AFF's Doublethink

Matt Yglesias touches on it:

In general, the Kindle strikes me as somewhat hobbled by an overly generous view of why people buy books. Not only is there this problematic lack of bragging, but with the kindle edition of the book I can’t have a handsome volume laying around the house as if to say to visitors, “why, yes, I may be a professional political pundit but I’m also a man of culture.” And I’ll have nothing on my shelf.

This is, of course, reminiscent of the point that John Cusack’s character makes in High Fidelity:

What really matters is what you like, not what you are like… Books, records, films – these things matter. Call me shallow but it’s the fuckin’ truth.

Amen, brother. This is why I have two book shelves and a need for a third, copious DVD shelves, and plenty of CD space. People get a better sense for you when they can see what you’re into. And the digital revolution provides none of that. I’d rather haul boxes upon boxes of books that demonstrate by tastes and interests around the country for the rest of my life than have a tiny little hard drive hidden away somewhere in my apartment with the world’s libraries ensconced within.