The Nice Goodreads Migration
These days, 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 abandoning a clunky, Amazon-owned platform to help an impartial 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 most recent “look how good I’m” bandwagon?
Don’t get me improper—this isn’t me pointing fingers. I’ve been responsible of this type of factor myself. On the identical 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 will be addictive—however wow, the autumn from that peak is brutal.
Principally, If performative-action have been a sport- I might have a trophy case filled with medals.
However right here’s the factor: I’ve modified. After years of watching folks (myself included) race to replace their social media profiles as quick as they decorate their sneakers, I began to surprise—after we do that are literally making an affect, or are these actions simply… actionless?
What’s Flawed 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 score 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 guide 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 smart.
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 idea, even StoryGraph CEO Nadia Odunayo has admitted it makes her uncomfortable. In a weblog put up, she mentioned, “I do wrestle with the concept of individuals feeling like they’ve to make use of StoryGraph simply because I’m Black.” She needs folks 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 checklist.
And that’s the place I begin to really feel conflicted. As a result of sure, supporting an impartial, revolutionary platform is superior. However doing it simply to show how socially aware you might be? That feels just a little… off.
It jogs my memory of these viral interviews the place folks rail towards “Obamacare,” solely to comprehend they’re truly shedding their very own healthcare when it’s gone. It’s like protesting for the sake of protesting, with out actually understanding what you’re combating for. And I say this as somebody who’s undoubtedly jumped on bandwagons with out doing my homework—as a result of, let’s be sincere, getting really knowledgeable nowadays takes effort, vital considering, 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 simply care. It’s concerning the quiet actions, the work performed within the background, the belongings you don’t put up about. Actions communicate louder than phrases, particularly after they’re performed with out expectation of credit score. If the purpose is actual change, then doing the work—while not having applause—needs to be sufficient.
The StoryGraph Deserves Higher
The StoryGraph is genuinely a excessive preforming platform, and subsequent to it, Goodreads seems to be 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.
Once 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 truthfully, I discovered it troubling. It diminishes the platform’s actual achievements, turning it into a logo of advantage signaling as a substitute of recognizing it as a real step ahead.
The Larger Image
Protest, even when it’s clumsy or imperfect, can result in change. Individuals leaving Goodreads does ship a message, even when not everybody understands the complete affect. And truthfully? That’s okay. We’re all studying.
But when we need to make an actual difference- we now have to go deeper. It’s not sufficient to depart Goodreads and help StoryGraph out of guilt or peer stress. We now have to suppose critically concerning the platforms we select to make use of, the companies we help, and permit ourselves to alter our minds with out concern of being “cancelled”.
I’m not saying all of us should be excellent. Consider me, I’m removed from it. But when we’re going to name one thing “motion,” let’s be certain 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 most recent development.
“In case you don’t like one thing, change it. In case you can’t change it, change your perspective”. –Maya Angelou
An avid guide reader and proud library card holder, Angela is new to the world of e-Readers. She has a background in schooling, 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.
