Size Obsession?

[Vertigo]

Wondering why so much concern over the number of dvds one owns keeps popping up in so many threads. What's the big deal one way or another? Since Gutenberg made it possible, some people buy books, read them, and keep them on their shelves. Over the years, I've bought a lot of books -- some great, some not great. Some I refer to now and then, some I reread every few years, most I never touch except to dust. But, I like having my books around; they're old friends, they remind me of things, they warm up my home. And, I feel the same way about my cds, my old record albums, my vhs tapes, and my dvds.

I'm pretty sure I've never heard anyone suggest that if I buy one or even 158 trashy paperbacks, publishers will stop putting out quality hardbacks. And, I'm having trouble imagining a serious discussion of whether or not there are 50 books worth owning. In my experience, folks don't get all bothered by other folks having books in their homes. On the other hand, most folks who have books can't tell you exactly how many they have, but if they could, and did, the rest of us would think they were kind of goofy.

So, my question is, why is owning dvds different from owning books? Is size obsession just one of those guy things or is there some other explanation? I'd be most interested in any views shared.

[Dominik Pfleghaar]

Books? What are books?

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Unca Dom
dvdfile.com Administrator
pfleghaar@dvdfile.com
My dvd collection

[Dominik Pfleghaar]

Seriously, though... there are just so many differences between DVD's and books:

Book
You hardly ever read them in one sitting - you may read them in the subway, at home, in bed, at work

dvd
You (usually) watch it in one sitting, at home (unless you have a portable dvd player, but that's the exception)

Book
You usually read it alone. I don't know of any social book reading events where you go in a room with other people to read a book.

dvd
You may watch it with other people, and probably usually do so. I for one enjoy movies more when watching them with other people. So I guess dvd's are more social than books ( )

Book
You have to flip pages manually several hundret times.

dvd
Everyone is bitching about flipper dvd's where you have to flip over the disc once.

book
Everyone has at least one book of some kind. Your grand-grand-grand-father already had books.

dvd
DVD is kinda new, kinda sophisticated, kinda cool. You may as well be the only one in your block (yet) to have dvd's.

book
Books are one-dimensional. You read them.

dvd
dvd's are multimedial. You watch them. You hear them. You read them (liner notes, or you may turn on subtitles )

Ah, and I've yet someone come over to my place and say "let's read a book!"

These and many other points I'm sure I've forgotten to list here are the reason why dvd's are different than books.
Note that I clearly said "different", not "better".


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Unca Dom
dvdfile.com Administrator
pfleghaar@dvdfile.com
My dvd collection

[This message has been edited by Dominik Pfleghaar (edited 07-26-2000).]

[Kevin M]

Yes.....but your inner-theater is far better than any home theater ever could be, at least it should be.

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-----Kevin M.-----

"Just because the f*cker has a library card doesn't make him Yoda."

[This message has been edited by Kevin M (edited 07-26-2000).]

[Tyler Durden]

Hello!

Dom, I really don't think you got the gist of what vertigo was trying to say.

I don't know why people have an obsession with who owns how many, I think it is to do with competition - people want to feel superior IMHO. Really, think about it. And as for the question about how much one spends on HT, well perhaps people need confirmation or reassurance about what they're spending their money on or maybe it's back to the old competitive spirit again.

Who knows? All I am sure of is that Kevin M is absolutely right. My book collection is far more dear to me and valuable (not in monetary terms) to me than any number of DVDs.

Perhaps if more people read a book than sat around watching movies we'd have less illiteracy, a more coherent and balanced value system and more rounded individuals than populate much of the US at the mo.

But then again, probably not...

[Dominik Pfleghaar]

Don't worry, I know what he is trying to say.
My answer was meant a bit tongue-in-cheek, and I just wanted to point out some obvious differences between a book and a dvd.

But you're right, that doesn't exactly answer his (admittedly good) question.

Just curious... are there any sites about books out there on the net (something similar to dvdfile, only for books)?

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Unca Dom
dvdfile.com Administrator
pfleghaar@dvdfile.com
My dvd collection

[Tyler Durden]

Hi Dom

Sorry - didn't mean to be a stick in the mud!

I don't know of any sites like this for book devotees but there is some useful info on the following link - lots of weird stuff actually - just look at the left hand menu and click on books:
http://www.trussel.com

You will also find a site on Blade Runner - now go through these links and you will find that Deckard was a Replicant!! Yes, it's official - HE WAS A REPLICANT!!!



Cheers

[This message has been edited by Tyler Durden (edited 07-26-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Tyler Durden (edited 07-26-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Tyler Durden (edited 07-26-2000).]

[ryan010101]

I also find it strange that the topic of how many dvds people own comes up so much. I think it is definitly that people just like to boast about it. Kinda like people who are always talking about how fast their computers are and stuff like that. I personally own only about 15 dvds currently because most movies really aren't worth owning in my opinion. I mean if I made tons of money I would probably buy a lot more, but would I really watch 80% of them more than once, probably not. That's why NetFlix is great. Not that I think there's anything wrong with the people who are into owning a lot, just not my thing. Though my 1000+ collection of records/cds some might seem unneccesary, I think people re-listen to music A LOT more than they re-watch movies. Oh and my book collection consists of computer books or entertainment related ones, so I can't comment there.

[Vertigo]

Originally posted by Dominik Pfleghaar:
Don't worry, I know what he is trying to say.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, I hope, but he's a she.

[manigrasso]

For some people, talking about the size of their DVD collection might be nothing more than a digital pissing contest (insert bitstream comment here). But for many people, I think they just want comfort that they're not alone with their current obssession. ("Dear God, please don't let me be the only one who spends more on DVDs on rent.")

It's like going to a Trek convention. Some people want to show off just how "in character" they can get, or the size of their autograph collection. Others want to prove how much they're willing to spend on an auctioned-off piece of minute meorabilia. But others are just happy that they can get together with others who think in a similar fashion. And some go to sleep with a prostitute dressed like the Borg Queen...I'VE HEARD!!!

Seriously, if a pimp ever got the idea to dress his prostitutes in Trek gear and follow conventions around, maybe there would be fewer virgins in the world.

Manigrasso

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Don't make me angry...you wouldn't like me when I'm angry...

[Taxi]

Look out, boys, the chicks are coming to take over!!!

(Welcome, Vertigo!)

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Taxi
DVDFile Administrator
taxi@dvdfile.com

[Vertigo]

Thanks Taxi! Happy to be among my fellow dvd-movie junkies. And, don't worry boys: you were here first, so I'll never ask you to put the lid down, metaphorically speaking.

[micahp]

The reason I don't know how many books I have is because my book collection is way more vast than any other collection I have. If I had the ability in the beginning, I would have catalouged my books much the same way as I do my other possesions.

I know the exact number of DVD's that I own because of how careful I am to catalouge each one.

I also know the exact number of CD's I own (296) and the number of VHS tapes I still own (563). I can give you a rough estimate of my comic books (about 1,500). Because I catalouge each of these things in their own database (I'm actually developing the Comic book database for sale). My parents have a card catalouge system for their LP's (231)

I love my books. I always will. Someday I hope to keep an accurate record of them for future generations of my family.

Now, as far as people who keep comparing the size of their collections...well I think that can be traced back to another size comparision testosterone laden mammals are prone to... It's a "mine is bigger than yours" thing.

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Resident Me,
Micah P.
I am Jack's unbridled confusion...

[Dominik Pfleghaar]

Vertigo interfened:

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Not that there's anything wrong with that, I hope, but he's a she. [/quote]I'm so used to talking just to guys around these boards that it doesn't even come to my rotten mind that certain users could be female.
My apologies! [curtsying]

Micah pondered:

---

Now, as far as people who keep comparing the size of their collections...well I think that can be traced back to another size comparision testosterone laden mammals are prone to... It's a "mine is bigger than yours" thing.[/quote]Yes, that could pretty much sum it up.
I wonder if we also got that kind of topics if the male/female ratio on this board was inversed.

[Vertigo]

Originally posted by micahp:
Now, as far as people who keep comparing the size of their collections...well I think that can be traced back to another size comparision testosterone laden mammals are prone to... It's a "mine is bigger than yours" thing.
[/b]

That possibility had crossed my mind, but I was interested in what you all thought. I could try to tell you that size doesn't matter, but those with little collections wouldn't believe it, and those with big collections wouldn't want to believe it.

So, guess we'll just have to live with the dvd-envy jousting -- the overall quality of information and discussion here is well worth it.

[Vertigo]

Originally posted by Dominik Pfleghaar:
I'm so used to talking just to guys around these boards that it doesn't even come to my rotten mind that certain users could be female.
My apologies! [curtsying]
[/b]

No apology or curtsy necessary, Dom, but thank you anyway.

[Tyler Durden]

Verigo, you're a lady? Without meaning to sound sexist (my thinking this way is probably wrong in the first place)but thank goodness - we need a few more women around here to spice things up a bit!

[micahp]

Ok, I just read through the rest of the posts on this topic.....he said prostitute dressed like a borg queen....there's an image...yeesh!

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Resident Me,
Micah P.
I am Jack's unbridled confusion...

[fuzyman]

I own 5 DVD's!
*flex*

And three bookshelves full of books, however many that may be.
I think that if i had more money, i would probably buy a whole lot more dvd's, not because i want to be better than everyone else, but because at the time, dvd's are a fairly novel thing, and they would have been even more so when they were first released. That's my $0.02. Thanks for reading, as always.

[Vertigo]

Yes, Tyler, Vertigo is a lady. But only in the broad sense of the word. More Midge Wood than Madeleine Elster, unless I'm provoked, then it's Ellen Ripley on speed.

And, no, Tyler, I don't think what you wrote was the slightest bit sexist -- I take it as a welcoming. Don't know how much spice I can add, but I'll do my best.