see, it's like this

[rm]

yuki_onna has a great post about why it's perfectly easy to boycott books of people who say appalling bigoted stuff on the Internet.

It is not, as so many people seem to think, some dogmatic decision to only engage with people who think exactly like me. Rather, life is short, books cost money, and when it comes down to deciding what I want to read -- allowing for a few cases of staggering genius that actually makes these decisions complex -- I'm not going to read stuff by people who are hateful, threatening and rude to me and mine, online or off.

Comments

[genmaicha.livejournal.com]

I've been struggling with this concept, so it's nice to see others' thoughts on the matter. I've been wondering the what-if. What if it's a book that's been one of those old dear friends, one of those books I turn to when I need the familiarity of a warm hug and a cup of tea and an afternoon of being in a place that's comfortable...and then I realize that piece of comfort is made of the words assembled by someone who has also assembled words of hate? I don't know what I'd do about that. Feel betrayed, yes, that someone whose works I enjoyed so much apparently thinks very little of my status as a fellow human being. Would it taint the book? Probably; this has happened before, on small-scale, where an unfavorable interaction with someone thought to be a friend turns a gift given by them into something less than comfortable for me to keep around, and I've had to struggle with the idea of whether I want to reassociate it as mine or if the association with someone who hurt me is too strong to break, or if it's worth it. I'd probably end up unable to return to it anyway. Which saddens me, that someone can do something I enjoyed so much and yet be someone whose views are so toxic.

The question of continuing to support is a bit easier, I guess. Once you know, then it's easier to just turn away from the new releases, or the ones you haven't read yet. Hurtful if it's part of a story you were enjoying and this is the conclusion you've been waiting for. But it's easier than when it's a book you already held so close.

At least, these are my thoughts on it. I'm eager to listen to others, because I'm still trying to come to terms with it, and determine what feels effective for me personally.