Imagine a day without books, or magazines, or newspapers. Imagine a day without albums, or compact disc, or DVDs.
Does the idea of streaming movies, downloading your daily newspaper, and only being able to listen to your music from a small device appeal to you?
I don’t like having to download my music, my movies, or my news. Compressed music doesn’t bring to life the sounds that the artist recorded; streaming movies lack the beauty and depth of the widescreen images, and electronic newspapers and magazines can be frustrating, especially when you need to flip back a page or two—you’re really not sure how many.
Imagine a day when there are no hard products sold. No pages to turn, no album to flip over, or no dvd to share with a friend. When we become a frontline-digital-download-only society? When the only way to get information and entertainment is to sit in front of a computer to retrieve it? Will all generations embrace this? Truthfully, this concept is terrifying to me. After sitting in front of a computer screen at work, sitting in front of one at home is not the way I want to enjoy my free time. I want to relax on my couch to watch a favorite movie; I want to sit in my favorite chair with my newspaper spread open in my lap; and I want to turn on my stereo, put an album on my turntable or a cd in my disc player, and listen to the music and range of sound that comes through a good set of speakers and a high quality receiver.
There’s something personal when a friend hands you a favorite book to enjoy. It’s visceral. That human connection gets lost in just another word on a screen.
Yes, I am what they call old school, and I embrace the way a newspaper sounds and feels and smells. Fortunately, local newspapers are still printing and have a dedicated following. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the convenience and immediacy of our digital world; I just can’t imagine a completely digital world and I hope that I never have to.
I remember a day not long ago when record companies said they would never sell another record. I am happy to say that they were wrong. Today Merle’s Record Rack still gives the people what they want–because they ask for it.
Blog Post by Mike Papa
