Ethics of Publishing
Something that especially inspires me about the young people I know in publishing is that they are, mostly, and for want of a better word, ’social justice natives’. Perhaps not in the strong sense that today’s teenagers are ‘digital natives’ compared to people my age, who can remember a time before computers could be bought at Coles.
But many young people have come of age to start their publishing endeavours during a time when major world events have occurred (or circumstances have developed) that have changed the way many of us consider our engagement with the world. Not least of these are the issues arising from Western countries’ dubious approach to international economics.
This means that when young publishers learn they can get their books printed bulk-cheap in China, they might wonder about the ethics of exporting work to developing, over-populated economies. One reason the books are so cheap is that labour is inexpensive.
For example, I did some freelance work for aduki independent press while I was in Melbourne, and (then-Publisher) Emily was adamant that her readership wouldn’t buy books that were produced in China – that printing an aduki book in China would go against aduki’s core principles. Granted, aduki have documented their publishing philosophy (which Vignette Press and Ilura Press have signed up to), so they’re kind of an extreme example, but others are conscientious to varying degrees.
Similar questions come up in the location-independence movement. (I’ll call it a movement, cos it’s easier and it fits here.) Location-independent professionals , who move about the world to live and work, must and do consider the ramifications of living cheaply in developing economies while working on projects that channel income elsewhere.
I wonder how much this extends to young people’s consumption of literature. I still boycott Dymocks and the chains that backed the Cheaper Books campaign, and I felt guilty when I thought about buying What is the What direct from McSweeney’s instead of waiting for a paperback Penguin in Australia.
George Dunford, the guy behind Hackpacker (among many other things), coughs up for whatever’s being launched, as a demonstration of solidarity. (So put him on your mailing lists.) And Chris Flynn, the Torpedo guy, told me he considered it his duty to help bailout McSweeney’s when their distro went bankrupt. This was equally opportunistic and charitable, but this sort of thinking happens.
What are some of the ethical considerations that inform your production and consumption of literature?
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UPDATE ‘Ethics of Publishing’ was cross-posted at Spike, the Meanjin blog.
always probing, probing, Ryan Paine.
my consumption of literature varies. if possible (with local-ish authors) i try to purchase books direct from the writer. otherwise i support local bookstores.
i am also a huge library user. i love reading books, and i have a reasonable shelf of titles, but if i bought every book i read, i’d have too many felled trees in my house for my liking (not to mention no money). but i am aware that this reading for free is not good for publishers, authors and the industry…
That might be a worthwile trade off, Sam – Australia’s Public Lending Rights program might cover any potential lose of income for authors. I don’t know much about this program, but it’s something.
I wish I could read in libraries more. I like libraries a lot, but I tend to want to write on my books and the communion seems less than satisfying if I can’t do this and look things up later if I need to.
I hadn’t thought of the environmental thing much. I remember a great article in Voiceworks though about how the move away from print newspapers would only shift the pressure onto fossils fuels, as more are burnt to power the computers we use to read news online. At this point I start to go cross-eyed and wonder if it’s at all possible to make a turn without bumping into some other ethical consideration.
Buying local is always a good way to support the culture, and it helps to mitigate the feeling that literature production occurs at a remove from our daily experience.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Ha ha. It is a point of solidarity but it’s odd the number of people who go to launches and drink the sauce but don’t buy the book/journal/mag. If you don’t support it, it won’t be there much longer.