Reshelving 1984 - Borders
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Reshelving 1984 - Borders,
originally uploaded by Jay B.
This morning MPR did a piece on the Ministry of Reshelving, which is relocating copies of George Orwell’s 1984 to non-fiction sections in bookstores.
Photos, tactics as well as bookmarks and reshelving signs are all available on the Flickr group for the Ministry of Reshelving.
Anyone interested in forming a local cell of the Ministry of Reshelving?
Related posts:
No, thanks.
I prefer not to join a bunch of whiny, obviously privleged kids (note that apres the reshelving affairs, sushi and Frappucinos are frequent refreshments) in making bookstore employee’s lives more difficult. Especially when they KNOW they are causing trouble and, so, will avoid their “favorite Barnes & Noble.”
I dunno, I guess I’m of the opinion that political statements, whatever they are, shouldn’t be detracted from by obnoxiousness.
If you read more of the information in the Ministry of Reshelving community, you can see they recommend correctly shelving books you find mishelved as to relocate 1984.
They also label where the books went, and where they came from, to make re-reshelving easier.
I guess I’m of the opinion that political statements, whatever they are, shouldn’t be quashed because they don’t conform to the mainstream ruleset.
So, common courtesy and and trying not to make people’s lives more difficult is now “the mainstream ruleset”? Who cares if they’re labeling stuff? Someone will have to go back and clean up the mess (while the perpetrators are off eating sushi, no doubt).
I think the point of political statements and protests should be to draw *positive* attention to a cause or idea, and even - a lofty goal - to change people’s minds. You don’t get positive attention by annoying people, and when you annoy people, their first instinct is to shut you out, rather than listen.
Statements such as this exist more to pat the speakers on the back than to change minds.
Well, I - for one - care that they are labelling their reshelving efforts. It’s more than the general public (you know, all those folks with common courtesy) does every day in a store.
What gives you the notion that everyone participating in this eats sushi? What is wrong with sushi-eaters?
There’s a whole school of thought that protest activities need to inconvenience others in order to draw them away from their daily routine, wake them up, get them to take notice. I’m making no claim that this is more or less effective than the “positive attention” tactics - just pointing out that the alternate view exists.
As for changing minds… I’m not certain this is the aim of the statement. Those who love the current administration won’t be likely to change their minds anyhow.
I think it’s an awesome idea. As far as bookstore employees go, I’m guessing they have a lot more reshelving to do in a day than one measly copy of 1984. I don’t think they’re causing them any undue strain.
But for the casual browser who comes across that book and reads the note left behind… that’s who you’re aiming for. It’s mostly harmless, it’s informative, and it makes people think. You’re not defacing anything. You’re not interrupting/disrupting anything. It’s a simple statement.