The Medium Is the Memory

Florian Brody praises digital media in his essay "The Medium Is the Memory". He states that unlike other mediums such as film and video, digital media has the potential to replace books. He asserts that lovers of books do not truly digest and analyze the contents of books, but actually replay lovely phrases in their minds instead of taking away the story. He claims that the book is strictly connected with the body, because we think of it as a physical thing- information stuck between two covers. Electronic text however, brings text back to our mind, something that has not been done since before the printing press.

As I read through these elegant phrases and metaphors, my mind absolutely revolts. Yes, I am an English Major, so I do have a love for books, literature, etc. However, I do not think that the book is purely physical. When I curl up with my book in bed or on the couch, my mind drifts away to whatever distant time and lands I am reading about. The words on each page guide my mind to create their own visual version inside my head of whatever it is I am reading. At each turn of the page my mind advances more into each story. When I read a book my body is stagnant, but my mind careens with thoughts and visions. When I read a play or a piece of literature on my computer I am constantly blinking away the irritation in my eyes, having to exit out of pop ups that show me some program that has updated itself. On the computer there is a barrage of all kinds of digital updates, advertisements, and virus scans, that cause my mind to reel away from what I am reading. So, no Florian, digital media will never replace books, or become the new book. It may be an alternative at times to books when one cannot find the book he is looking for at the store- but he will never find someone curled up in front of the fireplace reading a fantasy, mystery, or romance novel on a computer.