Physical Media

Do you find that when you come across one item you like that online algorithms jump all over that and think you need a hundred more of that item? In my case, it was a YouTube video that compared the uptick of physical media against the downfall of streaming. Pretty random topic, right? And yet, YouTube has been showing me video after video of every content creator I haven't heard of who are speaking to this now that I have watched one video. Though I'm slightly amused, it also reveals the problem of relying on digital content for browsing purposes.

Yes, I might want to see items that are similar to what I like as the likelihood of enjoyment might be higher. At the same time, if I sought out a specific movie at a particular point in time, it doesn't necessarily mean that I will want to only watch that type of movie. While some platforms may be better than others at this, no wonder people end up doing an infinite scroll looking for options!

I wonder if part of this comes down to a sense of false browsing. It may look like there are a multitude of choices, yet are we being paralyzed by the amount of choices out there? What used to take me a minute's glance at a shelf at a video rental store now seems to take fifteen minutes or longer as I keep searching for something – anything – that might interest me off a platform or app.

I've found that beyond movies, TV, or music, this also applies to books. Unless I'm already familiar with the author or see some stellar reviews from those I know, it's hard to know which books to read. What's helped me most has been getting offline sometimes and just being able to hold something in my hands and assess whether I want it or not. I find it fascinating now that people are going back to valuing physical items over streamed content. If you don't believe me, YouTube will show you all of the videos related to this!

While I do remember purging quite a bit of things during the minimalism craze (read more about that in my post, From Maximalism to Minimalism and Back), I'm also thankful for the many books I've held on to instead of donating them. Most of these books are now much more difficult to find, or their cost has far exceeded the expense I originally paid. I'm not at all surprised at the popularity of physical media as a result.

One of the things I often hear at work is that paper has longevity that will far outlast any technology. Short of the elements ravaging paper, most will stand the test of time. In going through archival materials, my colleagues have come across all manner of disks and drives. Everything from floppy disks (in their various sizes!) to CD-Rs that can no longer be read on most standard computers due to missing a driver for such devices, it's interesting to see how information is preserved. Unfortunately, as with technology, things get outdated so much quicker than we realize. My beloved MP3 files from years ago? Well, I could share them with my phone, but some of them have limitations. Also, the phasing out of certain publishing file types on Kindle over time means that unless a book is in the right format, there might not be support for it. What does all of this do to access?

At the end of the day, a paper book will still be readable no matter what (barring damage, of course). This is probably one of the reasons why I've been keeping a list of books to eventually get as a paperback, as I would hate to lose access to the story if it's digital. It wasn't too long ago that DVDs and CDs were considered relics, yet they're becoming sought after once again. From my limited vantage point, it feels like whenever I visit used media stores and thrift stores, they are hopping. I'm likely not the only one going back to this medium and it's nice because:

1. I don't need to worry about the title disappearing from a platform I use.
2. I don't have to remember where I can access it, whether it's this app or that.
3. I don't end up forgetting about the book as I'm very an out of sight, out of mind person.
4. I can share the book with others without having to pass over a device and configure it for them.
5. I can let other people physically browse what I have without needing to type anything out.
6. I can gift the item instead of just emailing something to someone, which feels like more of a gift.

I'm sure there are other reasons, but I'm curious if others are noticing this reversion as well. I find it lovely in a way, as I want to lessen my dependence on technology and going back to physical items involves my body in a way that is different than just my fingers. Even the act of retrieving a book or movie and sitting down with it feels like a separate experience from just being distracted on my phone, like I usually am. The small act of intentionality sets my media consumption apart and is something I hope to cultivate more of so that I'm not glued to my phone, reliant on apps.

Note: I'm not advocating for consumerism either, only my preference for how I consume what I would already be consuming. See Consumption to Stewardship for more on that.