Growing up, there were simple pleasures you could have. Opening the cardboard sleeve to a new album, and putting the vinyl LP on the turntable, lifting the arm with the needle in it over the album, and starting the music. Listening to the music the first time often involved "kicking back" with the sleeve in hand, hopefully one that opened to pictures and lyrics.
Or having a new book in hand, and feeling the spine bend for the first time, along with the weight of the book in your hand. Seeing crisp words on a page that had texture. Some pages were smooth, others had an almost cotton feel to them. One could quickly flip through pages at will.
There was also the pleasure of getting pictures back from the photo developer lab, and grasping a picture, passing multiple pictures around, and being able to hold up the negative to the light. Matte or glossy used to be the big decision!
Of course, all of these activities entailed the physical act of entering the real world, to a real store, and interacting with a clerk. Often there was a craft to it, such as bookbinding, a craft disappearing. (For a recent article on this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/louise-mccready/bookbinding_b_2778477.html?utm_hp_ref=books)
Today, it's done electronically, and there are benefits. Instant gratification. Portability. No waste from packaging. No clutter in the house. It's a brave new (non-physical) world.
Or having a new book in hand, and feeling the spine bend for the first time, along with the weight of the book in your hand. Seeing crisp words on a page that had texture. Some pages were smooth, others had an almost cotton feel to them. One could quickly flip through pages at will.
There was also the pleasure of getting pictures back from the photo developer lab, and grasping a picture, passing multiple pictures around, and being able to hold up the negative to the light. Matte or glossy used to be the big decision!
Of course, all of these activities entailed the physical act of entering the real world, to a real store, and interacting with a clerk. Often there was a craft to it, such as bookbinding, a craft disappearing. (For a recent article on this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/louise-mccready/bookbinding_b_2778477.html?utm_hp_ref=books)
Today, it's done electronically, and there are benefits. Instant gratification. Portability. No waste from packaging. No clutter in the house. It's a brave new (non-physical) world.
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