The New Normal

"The problem with e-books is that they are e-books." This quote, produced alongside a cartoon, caught my attention in this week's reading. I would like to think of myself as an open-minded student. Yet, I was struck by the explanation following this quote. "If this tautological statement makes us laugh," the article says, "we do so most likely because we share a highly specific, normative vision of books and book reading."

Normative is not a word I would often use to describe myself. However, when it comes to reading books, I am the norm. Previously on this blog I mentioned my affinity for the public library. I value the ability to pick up physical books off of the shelves and flip through actual pages before deciding which genre I want to dive into next. In my opinion, one of the biggest perks to utilizing the public library is that it is free.

As the article suggests, e-books add an interesting voice into the U.S.'s capitalist conversation. Currently, I do not have the financial means to invest in a Kindle, tablet or any other e-reader. Even though I don't spend my money on e-books, other people certainly are which is causing bookstores across the nation to close their doors.

Although the article explains the road to e-books is still being shaped, I believe soon e-readers will be the new normal. I see the advantages to both classic books and e-books. E-books are useful because they provide instant gratification and are easy to transport. We are living in the digital age and most millennials gravitate towards anything technology-related. Years ago, e-books were trendy and intriguing for consumers, as highlighted in the video below.

A world in which e-books are the norm is inevitable, even if it takes 10, 20 or 50 years to get to that point.

Assisted (Print) Suicide

One of my favorite places to go is the library. I love wandering up and down the aisles of books and daydreaming about what story lies within those pages. Every summer, I looked forward to participating in the summer reading contests. I entered college as an English major with the idea to one day earn a Master's Degree in Library Science. Forbes agrees that there is a necessity for public libraries, even in this digital age. Although I eventually switched my major to Public Relations (shout out to Junker), books continually impact my life in a positive way.

While I do have a huge affinity for books, I have never actively read print newspapers. My parents used to subscribe to the Dallas Morning News, but ended their subscription when the value stopped seeming worthy. Instead of the full Dallas Morning News edition, my parents opted to switch to the Briefing, which is a free publication that highlights the important news in the community, nation and the world.

I would consider my parents a part of the late majority when it comes to adopting new technology. They have not yet switched from the Briefing to a digital subscription, but that development may be coming sooner than they realize. A few years ago, the Dallas Morning News released a digital strategy that would charge consumers for content. This was a risky move at the time, but in today's society this development makes sense. To me, it seems to matter less how the content is presented (whether print or digital) but more so that it is quality journalism. Print providers must make the transition to a digital product in a seamless way and assure consumers reporting will not be sacrificed simply because it is not presented in a tangible print format.

We're not the only ones to wonder if newspapers are dying. In 2009, senators from across the nation met to discuss the shift from print to digital media. While there are certainly cases to be made for both sides of the argument, I think that the shift from print to digital media is inescapable. Publications across the world are following the same model as the Dallas Morning News and are charging for premium digital content. By encouraging consumers to buy into this transition, print publications are essentially digging their own grave.

Facebook FOMO

When I open a new window in Safari, my fingers almost instinctively type "f" before my computer autofills in "Facebook." I'd be remiss not to mention that, occasionally, I will close out one window of Facebook, open a new tab and accidentally go right back on Facebook.

Around finals last semester, I got so fed up with my Facebook addiction that I went cold-turkey and didn't log on for one whole week. In the grand scheme of things, that might not sound like that long. Yet, for me, it was enough time to detox and overcome the feeling of "FOMO" (fear of missing out) that Facebook constantly leaves me with.

As I try to spend my time more constructively this year, I am limiting my time on Facebook. With the knowledge of Bilton's article, I can't help but wonder if others are feeling burnt out, as well. There are only so many engagement announcements, time lapse recipes and cute animal videos one can look at before the need for real human contact occurs.

It makes sense that "investors are in the business of pouring money into growing companies, not stalled ones." In this age of start up companies and a passion to create the next-big-thing, I understand that the growth of social media sites are plateauing. Still, there is no doubt that Facebook is a revolutionary invention that changed the way people communicate with each other.  

That being said, I would love for social media to become more social again. It's astonishing to me that I have over 1,200 Facebook friends, while in reality I probably only talk to about 12 of those people on a regular basis. While "the challenges on the business side are fueled by the overabundance of publishers on the Web," I am eager to see the new web content that will replace Facebook in the coming years. After being on Facebook for about ten years, I have had my fill and am ready to move onto the next social media craze.

Netflix will take over the world

While Chris Anderson brings up interesting points in The Long Tail article, I think it is important to realize the article was written in 2004. Over the past 12 years, the media spectrum has changed significantly. Anderson points out the rise and fall of Rhapsody. Today, we have Spotify and Pandora. Although Blockbuster is out of business, now we have Redbox and Apple TV. Even though Netflix existed in 2004, it has evolved into a revolutionary streaming service that caters to the culture of binge-watching and our addictive personalities.

Personally, I was reluctant to give into Netflix. I am a stingy college student who doesn't like spending money on intangible objects. I also feared I would have no self-control if I always had TV shows at my fingertips. I held out as long as I could before finally giving it a try. Of course, I was hooked. I understand what all the hype is about - there are countless shows that you can spend hours upon hours watching. Netflix combats the boredom we face in everyday life. Netflix provides vast options for entertainment.

As a company, Netflix is doing it right. It addresses the issue that people are never satisfied, so they are continually releasing seasons of both classic and new shows. In addition, they are even putting out original content that is receiving critical acclaim. In the long term, Netflix predicts that online streaming will take over TV entirely. I'm not convinced that the economics of long tail media is such an issue. Netflix is a service that is in demand, and the number of subscribers who pay for streaming supports this statement. Other media services should follow in Netflix's footsteps; evolve to what audiences want, instead of wallowing in what audiences used to crave.

Overstimulated and overwhelmed

Davenport's and Beck's chapter on the Attention Economy is surely something every college student can relate to. Just like Rob was interfered with conversations on the way to the bathroom, most of us aren't able to unplug even when nature calls. We are constantly tuned in and wanting more content. The chapter outlines how our attention is a valuable commodity, and I agree with this statement. In today's "information environment," I know I will never realistically be able to escape the realm of social media. Thus, I try to redirect this time in order to spend it more wisely than mindlessly scrolling through Facebook. Now, I utilize news apps on my phone to learn happenings around the world, I carry a novel with me to read during breaks from class and I have taken up coloring as a new hobby. I find all of these experiences to be more rewarding than a Facebook check-in ever has been. Yet, even if I am not perusing Facebook during these activities, my phone is never far from me. Truthfully, it scares me to think about how much I would struggle without my phone. I am working on creating a healthier relationship with the technology that I have integrated into my life. Now that I know "organization ADD" exists, I will work to combat that in the workplace. I believe attention and time management go hand in hand and I am going to work smarter, not harder, this semester.

Because I am making a more conscience effort to focus on learning world news, I am surprised to learn in the second article that a "decline in news consumption is inevitable." Personally, I do not own a tablet or e-reader and I value the feeling of being able to hold a hardcopy book or newspaper. I hope that in the future I will be reading my kids bedtime stories, instead of letting a robot take that job.

Although Professor Chyi makes valid points, I certainly hope our society will see the value in traditional media. Certainly, the information surplus is something that will continue to impact our lives. Even if "nothing can stop the gap between the supply and demand curves," I hope that we are able to address the negative attributes that come with this information surplus.