I read a fair amount and am often frustrated that nobody o talk to had read the same stuff as me, and I can't really discuss it with them, or even make allusion

I read a fair amount and am often frustrated that nobody o talk to had read the same stuff as me, and I can't really discuss it with them, or even make allusions in conversation to any effect. Meanwhile, I don't really participate in pop culture, so when people are talking about a popular tv show (or one of the few mainstream books like Harry Potter), I have nothing to say and can't participate. I'd say, if you want to have common ground with people, make sure to at least stay abreast of the popular stuff. And of course keep reading stuff that is interesting to you, just make sure you're doing it for yourself.