As I’m writing this, I am looking at a wide array of magazines showcased under opulent lighting and on perfectly placed shelves in a Barnes & Noble. A number of those magazines instantly caught my attention. Nonetheless, I found myself so overwhelmed with such an array of options that I was powerless.
This problem becomes even worse online. Many of us find ourselves standing with invisible chains binding our bodies to every unfulfilling digital source of media we see, as mind and spirit slowly rot. These “media chains” prevent us from finding purpose and transformation in leisure, but a solution may lie in another medium — Goodreads and Letterboxd.
In my experience, even when a close friend recommends a book or movie, it gets lost in my memory when the conversation ends. With Goodreads and Letterboxd, we can easily catalog that media. Now, after a conversation, a simple click adds something to your watch or reading list.
The reviewing feature that these programs offer is where they really shine. Our closest friends can see what we have to say about a specific book or movie. It can be interesting for the reviewer to look back on their own reviews as well, allowing for a unique and intimate display of identity.
I may not be great at articulating myself through speech alone to reveal a certain part of my identity. However, sharing art I admire — such as movies and books — and its impact on me has helped me tap into a whole new realm of self-expression. These platforms also provide a chance to reflect on your identity and artistic interests. Looking at which movies or books were interesting to you at a certain time in life can provide new insights into identity and into understanding your behavior more intimately.
Whether it be showcasing your top-four favorite movies on Letterboxd or describing how “The Catcher in the Rye” affected the way you interpret people around you on Goodreads, the role that media plays in our lives can now be expressed in a way unlike ever before.
When I’m using these platforms, I’m not witnessing a portrayal of a perfect life or living vicariously through my favorite celebrity, which often happens on other forms of social media. Instead, I experience the authentic ways in which various forms of art affect some of my closest friends. I have had many wonderful conversations with my best friends about a certain movie review or interpretation on Letterboxd. These are not the kind of talks where you are aware of time and stressors, but the kind of talks you find yourself lost in without ever wanting to be found.
Goodreads and Letterboxd can bring people together in a way distinct from other platforms. Personally, I have met many like-minded people through comparing our Letterboxd lists and many friendships I cherish today arose this way. Our shared love of movies or books creates a strong bond that can spark hours of conversation, even if we may be radically different in other ways.
Goodreads and Letterboxd alike have also expanded my media palette. I’ve acquired a completely new taste for movies because of Letterboxd — I would never have thought I would come to love movies from the 1960s, from directors like Billy Wilder, before I had the app. Similarly, Goodreads has inspired me to become an avid reader and 15-year-old me would never believe I’d be reading for fun. Whether it’s through the personalized book recommendations from the app itself or the satisfaction of reading a book and posting a review, Goodreads has ultimately inspired me to read many books I will never forget.
These outlets serve as leisure liberators, helping us escape a cycle of meaningless media consumption, but can they also act as addictive, harmful consumption calamities? Personally, I would say yes and no.
If someone finds themselves consuming an endless amount of media just to check more and more boxes and post more and more reviews on either of these platforms, that is definitely not an uplifting task. Therefore, it’s pivotal to engage with media you’ll enjoy and can review presently, with ample time to sit with how it really made you feel. Being chained to an endless stream of book reviews and opinions without ever daring to read any content yourself is unlikely to be a very transformative experience.
However, I believe these downsides are unlikely for most people. Personally, I have felt that being more self-aware and mindful of my media use has, if anything, made me want to limit what I read and watch strictly to sources that uplift me.
I believe the real problem comes when Goodreads and Letterboxd use leads to not engaging with media for what it will bring you, but to shallowly focus on what you have to say about it.
When using these platforms, it’s pivotal to share your thoughts naturally and purposefully and to first recognize the impact. I never find myself compulsively checking these apps for a quick dopamine hit. Instead, they compel me to reflect on what I took away from books and movies I’ve recently watched or read.
In my opinion, these kinds of platforms shed some light on the seemingly dark, mindless nature of most other forms of social media — not judging, comparing or degrading others, but transforming oneself.
Jacob Lieser is a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.