Reader Responsibility

I like to keep things fairly light-hearted on this site. It’s not only a reflection of who I am as a person, but also a representation of the energy that I want to put into the universe. Even when I tackle serious topics, I like to add a little levity. I’m probably going to do that again today, but that’s not to take away from the seriousness of the issue. With that said, let’s get controversial.

Consumerism, capitalism, responsible economics, all of these terms are interlaced with the publishing industry. Companies have an obligation to their customers, whether it be transparency or a quality product. Consumers also have an obligation to make informed decisions about how they spend their money, which companies they support, which they don’t, and what values are attached to their choices. All that is to say that making spending decisions are more weighted than we like to think about, especially in terms of media consumption.

Example: It’s not hard to find someone who hates Jeff Bezos and everything Amazon stands for (i.e. monopoly - not the board game, although fuck the board game, corporate greed, mass production, unfair wages, unethical product sourcing, etc.). To some, this is enough to boycott Amazon and its associates (like Goodreads). For others, it’s enough to leave a bad taste in their mouth, but not enough to deter them from using Amazon’s services or looking the other way when they’re not sure if a company is affiliated with Bezos. And then there are the consumers who, for whatever reason, don’t have a choice in the matter. Whether they want to support Amazon or not is irrelevant. Sometimes, corporations are the only answer, especially in small towns or remote locations.

So, what does this have to do with books?

Well, a lot of things, really. Books, like anything else, are products in a capitalist society. You pay money to read books, whether in the form of a Kindle Unlimited subscription, a library card (paid for by your taxes), or just plain old purchasing. You, as a reader, are choosing to spend your money on a book you want to read. For the majority of people, that’s where the thought process begins and ends.

“Hey, this book sounds good. I’m going to buy it and read it.”

For others, it goes a little deeper.

“I like the sound of this book, but I can only read it on Kindle. I don’t really want to support Amazon, so maybe I’ll wait and borrow it from a friend.”

And for others still, it goes much deeper.

“I like the sound of this book, but I can see online that the author supports ideologies that I don’t agree with, so I won’t be reading their work.”

Which approach is the correct one? Is there a correct one? This is my opinion and my opinion alone, but I don’t think there is. Let’s face it, unless you’re a fully committed hermit living completely off-grid, sourcing everything you ever need from the environment around you, then you’re contributing to some kind of unethical business model. That’s not anyone’s fault, by the way. The way that our society is set up makes it impossible to avoid inadvertently supporting people or ideas that you might not agree with. It sucks, but it’s the way things are. For me, where you draw the line is up to the individual.

This conversation came up a lot with the recent release of Hogwarts: Legacy. Maybe I’m signaling my downfall here, but I think enough time has passed that I can talk about it. First, I understand why people boycotted the game. Second, I understand why people didn’t boycott the game. My understanding of those two perspectives is not mutually exclusive. J.K. Rowling has made it abundantly clear that she doesn’t care about the trans community or the LGBTQ+ community. If that is enough to deter you from ever supporting her or her licensed properties again, then you have every right to do that. I support your right to do that. However, a game purchase is not a political vote. A game purchase is your personal line in the sand. You can’t impose that line on anyone else, and you certainly can’t call people transphobic because they played a game. That’s taking it a step too far, and please let me explain why before you grab your pitchforks.

For clarity’s sake, I didn’t buy the game. I don’t support J.K. Rowling. I don’t buy Harry Potter merchandise anymore. That’s my line.

I do, however, watch Warner Brothers movies. I go to Universal Studios parks. I occasionally buy fan-made work on Etsy. Now, you might be saying to yourself “But Victoria, J.K. doesn’t get any of that money, so why are you bringing it up?” That’s easy- because she does.

Not directly, mind you. But yes, J.K. Rowling absolutely benefits from the success of Warner Brothers and Universal Studios, if not unaffiliated sellers on Etsy. She benefits because, whether you went to see Jaws or Fantastic Beasts, you gave your money to a company that actively wants to continue producing Harry Potter content (see: the new TV show that was just announced). Your support of these studios is enabling them to spend their money on Harry Potter properties, which is supporting J.K. Rowling whether you like it or not. It sucks. I hate it. But, there’s nothing you or I can do about that.

What we can do is be very vocal about our dislike of J.K. Rowling and her beliefs. It might not change anything overnight, but enough loud voices will eventually be heard. What we shouldn’t do is turn on each other in the meantime. Playing Hogwarts: Legacy doesn’t automatically make you a transphobe. There just isn’t enough context to make that judgement about someone based on that choice alone when there are so many other ways people are regularly supporting terrible humans without ever knowing about it.

As you can see, consumer responsibility is a sticky and complicated subject.

Aside from J.K. Rowling, this conversation has been brought up around countless authors. Most recently, Colleen Hoover, Jennifer Armentrout, and Sarah J Maas. All of these authors have come under public scrutiny for various reasons, but the debates are always the same. Can you separate the author from their work? Are you a bad person for loving their books even if you don’t agree with their beliefs? Can you love their books if you don’t agree with their beliefs? Is there a way to responsibly engage in content you love without supporting the author behind it all?

I can’t answer any of those questions for you, which is kind of my point.

In an economy that makes it impossible to avoid supporting shitty people (knowingly or unknowingly), we’re all just trying our best. Is the $2 royalty that an author gets from your purchase of their book enough support to label you a terrible person for buying their product? I don’t think so, but maybe you do. It’s a decision you have to make for yourself.

To those of you reading this and thinking “yeah, I don’t really care that much. I’m just going to read and watch and buy what I like and not worry about the man behind the curtain,” that’s fine. You have the right to do that. Ignorance is bliss for a reason. Still, I would encourage you not to. Even if it’s only a cursory examination, I think we’re beyond the point of mindless consumption. Our landscape, both economically and politically, is in the midst of an upheaval and, more than ever before, our choices matter. I’m not telling you to seek out every problematic person in the world and boycott everything they’re attached to, that’s unrealistic at best and utterly insane at worst. I’m just saying that it would be a good idea to incorporate a bit more mindfulness into your habits and to have some compassion for those whose line isn’t perfectly parallel to yours. You know, unless they’ve outright said some bigoted shit. Then you can have at ‘em. I’ll bring the shovel.