Caleb Sager > Status Update

Until recently I don’t think I took Goodreads seriously as a social media site (or really as anything other than a book tracker), but I’ve come to appreciate the opposing position a lot in the last few days. I’ve opened Goodreads more than any other social media in this half week span and I have some thoughts as to why.

Why get on Goodreads?
Add a couple friends that are active readers. That’s a big difference maker. Every time you open the app you’re greeted with an update of some kind. A progress update on their current read. Books added to their “want to read” list. A rating or review of a recent complete read. It may not seem like much, but I still look forward to it every time. The content people consume changes and shapes what they know and how they think. Opinions can be formed and changed from the knowledge gained between the pages. Knowing what people read shows what’s important to them. You’re invited to see what they choose to read first and look at the topics they deem important to look further into. I don’t have to talk about every book I read, but they can access that information nonetheless by checking my past reads or progress updates. And it’s not an instant process to read a book. Seeing a new rating means you’re taking a look at what your friend has been doing with hours of their one precious life the last few days/weeks. The downtime they use taking new information and ideas, their commutes spent listening to an audiobook, the last hour before going to sleep winding down with a novel. You’re seeing the time between the events and I think that’s something special.

What are other social media apps doing wrong nowadays? Every social app is plagued by a need to keep people on the app. Infinite scrollability combined with the encouragement for people to output their most controversial thoughts all the time (pushed to the front by algorithms because of the attention) keep people engaged with negative discourse for hours on end instead of actually “connecting people” like media brands want you to think is their primary objective. Clicking onto an app that immediately prompts you to engage with people shouting horrendous takes is enough to get you to take the bait, then push notifications when you get a response back is enough to pull you back in and keep you on the app. Goodreads doesn’t do this. The first things you see when you open the app are recommendations for other books to read based on what you’ve already read. To find controversial opinions you have to seek them out in the reviews of books you choose to click on. And once you’re there the review is probably years old anyway. Is there really a point in arguing with someone about a hot take they had 4 years ago? They’ve probably lost a lot of the spark that made them leave that review in the first place. It makes for a much more pleasant experience each time I’m on the app.

Overall, I just think connecting and learning more with a small group of friends that you choose to add is just as (if not more) valuable as seeing the thoughts of thousands of strangers. Maybe valuable isn’t the right word, but it can definitely be more peaceful. And there’s value in peace, isn’t there?

This is good stuff Leb