Culture You Can Heft

Today's blog post is based on an article from The Art of Manliness:

But, for the past couple of years, I’ve found myself growing increasingly dissatisfied with the digital way of consuming all this culture; the sheen of its apparently golden hue — and its accompanying thrill — began to wear off. I felt stuffed with all these options. Saturated. And yet strangely hungry at the same time.

I’ve consequently found myself wandering back into the world of “analog” culture. Instead of reading books on a Kindle, I prefer to read physical books. Instead of streaming music, I’ve been listening to old scratchy vinyl records. Instead of reading news online, I subscribe to the physical version of our local newspaper. I did this, not out of some hipster desire to be idiosyncratic, but simply because it felt right, seemed to scratch a certain itch that hadn’t gone away.

I’m not the only one who’s been making this pivot — a 360, I guess. Studies have shown that while ebooks were outselling physical books a few years ago, that trend has reversed; sales of paperback and hardback books have risen while the sales of ebooks have declined. The number of independent bookstores is growing and their sales are on the rise. Vinyl records have made a roaring comeback over the past decade.

I've written on this subject before. This subject is very appropriate since today is Thank You Note Day...not Thank You Email Day, or Thank You Post Day or Thank You E-card Day. There is something special about getting a tangible letter or card in the mail.

Why after obtaining infinite access to any and all culture via the cloud, are many people coming back to earth and picking up culture they can heft?

Here are a few ideas:

• Culture You Can Heft Is Just More Enjoyable to Consume
• Culture You Can Heft Exhibits What Makes You, You
• Culture You Can Heft Increases the Amount of Serendipity in Your Life 
• This is one of the things I miss the most about the old library card catalogs
• You Actually Own Culture You Can Heft
• Culture You Can Heft Channels Your Focus Into One Activity
• Culture Can You Can Heft Will Always Be Accessible, A Decade, or a Century, From Now
• Culture You Can Heft Has Defined Perimeters — An Actual End Point
• Digital Culture and Culture You Can Heft Working Together

How do you prefer to partake of culture? Digital or analog?

Interesting days

Today - Thank You Note Day, Candy Cane Day and A Blue Christmas

Tomorrow - Fruitcake Day, Make Cut-out Snowflakes Day, Visit The Zoo Day and A Blue Christmas

Next Wednesday - World Introvert Day, Buffet Day, Motivation and Inspiration Day, Science Fiction Day, Personal Trainer Awareness Day, Happy Mew Year Day For Cats, 55 mph Speed Limit Day and Creampuff Day

January 26 - Spouse’s Day, Peanut Brittle Day, Seed Swap Day, Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day and Australia Day