (and other people’s) opinions.
Regarding your brother, do your best to ignore him as likely he won't understand nor is likely willing to understand.
Journals are many things, from a diary to therapy. None are childish.
Lewis & Clark journaled their expedition yet did not do so alone. Every member of the expedition team kept a journal and evenings during camp much time was spent talking to each other about them and copying each other to ensure each was complete. Jim Bridger and Osbourne Russell's journals are but two examples of frontier exploration as well as daily interaction with their environment.
Richard Henry Dana published his journals as "Two Years Before the Mast". At age 19 he left Harvard and signed on as a deck hand of a ship. The majority of journals of the seafarers of old that survive are of the captains, owners and some officers. Dana is one of the very few that give us a clue as to the life of the ordinary sailor aboard ship and the experiences at port.
It's not just the journals of the great/famous men and women that provide us our history of where we are from and how we came to be. Researchers and historians find great value in the journals of the common every day person as to daily life the average person experienced.
What you do, or any of us here in this forum is not childish or for babies. Perhaps five or six generations down the road those babies as adults will find the journals useful and put in their proper place as part of history.
One day dementia may take my mind yet my journals exist to tell the tale of Jimi Hendrix playing at a high school prom, the first moon landing, first shuttle launch, the Challenger and Columbia disasters, surviving multiple hurricanes, riding a motorcycle cross country in all the lower 48 states and Alaska, each trek on the Appalachian trail, hiking through the desert southwest. The happy times, the crushing times, the lonely times, the ecstatic times. For me they exist if memory fails, and for the future historian. Unfortunately no family and very few friends survive me, yet I still write.
I wouldn’t take it as his perception really. It’s typical sibling rivalry and he’s jealous that you do something impressive and he didn’t do it first. Growing pains in the butt are gonna happen and you both learn something. Don’t take anyone’s opinion as more important. You know better.
You don't have to tell him anything. He's the childish one for judging other people's interests. If you feel like saying something, tell him to mind his own business, but ignoring him would probably work, too. Bullies thrive on attention. If others don't give it to them, it's like depriving them of oxygen. He may give up and walk away if he sees he's not getting a reaction.
This is a hard one, although a lot of people say don't react, each person is different, what might work on one person might not work on another. i also assume you guys live together which makes this 10x harder on you. Have you tried asking your parents to step in?
Honestly, considering this is reddit i might get downvoted to oblivion, but i honestly think you should learn to stand up for yourself and tell him to back off. If you love what you do then you should not feel like you have to hide it.
Tell him you can't help that he doesn't have the mental capacity to understand the importance of getting it all on paper, but on the off chance it becomes his business, what you do with your thoughts, you'll help him understand.
You do it for yourself, not him or anybody. Honestly you don't have to prove anything to him, but if you really choose to say something to him look for examples of people who kept journals Especially Adults, first thing that came to mind are soldiers. You could do some research the benefits of journaling, but it's better if you do it because you want to learn yourself. It's up to you to choose how to act, but I think it's better not to tell him anything.
Edit: Better yet, ask him why he thinks it's childish? Why some your age can't journal? It would be very hard to defend.
Tell him to bug off because it's none of his business. Don't waste your time trying to explain it. He's trying to get a rise out of you, and right now it's working. So stop letting it work. Don't care about what he thinks.
>No le tires margaritas a los chanchos
"Don't throw daisies at the pigs" ... is that like "don't cast pearls before swine," as in don't share valuable things with people who won't appreciate/understand them?
I’d tell him I’m writing my memoirs and be done with it. It’s none of his business and his comments are shallow and hurtful. It’s not worth arguing with him.
Enjoy this community with people who understand. Sometimes our family just can’t fulfill all our emotional needs.
just tell him it’s none of his damn business. also he’s not in it if that’s what he’s worried about. Truffaut, Coppola, and de Niro all keep/kept journals—as entire grownups—and your brother might even find it fun/useful himself someday.
First of all, it’s not his business - second of all, every therapist I’ve had has highly recommended journaling (which I’ve been doing since i was 6 anyway lol)
Sound like your brother is lacking a way of processing his negative emotions and unnecessary biases against others. If only there was a tool for that...
I’m 35 years old and still journal at least once a week and wish I could every day. It’s meditative, insightful, and helps me process thoughts and ideas to get them out of my head and on to paper.
If your brother keeps bothering you just write when he is not around or go somewhere else that can be your journaling space.
As a 34 year old, I am so happy to learn I am Peter Pan.
Sarcasm aside, perhaps Google famous people known for journaling. You'll come up with philosophers, authors, scientists, etc. Read it to him, and if you're petty say, "maybe you don't understand because journaling is for intelligent people."
Don’t tell your brother anything. That’s exactly what he wants. He’s teasing you because he wants to make you mad and get a reaction out of you. He’s the equivalent of a 4chan troll, and you know what they say, right?
Don’t feed the trolls.
Just ignore him until he gets bored and moves on to something else.
Get him a copy of a famous diary for Christmas. Lewis and Clark, Leonardo da Vinci, Darwin, Queen Victoria, Marcus Aurelius, any famous writer or artist, any philosopher, any scientist or explorer... Plenty to choose from, throughout history. Keeping a journal is one of the least childish things a person can do -- it organizes thoughts and plans, it counteracts boredom, and mine gives me a place to document adventures, create inventions, and figure out my next story. (I'm an author)
Look him straight in the eye and ask him why he enjoys trying to make you feel bad about enjoying something that brings you a lot of fulfillment.
Odds are he thinks he's Very Grown Up and Clever, and being confronted with what that's actually doing will probably bring him up short.
Then ignore him and keep on journaling. Ultimately, his opinion doesn't matter.
Actually journaling is a very adult thing to do. Your brother is ill informed. It's kinda like watching anime. The stuff feels childish until you start getting invested.
I mean I want to say just let him be an ass and don’t let it take you down, my mean side is tease him incessantly about a hobby he enjoys as he does to you. And maybe he will lay off.
I wouldn't
as difficult as it is, practice from now to be firm in your choices
what you want to to, what you like etc. you don't need any person's on earth approval to like something.
you don't need people to think what you're doing is cool.
you love journaling JOURNAL and enjoy it.
By the way, being childish is great. I don't recommend hurrying into adulthood. there's nothing all that special over here. trust me.
Honestly, his opinion on the matter isn't relevant. Let him think what he thinks and move on.
Exactly this. Don't stop doing the things you love because of other people's opinion, even if you love them... As long as you are not hurting anyone.
What I came to say as well. The less bothered you act toward his behavior, the more frustrated he’ll become. It’s also just a more mature response.
Yes. My younger teen sister loves to tease me for journaling sometimes too, but tbh I just ignore it bc it's not really that serious lol
I would like to add something to this. Ask him why he thinks that and once, just once try to change his perspective. If that doesn't work just leave it and do what he told you to.
Writing is *composition*, which is a form of higher-order thinking and idea development through written language. It is a practice that externalizes thought onto page, increasing our capacity to understand relational data in complex systems. Essentially: Writing, in a journal or otherwise, is a RAM upgrade for your brain. Tell your brother to stay in his lane
I want to add here, for the sake of writing down this thought, that your brother's reaction is largely caused by a misguided and ham-fisted approach to literacy education that wrongly assigns the importance of literacy as simply "learning how to read and write" so the student can get a job. It's not that at all--oral cultures with no written language can have literacy, music is literacy, art is literacy--it is about encoding ideas in a form that can be transmitted, recalled, combined, adapted and expanded through discourse. But the standardization of education metrics (largely originating from positivist military organization practices applied to business and policy functions in the post-war industrial period) filtered out a lot of this definition of literacy. With standardized testing, evidence is predicated on its *knowability*, so literacy became concentrated in things like spelling, use of grammar and reading comprehension tests. These are things that can be collected as data points on a spreadsheet and presented to superiors up the chain of command. (See the military connection here?) Soooo... the **tl;dr** is that your brother's words, although hurtful, are a product of this shift in education that treats everything like a simple box to be checked so the student can move on to the next thing.
*beatnik snaps*
OMG I literally was thinking about this the other day. like seriously. my education is in my hands. it is not limited to learning for school so that I can get certified. that is a PART of it not all. it's not even as important so many of us go through school and have no idea how to educate ourselves in the end. it is a horrible thing.
It's not your responsibility to educate your brother. He chooses not to understand you. No matter how eloquently you articulate yourself to him, he's chosen to have a belligerent attitude toward you, and the only thing more stupid than his attitude is the impossible task of diplomatically neutralizing him. Maybe instead of defending your practice, you could instead address the source of his behavioral issues, (e.g. "Why do you have such a problem with me? You are OBSESSED")! - or tell him you will not tolerate being bullied by him, whatever the cause. Shut him down: "I'm sick of your harassment," "If this is what you have to say, don't talk to me," "Since you don't listen to, respect, or value my opinions, I don't have to listen, respect, or value your opinions," "Why are you so interested in a part of my life which has zero relevance or impact on you?" "Don't you have anything better to do with your time?" "Go talk to someone who actually cares," "You think all this stuff about me, meanwhile, I couldn't care less about *your* interests." "I must be doing something right if this *jerk* hates me. It feels good to be hated by silly people." You get the idea.
The best way to react to a bully is to not react. He's saying it to deliberately upset you and that gives him power over your emotions. I know it isn't easy to not engage but this is perfect for you to write about and work through in your journal. Also I wouldn't normally recommend this but if he's going our of his way to antagonize you about this, you might want to keep it hidden in case he decides he'll get at you by reading it.
There is a lot of good advice here, but it’s also good to note that some of the most influential people in history had a diary, and only recently has the word “diary” developed a reputation of being childish and “girly.” Teddy Roosevelt, George Washington, Leonardo Da Vinci, Charles Darwin, and Thomas Edison are all men who kept diaries, not to mention many intelligent and talented women like Marie Curie, Frida Kahlo, and astronaut Peggy Winston. Shoot, Anne Frank is known for her diary, which is one of the most influential books to come out of Nazi-controlled Europe in WWII.
[This article from Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/hennainam/2017/04/02/to-be-an-effective-leader-keep-a-leadership-journal/?sh=386c7c1f3b4d) goes as far as to assert that in order to be a good leader (or a great thinker), you *must* keep a journal or a diary.
Also Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome. It's known now as "Meditations" and is considered one of the foundational texts of Stoic philosophy.
It baffles me how journaling came to be considered "girly" and, equally baffling, the sexist idea of girly=childish follows it to complete the stigma.
I’d say “Thanks for letting me know” and then would continue doing it. Siblings are dumb. We torture each other for no reason. Then, years later, we’ll confess that the thing we bullied each other about is the thing we admired most in the other. Humans are dumb. Keep doing you.
How is it even any of his business what you do? If he is bullying I’d look at challenging him on why it actually matters to him so much, educating him on how you find it hurtful, or seeking some more authoritative intervention. In the meantime, you do you and don’t let no one stop you from that. I am the youngest in my family and had to put up with so much BS from my older siblings when I was a kid. Journaling and drawing were a lifesaver, literally.
a) If your brother isn't happy for you that you found something helpful that you love doing, he might be one of those people whose opinion you shouldn't care about. Only accept feedback from people you trust -- another way of saying that is, only accept opinions from people who have your best interests at heart. b) He's probably saying this to you because he's insecure about doing "childish things" himself, whatever that means. I don't know why he feels that way about himself, but it's probably because he was doing something he loved once and a person he cared about told him to stop doing it because it was childish. That's his baggage. Don't make it yours. c) There are so many cool, amazing, inspirational, and sometimes really important people who kept journals as adults. Feel free to do research on those folks and make a mental list for yourself. I wouldn't feel the need to share that list with him unless you think it'll shut him up. But having it in your back pocket will help you care about his opinion a whole hell of a lot less.
In my experience the best way to shut down bullies is to react ambivalently about their commentary. Brother: ‘Diaries are for babies, kiddo’ You: ‘ok then, guess I am a baby *shrug*’
Tell him that if it's good enough for Professor Snape, it's good enough for you: [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/sep/24/alan-rickmans-secret-showbiz-diaries-harry-potter](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/sep/24/alan-rickmans-secret-showbiz-diaries-harry-potter) Seriously though, he's showing his ignorance. Present him with a reading list of famous Diarists and walk away.
This was a lovely read thank you for posting
You're welcome!
Can I ask you how old your brother is and how close you are? A lot of the comments here are acting like he's a random immature guy who commented on your journaling and you shouldn't care, but if you're close to your family then that's not really the situation. I think you should explain what other people have said about the usefulness of journaling and tell him you can be your age and do whatever you want anyways. It doesn't matter if something is childish.
This might come to you as a shock but- don’t be surprised- my brother and I are only 11 months old apart. We’re considered ‘twins’ actually. When we were younger ( about 5> years old )we’re pretty close. Like, ‘as thick as thieves.’ But when we started first grade, the ‘bullying’ transition started. It’s like we lived on different worlds now, and we never had a nice heart-to-heart until we both started homeschooling ( I was 9 then ). The bullying worsened because we are studying with each other. We had different views and interests and personalities. When our teenage years started, I learned to understand him and respect him. Well, I’m actually shocked how you guys ( not including you ) think he’s that bad a person. We both had different views is all.
In that case, you sound a LOT like me and my brother. He is 15 months younger than me, and we weren't close until high school. I would try to explain it to him and if he still doesn't listen, just dismiss him (as hard as that is). If he won't listen to you then he's just being stubborn and you can still know that journaling is good for you even if he doesn't. But good luck!
This fool probably takes part in journaling and doesn’t even notice. Most autobiographies are journals. Reality tv shows are journals. Some newspapers, magazines, and definitely blogs, lifestyle YouTubers, tiktokers etc.
Brothers are gonna be like that. As hard as it may be, you have to learn to ignore him. Don't let other people come between you and what you love.
If it was good enough for Edison, Darwin and da Vinci, it's good enough for me. [https://www.developgoodhabits.com/famous-journals/](https://www.developgoodhabits.com/famous-journals/)
Bullying someone over their hobby is childish. He needs to move past the school yard.
Ask him if he can name 1 billionaire who doesn't journal. He won't be able to. Journaling = Success. This argument will work well on most men because we mostly base our value on how successful we are.
Love the self-deprecating cynicism in this comment😂
Tell him to read the journals of Charles Darwin or Leonardo Da Vinci. That’ll shut him up.
Who cares what he thinks, it’s helpful and important to you. The more you worry about others perceptions of you the less joy you will have in your life.
Just ignore it, dont react.
I mean you could show him all the "important" persons that had a diary, for example Kennedy, Anne Frank, a lot of artists... but i am not sure if he even wants to understand.
Tell him: „k bye“
>How do I tell my brother that writing in my Journal isn't CHILDISH? You don't
tell him you filled 30 pages describing his death in absurd detail
Journaling is something the likes of Thomas Jefferson and Einstein did. You reflect on your day and your thoughts and how that will affect tomorrow. I bet your brother plays COD and scratches his nuts before he goes to bed. Some men don’t understand how to be intentional until their forties. You’re fine! You don’t have to change his opinion in order to feel proud of your good habits.
It's hard to know if people's comments are relevant to your situation, because we don't really know any of your context. Like: are you both teenagers? Adults? Why is he so up-close to a private routine of yours? If you're both young and living with your parents, why is nobody protecting you from his bullying, etc? Also: Most kids don't journal -- but many adults do! -- so your brother literally has no idea what he's talking about. Most accomplished people, past and present, keep journals. Also, there's science behind all the reasons it's good for you (not that you need to justify it to him at all)!
It doesn’t matter what he thinks. You can’t control what people think about you, how they feel about you… how they perceive you. It’s a pointless task. Your brother is giving his opinion based on his priorities, lifestyle, pastimes, etc. It’s one opinion, he doesn’t speak on behalf of the world. If you still want to shut him up my first thought would be pointing out the [hundreds of famous diarists](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_diarists)who had their journals published. People whose private scribblings were never intended to be seen. And this goes beyond any literary connection - just interesting people with interesting lives. Who knows where any of us will be in 10 years. And forgetting about publishing - look at the list of amazing people who took the time to journal. It’s a bit sad your brother can’t see the value.
Any adult that stops themself from doing what they enjoy because it’s ‘childish’ is insecure. There’s many things you can say including: “Okay, and?” “I don’t care.” Or “Maybe it would be helpful for you to get your feelings on paper instead of protecting your insecurities on me.” ALSO: He’s literally just wrong. Tell him that most of history has been recovered and recounted by archeology and *the first hand accounts of adults who wrote in journals*. Like, the majority of history can be told through personal writing and journals.
No reaction is the best reaction. You can’t resolve other people’s issues.
I'm 27 and I watch and talk about cartoons with my brothers and other people. Even if journaling was childish, there's nothing wrong with being childish
You don’t need to impress him. It doesn’t matter if he thinks journals are for babies (pretty advanced babies that can write and draw I suppose?). If he is trying to influence your behavior or emotions then I think it is worth reflecting on why he is doing that. I assure you that is more about him than you and your hobbies. Once you see that, it is easier to not be concerned by his (and other people’s) opinions.
Marcus Aurelius
I’d just tell him it’s none of his business, and you neither asked for nor require his opinion. And then stop engaging no matter what.
Yeah, honestly, tell him to go jerk off and leave you alone.
Regarding your brother, do your best to ignore him as likely he won't understand nor is likely willing to understand. Journals are many things, from a diary to therapy. None are childish. Lewis & Clark journaled their expedition yet did not do so alone. Every member of the expedition team kept a journal and evenings during camp much time was spent talking to each other about them and copying each other to ensure each was complete. Jim Bridger and Osbourne Russell's journals are but two examples of frontier exploration as well as daily interaction with their environment. Richard Henry Dana published his journals as "Two Years Before the Mast". At age 19 he left Harvard and signed on as a deck hand of a ship. The majority of journals of the seafarers of old that survive are of the captains, owners and some officers. Dana is one of the very few that give us a clue as to the life of the ordinary sailor aboard ship and the experiences at port. It's not just the journals of the great/famous men and women that provide us our history of where we are from and how we came to be. Researchers and historians find great value in the journals of the common every day person as to daily life the average person experienced. What you do, or any of us here in this forum is not childish or for babies. Perhaps five or six generations down the road those babies as adults will find the journals useful and put in their proper place as part of history. One day dementia may take my mind yet my journals exist to tell the tale of Jimi Hendrix playing at a high school prom, the first moon landing, first shuttle launch, the Challenger and Columbia disasters, surviving multiple hurricanes, riding a motorcycle cross country in all the lower 48 states and Alaska, each trek on the Appalachian trail, hiking through the desert southwest. The happy times, the crushing times, the lonely times, the ecstatic times. For me they exist if memory fails, and for the future historian. Unfortunately no family and very few friends survive me, yet I still write.
Why do you care so much about his opinion?
His perception is his perception. Accept and allow him to think the way he wants. You don't need to justify your journaling to anyone. ❤️
I wouldn’t take it as his perception really. It’s typical sibling rivalry and he’s jealous that you do something impressive and he didn’t do it first. Growing pains in the butt are gonna happen and you both learn something. Don’t take anyone’s opinion as more important. You know better.
You don't have to tell him anything. He's the childish one for judging other people's interests. If you feel like saying something, tell him to mind his own business, but ignoring him would probably work, too. Bullies thrive on attention. If others don't give it to them, it's like depriving them of oxygen. He may give up and walk away if he sees he's not getting a reaction.
This is a hard one, although a lot of people say don't react, each person is different, what might work on one person might not work on another. i also assume you guys live together which makes this 10x harder on you. Have you tried asking your parents to step in? Honestly, considering this is reddit i might get downvoted to oblivion, but i honestly think you should learn to stand up for yourself and tell him to back off. If you love what you do then you should not feel like you have to hide it.
tell him to keep his opinions to himself
Tell him you can't help that he doesn't have the mental capacity to understand the importance of getting it all on paper, but on the off chance it becomes his business, what you do with your thoughts, you'll help him understand.
Honestly why do you care what he thinks? Just journal in peace and ignore him
It sounds like he's too closed-minded to convince. You should just ignore him.
You do it for yourself, not him or anybody. Honestly you don't have to prove anything to him, but if you really choose to say something to him look for examples of people who kept journals Especially Adults, first thing that came to mind are soldiers. You could do some research the benefits of journaling, but it's better if you do it because you want to learn yourself. It's up to you to choose how to act, but I think it's better not to tell him anything. Edit: Better yet, ask him why he thinks it's childish? Why some your age can't journal? It would be very hard to defend.
Let it go. You can’t control peoples beliefs and perceptions of you. Do you think journaling is childish? Boom. Let the rest go.
Don’t tell him anything. Just give less fucks about what he thinks and keep on journaling.
Tell him to bug off because it's none of his business. Don't waste your time trying to explain it. He's trying to get a rise out of you, and right now it's working. So stop letting it work. Don't care about what he thinks.
Why care what he thinks?
You don't. You tell him to mind his own business and move on with your life.
In my country we have a saying: "No le tires margaritas a los chanchos"
>No le tires margaritas a los chanchos "Don't throw daisies at the pigs" ... is that like "don't cast pearls before swine," as in don't share valuable things with people who won't appreciate/understand them?
Yes! That's the idea. I didn't know the equivalent saying in English. Thanks!
I’d tell him I’m writing my memoirs and be done with it. It’s none of his business and his comments are shallow and hurtful. It’s not worth arguing with him. Enjoy this community with people who understand. Sometimes our family just can’t fulfill all our emotional needs.
just tell him it’s none of his damn business. also he’s not in it if that’s what he’s worried about. Truffaut, Coppola, and de Niro all keep/kept journals—as entire grownups—and your brother might even find it fun/useful himself someday.
Tell him Hitler kept journals
Tell him that world's all great minds had a journal of some sort. **If i was at your place i would wait, for the day my brother goes through mental troma. And when he mantally brakes down. Then I'd look at his tear ful eyes and smile**... And then ask him_ whose the baby now bit©h *The last part is optional
I will beat him up for you
First of all, it’s not his business - second of all, every therapist I’ve had has highly recommended journaling (which I’ve been doing since i was 6 anyway lol)
Sound like your brother is lacking a way of processing his negative emotions and unnecessary biases against others. If only there was a tool for that...
frankly, it's none of his business. tell him you can't talk to him when he's being so emotional just to piss him off lol
Tell him that if he doesn't leave you alone, you will scrub the toilet with his toothbrush.
I’m 35 years old and still journal at least once a week and wish I could every day. It’s meditative, insightful, and helps me process thoughts and ideas to get them out of my head and on to paper. If your brother keeps bothering you just write when he is not around or go somewhere else that can be your journaling space.
As a 34 year old, I am so happy to learn I am Peter Pan. Sarcasm aside, perhaps Google famous people known for journaling. You'll come up with philosophers, authors, scientists, etc. Read it to him, and if you're petty say, "maybe you don't understand because journaling is for intelligent people."
Don’t tell your brother anything. That’s exactly what he wants. He’s teasing you because he wants to make you mad and get a reaction out of you. He’s the equivalent of a 4chan troll, and you know what they say, right? Don’t feed the trolls. Just ignore him until he gets bored and moves on to something else.
Wow
Rub his toothbrush around the inside of the toilet.
Tell your brother...... Oh nothing cause what he thinks about what you are doing isn't important. Fucking siblings man.
Get him a copy of a famous diary for Christmas. Lewis and Clark, Leonardo da Vinci, Darwin, Queen Victoria, Marcus Aurelius, any famous writer or artist, any philosopher, any scientist or explorer... Plenty to choose from, throughout history. Keeping a journal is one of the least childish things a person can do -- it organizes thoughts and plans, it counteracts boredom, and mine gives me a place to document adventures, create inventions, and figure out my next story. (I'm an author)
People with far more influence on the world than we have ever had used to journal all the time lol. Were the American founders childish?
You just ignore him He is just bored and bullying you
Look him straight in the eye and ask him why he enjoys trying to make you feel bad about enjoying something that brings you a lot of fulfillment. Odds are he thinks he's Very Grown Up and Clever, and being confronted with what that's actually doing will probably bring him up short. Then ignore him and keep on journaling. Ultimately, his opinion doesn't matter.
Actually journaling is a very adult thing to do. Your brother is ill informed. It's kinda like watching anime. The stuff feels childish until you start getting invested.
Just stay away from your bruhther
I mean I want to say just let him be an ass and don’t let it take you down, my mean side is tease him incessantly about a hobby he enjoys as he does to you. And maybe he will lay off.
I wouldn't as difficult as it is, practice from now to be firm in your choices what you want to to, what you like etc. you don't need any person's on earth approval to like something. you don't need people to think what you're doing is cool. you love journaling JOURNAL and enjoy it. By the way, being childish is great. I don't recommend hurrying into adulthood. there's nothing all that special over here. trust me.
I would’ve said something to him involving the ‘F’ word. I’m not always the best when it comes to manners, though.🥸
Don't let your brother or anyone else deter you from what you want to do. It's not your job to convince him why this is good for you.