I don’t understand why anime fans hate light novels so much

For context I’m a big fan of anime and have been for years but I don’t really read light novels or manga. I know there are exceptions and probably even within the lines of manga and anime but I feel like the general consensus of the community is that light novels are a ‘lesser’ format, and I don’t get why. I don’t see light novels for what they are, a viable method of storytelling, just as much as manga or anime. I think it’s an arrogant way of thinking, to criticise someone’s preferred way of writing and to say it is inferior or even make fun of it. I don’t really read light novels but I have read what was translated into English and I honestly think they’re just as good as any novel I’ve read or any script from any other type of media I’ve read (the ones I’ve read anyway). I like how little it costs, an entire light novel for $13 USD for example, and I also love how many light novels there are out there, I find that they’re very easy to find one in a genre that you like.<br><br>The main example that I’m talking about is the hate that sword art online (SAO) gets. SAO has a huge following but it also gets a lot of hate. I know that there are a lot of things that people dislike about the anime but from what I’ve seen a LOT of it is that the anime didn’t ‘follow the light novels’ or ‘the light novels were better than the anime’. I’m not saying that the SAO light novels were the best things ever written, but I did enjoy reading the first one, it was fun and I liked it. I also know that I would never criticise someone for enjoying reading the light novels, and so why should they do the same back to me? It just makes me frustrated that some people think that way and I honestly think that it’s a very arrogant way to think. I know that everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I just don’t get why you would say that reading a light novel is a lesser way of enjoying a different format for storytelling.<br><br>[Edit] Wow, I didn't think this post would blow up like this. I obviously don't hate light novels as you can see from the post but wow, it was a long time ago when I posted this and I still get notifications so thanks everyone.