I have some books that I don't want, but I'm not sure how to dispose of them properly.
Let's start with the worst case:
- poorly-written book
- expressing potentially harmful ideas
- by an objectionable author
One example might be Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. I think I have to hold on to it because even though I hate it now, it was important to my political evolution. But let's say I decide I need the shelf space, and it's time to say goodbye.
What is the most ethical way to get rid of it?
- Destroy it (54%, 12 votes)
- Give it away (13%, 3 votes)
- Sell it (13%, 3 votes)
- Something else (explain) (18%, 4 votes)
smallsolar
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Nelson Chu Pavlosky
in reply to smallsolar • • •smallsolar
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •GrayGooGirl :v_lesbian: :1up:
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Nelson Chu Pavlosky
in reply to GrayGooGirl :v_lesbian: :1up: • • •@GrayGooGirl Yeah, it's just a rehashing of the moderation debate we're familiar with on Mastodon, isn't it? Some of my difficulty is that I love books as physical objects; it's emotionally more difficult than blocking a shitty server.
And real libraries have to trim their collections and destroy books all the time. But they usually try other things first.
Also reminds me of deletionism vs. inclusionism in Wikipedia. Physical books are different, but historically I've opposed deletionism.
GrayGooGirl :v_lesbian: :1up:
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •The Corodon
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Elena ``of Valhalla''
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • •Nelson Chu Pavlosky
in reply to Elena ``of Valhalla'' • • •I don't know how to find someone like that. I don't have a lot of friends who want to critique e.g. Atlas Shrugged, most people don't want to pour toxic sludge into their brains for funsies.
Giving away a toxic book while making sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands seems pretty challenging. Most of my easiest options, like sticking it in a Little Free Library, seem actively unsafe.
Elena ``of Valhalla'' likes this.
Travis Southard
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •- collages
- black-out poetry
- campfire starters (with dryer lint and wax)
- a book safe (glue and hollow the pages)
- rabbit/hamster nesting
- pulp paper
Nelson Chu Pavlosky
in reply to Travis Southard • • •@travissouthard These options definitely destroy the book! Thank you for the reuse ideas 🙂
Are you sure the hamsters wouldn't somehow become Objectivists, though? I worry about their little minds.
Travis Southard
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Nelson Chu Pavlosky
Unknown parent • • •Ha, the parallels are a bit rough, but let's imagine a poorly made Confederate uniform costume produced by some right-wing jerk.
I would not hesitate to break it down for parts; given that it's poor quality, maybe it could become stuffing in a quilt.
What's different between clothes and books? I guess I have stronger impulses towards reuse with clothing, maybe I should get serious about the creative book reuses commenters are suggesting.
Fascists ban clothing as often as books.
Nelson Chu Pavlosky
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Now ponder what I consider a thornier question:
- well-written book
- with valuable insights
- by a living person currently promoting harmful ideology
Actual authors on my bookshelf include:
- Orson Scott Card (homophobe)
- Richard K. Morgan (transphobe)
Also not sure about Frank Miller, Tony Robbins, or Chuck Palahniuk.
Suppose the book itself is fine, or even mostly positive. But the author is harmful, and someone may pay for their other work, or be drawn into their ideology.
- Destroy it (9%, 1 vote)
- Give it away (54%, 6 votes)
- Sell it (9%, 1 vote)
- Something else (explain) (27%, 3 votes)
11 voters. Poll end: 10 mesi faLilly I
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Nelson Chu Pavlosky
in reply to Lilly I • • •@gleemie I will keep at least some of these books for some time, but nothing lasts forever, including space on my bookshelf.
When and if I do decide to get rid of such a book, what is the most ethical way to dispose of it?
Lilly I
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Nelson Chu Pavlosky
in reply to Lilly I • • •@gleemie That's a fair stance to take, and I may agree, but exactly why is it bad to take money for the book?
You could see it as a tax on people who want to read it, and perhaps donate the money to a cause the author opposes.
If it's bad for me to sell it, why is it ok for the library or thrift store to sell it?
Lilly I
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •actually I just thought of this: write a note at the start of the book explaining the issue. Give it away or sell the annotated edition -- whichever
I lean towards giving away what I don't need for spiritual reasons and reasons of treating the poor with dignity.
Lilly I
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Nicolas Ward
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Nelson Chu Pavlosky
in reply to Nicolas Ward • • •@ultranurd But what did you do with the ones you didn't keep?? Keeping all the books is an attractive but unworkable / undesirable approach.
Also interested if you have a different approach with a good book by a bad person vs. a bad book by a bad person.
Oreo Teeth
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Nelson Chu Pavlosky
in reply to Oreo Teeth • • •@oreoteeth That's certainly the easiest way to give books away, at least in my neighborhood.
But if someone started financially supporting a bigot because of a book I gave them, or even became a bigot themselves, that seems difficult to ethically accept. I'm not sure I can risk it even with books I think have a largely positive message.
Perhaps it's OK with a written warning in the book, perhaps with commentary on any awful passages. At least the author doesn't get money this time. But I dunno
Sean M. Collins
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Stanley Jones
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •Edmundo
in reply to Nelson Chu Pavlosky • • •