Throwing Away My Books

Just half of what I’m getting rid of

I’ve decided to sell most of my personal library.

This may come as a shock to you all, but it really shouldn’t. Everyone knows that I’ve always been a reader. Not sure if it’s because I’m studious or because being a bed bound child left little options. Regardless, I’ve always been and will always be someone who enjoys reading books. In fact, most of waking hours are now spent reading the written word. So why am I chunking my books? For a myriad of reasons.

Less is more
With the advent of e-readers like Kindle, having a physical copy is no longer necessary. Books are awkward and cumbersome. The words bend down or up towards the spine of the book. The tediously slow page turning. The weight. All these things are very unpleasant. With my Kindle I just hold it in my hand and click the next page with my thumb. Simple. It’s as if someone printed out a brand new piece of paper on card stock and then magically turned into another one. e-Ink is by far the biggest technological leap forward in displays. Why deal with a physical book when you can read it on an e-reader?

Tossing ego
There’s something that all of us with book collections are scared to admit: we collect books because we care what other people think about us. We want people to say to themselves, “Wow! Look how smart/cultured/well read/etc./ so-and-so is!” As if being well read is the only scale of intelligence. Please! Most people have books in their libraries that they have never read nor will they. So why have ’em? Ego, that’s why.

I’ll get to it
Another reason people hold onto books they’ve never read is because they plan to at that place they never arrive to; “one day.” Well today is “one day” so get to reading or get to tossin’.

Tossing arrogance
Books in a library are the modern day version of notches on a bed post. “Look at what I’ve done!” Lame. If you read something to show off instead of your own personal growth, that’s something you need to sort out on your own. It just becomes one big dusty pile of insecurity.

We’ve come to a time where CDs are no longer needed. Now the DVD is being fazed out. All these vessels are becoming antiquated and the printed medium is no different.

Do I still have a physical library? Sure. There are books that are still not available digitally. There are books that have forms. Books with photographs and charts. And yes, there are some that I’m holding onto simply for personal nostalgic reasons. I buy a physical book every two to three months. But that’s quite the change in gear from buying two to three a month.

My plan is to buy another Kindle or two. When people come to my place, they can borrow a Kindle. Easy.

The CD, DVD, and now the book.

They say all good things come to an end. Not so. If you’re willing to let go and grow, all good things become better.