Why Should You Have Hard Copies?

We live in an era of convenience and availability when it comes to intellectual properties. Books, movies, albums, video games are readily available for a subscription fee, but is that reliable long term?

With streaming platforms that make different media available digitally looking to grow beyond the tiered subscription methods don’t be surprised when they find ways to increase revenue at the cost of availability.

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This is why it is perhaps more important now to have hard copies of those books, movies, shows, albums, video games, etc.

So what makes something more valuable? Scarcity.

It would stand to reason that these companies will eventually land on increasing usage fees on new and classically popular releases. While also removing some titles for spans of time to create that scarcity.

Imagine not being able to watch the shows, movies and series that you love and that you currently have access to for a subscription fee at the moment. You may have a comfort show/movie/series/album that you just have on in the background, or a comfort book that you love to read and have read many times. Now imagine that IP being held hostage by a streaming service in an effort to increase demand and subsequently increase fees.

Don’t think that could happen? We’ve already seen streaming companies that have realized that the current business model doesn’t provide for exponential long term growth. Meaning that money brought in levels off. So they’ve joined forces with other streaming platforms to create bigger libraries and potentially a bigger group of customers. In doing so they trimmed libraries of content. Maybe some of those titles found their way to another provider, some didn’t. The more contraction occurs, fewer things will be available.

There’s also the ever present threat of a hack or attack to deny service for a span of time. You’ll still be on the hook for your subscription without access to content. Don’t think it can’t happen? Your insurance against these scenarios is hard copies.

It may be “uncool” and out of step with current culture, but having hard copies could very easily be important. Also, with titles getting fewer copies released in tangible form that scarcity is already built in.

Think of it as having a survival garden for your mind and entertainment. If you don’t have hard copies of your favorite/essential books, shows, movies, series, albums and games just pause and consider not having access to them at all.

Don’t just toss out your family's old books, albums and movies from previous generations. Preserve them. They are already yours. There is increasing value in that.