It seems it is going to become less and less cluttered in the not too distant future. We just received notice that one of our long time subscriptions was going digital, the issue to which this notice was attached will be the last one in print. Wow! Reality is beginning to sink in.
It occurred to me how things creep up on us. Sure, everyone knows about Kindles and Nooks and iPads, etc. Will they replace books and newspapers and magazines? You bet. This notice is proof positive and I don't like it one bit!
The particular magazine was one of my favorite 'tuck in the side pocket of my purse' periodicals. I always had it with me when I knew I'd have a wait some place. You can do that with electronic devices too but it's not the same. You can't leave it behind to share if you're finished with it for one thing. Or toss it out or be at a huge loss if you misplace it.
So magazines are now joining the ranks of relics. Collectibles. I have a couple that already are. Issues of Cosmopolitan from years back when they produced centerfolds of men - John Davidson and Burt Reynolds in particular. I saved them thinking they may someday have some value. Do they? I haven't a clue. I'm not even sure which box of keepsakes they may be in. Perhaps it's time to check!
Remember how we used to save newspapers reporting important events? The end of a war or "Dewey Wins!" type of thing. Man landing on the moon. Are they worth the space they take up anymore? Is it all digitized and available with a Google search? Probably. But it's not the same.
I will resist getting a Kindle. I will not pay to download a PDF of this magazine. I will not watch a TV program or a full length movie on a smart phone or my computer. Speaking of relics, how long until my computer becomes one?
Some will argue its progress and inevitable. I suppose, but I'm an advocate of it ain't broke don't fix it and as far as I'm concerned newspapers and magazines and books ain't broke.
The problem they have is quality. Advertisers don't advertise because they don't get enough bang for their buck because people no longer subscribe because the content is so poor they don't get enough bang for their buck either. It's a circle to be sure but one that can be broken by good management.
This aging process is interesting. How often Hub and I look at one another and exclaim that we're dinosaurs. We no longer see things in the same light as the younger generations. Even worse I suppose is that we don't want to. We just want to have our coffee with our papers and magazines and books without thinking about saving them for future generations as relics of life long past. At least we're in good company. Relics all. I just never thought I'd see the day when printed reading material is no more than nostalgia.
4 comments:
Ah, I agree, Mari. I got a kindle from my kids for Christmas two Christmas' ago. I have really enjoyed it. It fits in my purse and I can take it wherever I go.
Most books are half the paper price and some are $1.00 and some are free. Now I am selling my other hard bound books on Amazon. I have probably sold a hundred but I still have hundreds yet to go. My kids won't have to deal with that when I'm gone.
About half of the 50 plus books a year I read, I read on my Kindle. I have turned the corner on my feelings and now prefer the Kindle to the book. I like the highlight-notes feature as well as the instant dictionary.
I like my Kindle because if I get books at the library, they are usually full of cat dander, and I am deathly allergic to it. I wish libraries had a way to sanitize books, or, I wish all those people who sit and read with their cats in their laps, and let their cats lounge all over books would have a little more consideration and put the books where the cats can't get to them.
However, I am not willing to read the local and state newspapers on line because I enjoy holding them in my hands and having my coffee every morning, then working the crossword puzzles. If they go all digital, I won't subscribe, because at that point I will be able to subscribe to much better papers, such as the Washington Post, New York Times or, even, USA Today.
Well, as I said in the post I am a dinosaur! I'm just learning to deal with a car I can have a conversation with and need a smart phone so I can take it a step further. I'll stick to print editions for my reading for the time being! Lol.
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