Save Physical Media

As people become more and more disconnected from the real world, physical media can be a powerful antidote to the alienating morass of the online world.

With the rise of online technology, people have been streaming music, streaming movies or TV shows and reading books all on the same, small screen. This causes a disconnect between the artists and the audience, making the media as an art form feel less personal. 

One of the best parts of buying a CD or book is being able to flip through the lyric book or look at the small details of the front cover, seeing all the subtleties that the artist purposely added. This is impossible to do when looking at a small album cover on Spotify or Apple Music. Buying physical media also benefits the artist by cutting out the middleman of the streaming service and giving more money to the artist. 

Owning the physical copy of media also acts as an archive of sorts, showing what people were into during certain periods of time. There’s no need to wait patiently every year for Spotify Wrapped when listening stats are available year-round by simply looking at what CDs or records someone owns and plays regularly.

This paper you’re holding is also physical media, and has qualities that can’t be found online. It’s tangible and readily accessible to be read, there are no ads to bombard you when you’re trying to read, it’s community based and you can connect to it with all five senses. It has historical context and a life beyond its own. It can be used for papier-mâché, to line a hamster cage or to write a ransom note! The beauty is that it’s in your hands.