If you were to take a glance at my bookshelf, you would see photo frames and bins full of snacks, but little to no books. Almost all of my books, whether for personal enjoyment or class, are accessed online. Upon looking at my bookshelf, I realized that I, like many others, have failed to preserve various forms of physical media. This is a common practice following the emergence of the digital age. The selling point of digital media is its accessibility. It is more convenient to look for an ebook online, rather than purchase another book to collect dust on a shelf. This common practice, while convenient, draws us away from the traditional paperback or CD — something more dangerous than we recognize it to be.
Our reliance on the internet to cater to our every need has caused a decline in the purchase of physical media, and subsequently the sale of physical media. In late 2023, Best Buy announced that they would gradually phase out their sale of DVD and Blu-Ray discs at the end of the holiday season. Simply put, this is due to our overwhelming reliance on streaming services. The way we consume media has become overly reliant on digital streaming services, causing us to no longer need CDs. This results in a chain effect: as demand dies down, the supply follows. In terms of our consumption of films, Best Buy’s decision to move away from digital media provides grave consequences. It will become more difficult for us to access films that are not available for streaming. While streaming services provide an expansive catalog of films, they can easily be removed from the service. This, coupled with the decline in CD and Blu-Ray availability, will make it very difficult for viewers to find their favorite cult classics in physical form.
The threat to physical media does not end at movies, however. Books are in jeopardy of being replaced by digital alternatives. Many readers now prefer to access texts online, whether it be through public websites or the purchase of an eBook on their beloved Kindle. This competition against physical books leaves small businesses feeling the need to cater to digital consumers to promote sales, ones that they may have otherwise lost due to our preference for digital books. Rachel Kanter, owner of Lovestruck Books in Boston, says, “Independent bookstores have been looking for ways to compete in the e-book space.” This has led to small bookstores turning to a more digital-friendly space, now selling eBooks through their own websites. While many bookstores are not too concerned about digital media completely taking over the book industry, it remains true that many consumers are increasingly turning to online alternatives. Given the prominent digital nature of our society, it is not irrational to be cautious of the decline of physical media and take preventative measures by purchasing paperback copies.
Apart from our self-inflicted distance from physical media, external factors pose a threat to our access to important books, as well. In the days leading up to President Trump’s inauguration, my Tiktok was flooded with multiple users urging me to “buy banned books now.” The banned book list consists of various stories being censored and challenged nationwide. While not completely taken from the public or banned on a federal level, these books are commonly challenged in certain states or school districts. PEN America reports that there were more than 10,000 book bans in public schools in the 2023-2024 school year. The extensive book ban list consists of “provocative texts,” with books about racism, sexuality, gender, and history being some of the most targeted. Some books currently banned or challenged in school districts include Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, George Orwell’s 1984, and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. All of the above-mentioned texts are considered provocative for their criticism of the government and their depiction of what now seems like a very possible dystopian society. All three texts depict a controlling and manipulative government, where freedoms are limited and censorship runs rampant.
With the new radical administration in power, it is incredibly possible for banned books to become an even more prominent reality, leading us to lose access to physical copies of important stories that tell our history or criticize the government’s actions. If we rely on the internet to access these books and physical copies stop being made as a result, all we will be left with is what is online. This is dangerous due to the internet’s unreliability. Digital texts can be modified or taken down altogether. It is our job to invest in physical media, ensuring our total and permanent ownership of the stories produced for us. I would prefer to have my bookshelf cluttered with dozens of books and copies of my favorite movies rather than risk losing access to my favorite stories. So, instead of searching for an electronic copy of your next read, maybe take a trip to your local bookstore and admire all of the physical media that is readily available to you.
Just Dance expert, green line regular, and matcha addict.
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