As we clear out the house in order to move west, we’re processing a vast accumulation of things. This morning I hauled another dozen boxes of books from the attic, nearly all of which we’ll donate to the library. Why did I haul them up there in the first place? We brought them from our previous house, fourteen years ago. I could have spared myself a bunch of trips up and down the stairs by taking them directly to the library back then. But in 2000 we were only in the dawn of the era of dematerialization. You couldn’t count on being able to find a book online, search inside it, have a used copy shipped to you in a couple of days for a couple of dollars.
Now I am both shocked and liberated to realize how few things matter to me. I joke that all I really need is my laptop, my bicycle, and my guitar, but in truth there isn’t much more. For Luann, though, it’s very different. Her cabinets of wonders are essential to who she is and what she does. So they will have to be a logistical priority.
In the age of dematerialization, some things will matter more than ever. Things that aren’t data. Things that are unique. Things made by hand. Things that were touched by other people, in other places, at other times. RadioLab’s podcast about things is a beautiful collection of stories that will help you think about what matters and why, or what doesn’t and why not.
Reblogged this on Carpet Bomberz Inc. and commented:
Fully agree, after the number of moves I went through prior to moving in with my girlfriend, I had pared down quite a bit. All my “stuff” could fit into my car. Which is exactly as it should be. If it can fit in your car, then you truly own it, it is YOURS.