Will losing bookstores cause a little more closing of our minds?

[jkeene]

Nicole Krause wrote an essay with this and other points in it in at The New Republic

...

It is a curious quality of the Internet that it can be composed of an unfathomable multitude and, at the same time, almost always deliver to the user the bits that feed her already-held interests and confirm her already-held beliefs. It points to a paradox that is, perhaps, one of the most critical of our time: To have access to everything may be to have nothing in particular.

...

Not sure that I agree, but I haven't been in a new bookstore since December. It's definitely an odd feeling. The used bookstores have been interesting, as usual, but I find there's a different perspective to selecting books there.

So far, I'm still reading material that challenges my views, but it's only been a short time so far. If you've not been in a bookstore in a while, how has that affected your reading selections?

[Yolina]

I pretty much stopped going to new bookstores many years ago because I found that unless I bothered to travel to central London to go to the big Waterstone, most of the smaller bookshops didn't really sell what I wanted to read (I have no interest in the bestsellers and their clones widely available everywhere). At least online I can find what I *want* to read rather than the limited selection that the publishers say I *should* read because everybody else does

Edit: that doesn't mean I always buy the same authors - I've always had a fairly wide range of reading. Buying in-store is what seriously restrict reading selections, but I do love going to second-hand bookshops though

[rhadin]

Isn't proof of Krause's proposition evident in the U.S. Congress' debate over climate change? Or the State of Arizona's immigration legislation? Or in the National Rifle Association's fears for the Second Amendment? Or in Wisconin's union-busting legislation?

That we can find a blog or other Internet posting somewhere that supports something we want to believe has narrowed the topics on which we currently seek to narrow the canyon between our differences.

[Kali Yuga]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Isn't proof of Krause's proposition evident in the U.S. Congress' debate over climate change...?

Not really.

If you look at the contemporary newspaper market in the UK, or the era of "Yellow Journalism" in the US, the news outlets largely target themselves towards partisan niches. It was/is also present with political magazines in the US, e.g. The New Republic on the Democratic side, National Review for conservatives, Ms. for the feminist movement, American Spectator for the neo-cons, and so forth.

I'm also a bit curious as to when the idealized universal, objective, unbiased, general-interest news and information source actually existed -- or if it's what we really want. We live in a world with a huge diversity of viewpoints; often the "neutral" view is just a centrist or moderate one, rather than something that represents the entire spectrum.

The US was also horrendously divided at a time when moderate / centrist news and information resources were predominant -- e.g. the late 1960s. When was this golden era of equanimity and exposure to diverse ideas again...?

Nor does the serendipity of a bookstore necessarily guarantee one will go beyond one's preferences. Good luck finding the writings of Robert Bork, William Kristol, Glenn Beck, Milton Friedman or William F. Buckley at St. Marks' Bookstore. Nor are you likely to find a book of Robert Mapplethorpe's polaroids, or Burroughs' Naked Lunch, or Foucault's History of Sexuality in a Christian bookstore.

There is a human tendency to strongly credit and pay attention to that which we already agree with, and discredit or reject that which we do not agree with. While it is entirely possible to overcome this tendency, offhand I really don't see how physical bookstores have much of an impact.

And, of course, you also have the simple fact that a typical physical bookstore is usually limited to anywhere from 20k to 100k titles. Many online bookstores are already up to 500k titles or more. So, where are you more likely to get exposed to various viewpoints -- a bookstore with 20k titles, or one with 500k?

[jbcohen]

Simply another attempt by techno-phobic to derail technological progress.

[Andrew H.]

The meme that the internet is undermining our community by allowing people to access information that already fits their ideas is 5-10 years old and has been *extensively* discussed. As has the rise of cable news shows focused on people with particular beliefs and, before that, the rise of talk radio.

Adding bookstores to the mix is a variation on the meme, but not one that makes much sense to me - I don't think that bookstores have been very influential in opinion forming at least since the rise of TV, if not radio.

Plus, for the vast majority of people, the availablilty of a bookstore like Borders or B&N is only something happened in the last 15-20 years...and these chains largely replaced mall bookstores.

[jbcohen]

In every period there will allways be a group of ractonaries that want to move the clock backwards to a earlier time where things were more simple. This is no different, there is a certain amount of people that are scared of technological progress and are seeking to convince society to give up the new technology and become mroe issolated and more backwards like it was in the past. Personally I am very discontened with the progress of society and the pace of technological innovation. We are a 21st society still wrstling with 1st century values. The only thing that is closing our minds is the cave man attitudes that are so prevlevant in our society. Beam me up Scotty there is no intelligent life here on earth.

[Kali Yuga]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Personally I am very discontened with the progress of society and the pace of technological innovation.

Are you just mad that we don't have personal jet packs and space elevators yet?

The last 50 years has seen wave after wave of technological improvements, the likes of which I suspect humanity has never witnessed before. The idea that society isn't changing fast enough, well, it sounds entitled and/or naive.

While I am not siding with the author, the fact is that it takes time to enact these types of cultural changes, in no small part because hundreds of millions of people have not only vested interests in current conditions, but genuine concerns over imminent changes.

So rather than rant about how things aren't moving fast enough, perhaps a tiny bit of patience is in order...?

[Victoria]

I think there is a bit of truth in it. I've discovered great books, and great authors, by browsing in bookstores over the years. Especially in non-fiction.

The vast majority of my purchases, music and books, are now digital downloads. However, our finest book stores have closed in Halifax - the "BookRoom" was the oldest bookstore in Canada. Went out of business. The same for all the music stores that carried classical music.

I'm not anti-technology. Quite the opposite, I've embraced it. It opens the whole world, and offers practically unlimited choice. But I'm conscious that buying music and books online has had consequences for my local community; and discovers I've made by browsing in a good book or music store is becoming a relic of the past.

[wyndslash]

well, i certainly hope all our communities survive. after all, who will buy these things if most of the people don't have jobs, etc? of course, that is an extreme situation, but not completely impossible. we're humans, after all

[astra]

I have not been shopping in new book stores since.....2003? When I moved to the UK, I instantaneously fell in love with my local Waterstones. So many books! All of them in front of my eyes! WOW! Then, I realised that Amazon is much cheaper. Even at the times when the order had to be £20(then 15...then....no minimum ) minimum for free delivery. I would browse Amazon and book forums for reviews anyway, so why stop half way and walk to the Brick 'N Mortar store? The same book, more expensive, time consuming.

[weatherwax]

Originally Posted by Victoria

I think there is a bit of truth in it. I've discovered great books, and great authors, by browsing in bookstores over the years. Especially in non-fiction.

Agree. I came across books I would never have found / looked for in the internet.

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Isn't proof of Krause's proposition evident in the U.S. Congress' debate over climate change? Or the State of Arizona's immigration legislation? Or in the National Rifle Association's fears for the Second Amendment? Or in Wisconin's union-busting legislation?

That we can find a blog or other Internet posting somewhere that supports something we want to believe has narrowed the topics on which we currently seek to narrow the canyon between our differences.

Doesn't this violate the no politics rule? Or is that just for conservative politics?

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jkeene

If you've not been in a bookstore in a while, how has that affected your reading selections?

It's been ages since I've been in a bookstore. What changed for me was the internet and the ereader. Because of them, I no longer have to visit bookstores and I no longer have to pay for books ...they're free.

[Blue Tyson]

Not a chance.