The Nice Goodreads Migration
Currently, I’ve been watching the Goodreads-to-StoryGraph migration unfold, and I’ve to confess—it’s my new responsible pleasure. On the floor, it appears noble: readers forsaking a clunky, Amazon-owned platform to help an unbiased one led by a Black lady, Nadia Odunayo. However I’m beginning to surprise: are we truly making a distinction right here, or are we simply hopping on the newest “look how good I’m” bandwagon?
Don’t get me fallacious—this isn’t me pointing fingers. I’ve been responsible of this type of factor myself. On the similar time I’m penning this, I’ve obtained one other window open, shame-filling my Amazon cart. I’ve jumped on causes I didn’t totally perceive as a result of it felt good to “do one thing.” And if I’m being actually sincere, the view from a excessive horse may be addictive—however wow, the autumn from that peak is brutal.
Principally, If performative-action have been a sport- I’d have a trophy case filled with medals.
However right here’s the factor: I’ve modified. After years of watching individuals (myself included) race to replace their social media profiles as quick as they decorate their sneakers, I began to surprise—once we do that are literally making an impression, or are these actions simply… actionless?
What’s Unsuitable With Goodreads?
Now, let’s be truthful—Goodreads has given us loads of causes to leap ship. The Amazon-owned website feels prefer it hasn’t been up to date because the early 2000s. The interface is clunky, the app crashes continually, and don’t even get me began on the inflexible five-star ranking system. It’s like Goodreads determined “meh, adequate” after Amazon purchased it in 2013 and by no means regarded again.
Then there’s the review-bombing drama, the place teams pile on one-star critiques for books they haven’t even learn. Living proof: Elizabeth Gilbert’s The Snow Forest. The ebook was pulled after it obtained review-bombed for being set in Russia—as a result of apparently, “geography” is against the law now. And let’s not neglect Cait Corrain, the debut creator caught utilizing pretend accounts to trash different authors’ books.
So yeah, I get it. Leaving Goodreads for some is sensible.
However right here’s the place the door slammed many within the ass on the best way out.
When Good Intentions Go Off the Rails
I’ve seen lots of people say they’re leaving Goodreads for The StoryGraph as a result of it’s owned by a Black lady. And whereas that sounds nice in concept, even StoryGraph CEO Nadia Odunayo has admitted it makes her uncomfortable. In a weblog submit, she stated, “I do battle with the concept of individuals feeling like they’ve to make use of StoryGraph simply because I’m Black.” She needs individuals to make use of her platform as a result of it’s good—not as a result of it checks a field on somebody’s performative activism record.
And that’s the place I begin to really feel conflicted. As a result of sure, supporting an unbiased, revolutionary platform is superior. However doing it simply to show how socially aware you might be? That feels a little bit… off.
It jogs my memory of these viral interviews the place individuals rail towards “Obamacare,” solely to comprehend they’re truly dropping their very own healthcare when it’s gone. It’s like protesting for the sake of protesting, with out actually understanding what you’re preventing for. And I say this as somebody who’s positively jumped on bandwagons with out doing my homework—as a result of, let’s be sincere, getting really knowledgeable lately takes effort, crucial pondering, time, severe ego deflation, and a freaken PhD in media literacy.
However right here’s the factor: being of service—really being of service—isn’t about exhibiting off or proving to the world that you just care. It’s in regards to the quiet actions, the work executed within the background, the belongings you don’t submit about. Actions converse louder than phrases, particularly once they’re executed with out expectation of credit score. If the aim is actual change, then doing the work—with no need applause—needs to be sufficient.
The StoryGraph Deserves Higher
The StoryGraph is genuinely a excessive preforming platform, and subsequent to it, Goodreads appears prefer it’s nonetheless utilizing dial-up. The StoryGraph is revolutionary, user-focused, and it deserves to be supported for these causes—not simply due to who owns it.
After we scale back our help to “I’m utilizing this as a result of the CEO is Black,” we’re fully lacking the purpose. I’ve to applaud Odunayo for dealing with this with such grace, as a result of actually, I discovered it troubling. It diminishes the platform’s actual achievements, turning it into an emblem of advantage signaling as an alternative of recognizing it as a real step ahead.
The Larger Image
Protest, even when it’s clumsy or imperfect, can result in change. Folks leaving Goodreads does ship a message, even when not everybody understands the complete impression. And actually? That’s okay. We’re all studying.
But when we wish to make an actual difference- we’ve got to go deeper. It’s not sufficient to depart Goodreads and help StoryGraph out of guilt or peer strain. We’ve got to suppose critically in regards to the platforms we select to make use of, the companies we help, and permit ourselves to vary our minds with out concern of being “cancelled”.
I’m not saying all of us must be excellent. Imagine me, I’m removed from it. But when we’re going to name one thing “motion,” let’s be sure it truly is. Let’s ask ourselves if we’re serving to create actual change—or if we’re simply accessorizing our activism to match the newest development.
“If you happen to don’t like one thing, change it. If you happen to can’t change it, change your perspective”. –Maya Angelou
An avid ebook reader and proud library card holder, Angela is new to the world of e-Readers. She has a background in training, emergency response, health, likes to be in nature, touring and exploring. With an honours science diploma in anthropology, Angela additionally studied writing after commencement. She has contributed work to The London Free Press, The Gazette, The Londoner, Finest Model Media, Lifeliner, and Citymedia.ca.
