I view [my books] as souvenirs of content you could get less conveniently and less organized for free online if you chose to…

Souvenirs of content! Love this idea. More from Hugh MacLeod:

If you wanted to give your favorite cousin a nice birthday present, what would you rather do? Give him a copy of your favorite author’s latest book, or just e-mail him a link to the author’s blog? What would your cousin think if you tried the latter? Exactly.

And why do people pay $30 for a “I HEART NEW YORK” t-shirt, when they can walk down Fifth Avenue for free? Different objects, both molecular and digital, offer different totemic, emotional and social value for their user, which alters the inherent experience. Does the music on a Rolling Stones album that you found in the bargain bin of a record store, differ from the same album that Keith Richards personally autographed and gave to you? Technically, no. But the social context GREATLY adds to the overall experience and value.

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