Amazon may be bad news for traditional book stores. Unless the internet learns better to reproduce the process of browsing—the freedom to sample books where we like rather than a given selection, the ability to feel a book’s weight and construction as well as sample its content, the ability to browse an entire shelf at a glance, rather than browsing one link at a time—we’ll lose something valuable as Amazon drives more than Borders out of business.
But when it comes to music or video sales, I regret nothing. Through Amazon, we recently got two videos. We might still get a replacement copy of The Incredibles from Best Buy without much trouble, but Tampopo is tough to find, and some shows I’ve treasured are rare still.. We’re watching it now, and it’s still wonderful. Volume makes rarer titles economical for Amazon in a way that even large chains can’t duplicate, and I’m grateful to be able to get titles out of the mainstream.
Now if only I could get good, genuine ramen with the same ease. Like everyone else, I watch Tampopo and want ramen.
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