“Your
library is your paradise.”
— Erasmus
 |
JRR Tolkien's painting of Smaug
on his gold, with “invisible” Bilbo. |
A host of recent news stories, think-tank surveys,
and academic studies focus on the phenomenon of younger generations
preferring physical media rather than the supposed cornucopia of
digital delights. Many examine this trend in Generation Z (roughly
those born from 1997–2012), though I can attest from personal
experience old curmudgeons like me, relics of the last century, can
also cling to our physical media like jealous dragons on piles of
gold. It’s a strange phenomenon for those living in a century
flooded with electronic media of all kind, often to the detriment of
old, more reliable, more vetted formats (such as print magazines and
newspapers). For some it’s resistance to, if not an outright revolt
against, an increasingly corporate urge to sell subscription services
rather than actual product one can own and put on their shelf;
electronic products companies can withdraw for whatever reason, even
after consumers have paid for them. For others it’s convenience of
ac
cess. And some prefer the
ability to display physical media in their spaces as an expression of
their personal interests. Society keeps imposing on us to adapt to
new developments and technologies —
even if they
prove detrimental to our
lives and world, like data centers and artificial intelligence —
yet preserving “the old
ways” has its benefits on the individual level.
