The Undeniable Value Of A Physical Book: Why I Refuse To Go Fully Digital
The Magic Of Passing Down Well-Loved Physical Artifacts To Future Generations
“Dad, can I read your books when I get older?”
–Noah DIALLO
He enters his father’s room. He pulls a book from the shelves. He starts flipping the pages.
As he is sitting comfortably in the rocking chair, he can feel his father‘s presence in the old fabrics.
As his father’s favorite CD (Compact Disc) plays in the background, he returns the book and reaches out to the photo album of his father’s 100 pictures for life.
He tries to suffocate his emotions as his son asks him: Dad, can you come out of the simulation? Dinner is ready.
As Noah is switching off the augmented reality lens, some tears drop into the floor of their house.
The sun beaming through the glass window is trying to bathe him with some warmth. Noah is still shivering on his way to the dining table.
Why did you go fully digital, Dad? Why did you have to leave nothing but digital dust?
Are you ok, Honey? You are so pale, said his partner.
I just wish Dad did listen to me about not going digital, he answered.
That is how I imagine my children and grandchildren about their experience of what I have left behind.
Let’s see how I ignored my son’s advice and went full digital for convenience.
And I invite you to course correct your own life library so that you are not fooled by virtual reality.
1. Where are you getting your music from?
As I am touring around my house, I cannot find any CD, DVD, cassette, or VHS. I have gone full digital when it comes to the music I consume.
I get everything from the internet. My main library is on Spotify. Now and then, I watch some music videos on Youtube.
I also have an Amazon music subscription with my ISP (Internet Service Provider). All my playlists are conveniently locked in the cloud for my convenience.
At least, that is what they sold me.
Tomorrow my kids will never be able to listen to the music I have listened to. By the time they get old, they will develop their own taste.
Maybe new music platforms will arise with the advent of Web3 and decentralization. That means that all my playlists will be lost forever the moment I will opt out from those platforms.
2. Where are you getting your movies and TV Shows from?
Yes, I have a DVD player. Well, that is my PS3 (PlayStation 3) acting as a DVD player. I never buy DVDs for movies. I go to the movies now and then.
Yet there is no single physical movie cassette, VHS, or Blu-Ray at home. I have Netflix and Amazon Prime subscriptions.
Sometimes I am looking for content beyond those platforms. I am using Stremio, a peer-to-peer torrent streaming platform.
Yes, I can watch whatever I want whenever I want. Because everything is available, nothing is curated. I consume and move on. I have not a shelf with all my best movies for life.
With convenience comes obedience and dependence. I have to respect the rules of those streaming platforms. I rely solely on them for the lists of movies that have inspired me.
I have watched so many movies and TV shows on so many different platforms that tracking is impossible.
Yes, I have tried the TV Time application. I started with TV shows. I saw how many years I have lost watching TV shows. Then I never tried tracking the movies I watched. It was so depressing, even if I enjoyed the time spent.
3. Where are you getting your books from?
No, I have kind of avoided going full digital on this section.
Haha, Gotcha!
I have read some books in PDF formats. I have tried the Apple Books app. But it never clicked for me.
Reading books from Kindles or other screens is not for me. As for books, I have always loved the physical ones.
I love the smell of new books. I love the smell of old books. I love the smell of used books. I love them all.
Yes, I will not deny the advantages of e-readers or the convenience of highlighting your best sections via different apps. The benefits of consuming books digitally are tremendous.
And I am not even talking about audiobooks or podcasts.
Noah, Elijah, I have not failed you for the books section in my life’s library.
To that question above, Noah, the answer is Yes. You will get the opportunity to read the books that I love.
There are not many fiction books. There are maybe way too many personal development books. But you will get to read them.
You will see what I have highlighted with my pen or pencil. I always take my notes in a physical notebook.
You will see my handwriting. I also have all my daily journals. Everything is physical. Nothing is digital for my books.
What about you?
Final thoughts
The world is moving fast. With the rise of AI (Artificial Intelligence), everything will be digitized, eventually.
That means you must go fully digital in all aspects of your life. You will be a fool in doing so.
Maybe in the future, your grandchildren will use AI to generate an avatar that looks like you, sounds like you, and thinks like you. Yes, that will be a great experience.
Yet we are humans. For millions of years, we have experienced the world through vibrations and physical signs: smell, sight, sound, touch, and taste. Those are the ultimate way to experience the universe.
There is no denying the power of XR (Mixed Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), and VR (Virtual Reality). But there are just artifacts of one thing: reality.
Let me ask you:
What hard copies of your life will you pass on to the next generation?
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