Got a couple of other things I gotta get off my chest.
I loved reading the August 23, Publishers Weekly (PW) “The New PW Select,” by George W. Slowik, Jr., the President of Publishers Weekly. It finally shows an opening of hearts and minds—and a change of reality. Most change takes place in baby steps, and this is a fine example. A major industry player is recognizing that books are books, they LOVE books, and they want to include as many books as possible into their milieu.
This is GREAT!
This is the way it should be. It is only a matter of time before other venues take similar action.
Another topic: that books are gonna die. The physical ones. Sigh. A couple years ago—and I mentioned this before and I wish I’d kept it!—but PW did an entire issue on the “Demise Of <fill in the blank>.” It was such a wonderful issue, because it actually included clips of “the Sky Is Falling” articles that had been published at the time (late 1800s to early 1900s).
As I remember it, NONE of them had proven true. Not one.
I find it an interesting Human trait that we love to rail on about the end of [any]thing[s]. Is it because of some buried Racial Guilt? Feeling of inherent unworthiness? I mean, why would someone, anyone, intentionally focus and delight in bringing about the end to one’s existence—to ending one’s life, or in bringing about the total and utter annihilation of an entire race [i.e., planet] of people? Makes no sense to me…unless these individuals harbor some innate feeling of unworthiness and the need for Universal Punishment.
My point is, the demise of anything only comes about because someone WANTS it; actually takes steps to BRING IT ABOUT.
It doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
Someone has to initiate it…then bring it about by constant attention in some way or the other.
If you really want to remove all physical books from existence, by all means go for it. You get what you pay for. Get want you CONCENTRATE upon. There is no “external agent,” no extraterrestrial race, nor God Force bringing this on—YOU’RE bringing it on YOURself. Period. So, quit whining and own up to it. To your own internal feelings and beliefs. If you want books to stay, KEEP THEM IN CIRCULATION. Just because we create some new-fangled techno-wizardry doesn’t mean books cannot coexist.
It’s a pretty big UNIVERSE out there, people. I think it can handle multiple forms of media.
This all comes back to my earlier statements. We create our OWN realities. Individually and en masse. Each of us—by our thoughts and our actions. The more attention given to things you DON’T want, the more of what you “don’t want” will be exhibited in your life.
So, I have a cool suggestion.
Why don’t we all focus upon what we all DO WANT? Let’s not give press time—heck, THOUGHT time—to anything we DO NOT WANT?!
Whaddya say?
This is not the same thing as burying one’s head in the sand. It’s about giving the time of day to the GOOD THINGS in life, not the negative.
And, if you don’t understand that last part, then I suggest you re-examine your own thoughts about everything I’ve discussed here, and life in general, and do some reading about getting what you want out of life, because there are quite a few books out there and I’m certainly not gonna recreate the wheel in these new-fangled, techno-wizardry electronic pages….
Think GOOD THOUGHTS, people! :-]
Peace.