> Gently, I would suggest that we are neither original nor should we find our identity in material goods. I wouldn't be so gentle; I definitely think we are ha

> Gently, I would suggest that we are neither original nor should we find our identity in material goods. I wouldn't be so gentle; I definitely think we are harmed by finding identity in material goods. It's destructive. As for originality, I would modify the goal: don't try to be original. Instead, aim to stretch your mind to think things it hasn't thought before. If you get so far that you do think something original, great! If you don't, at least you've expanded your horizons. > While libraries have librarians making selections, they also allow for a free-range wandering over the stacks, rather than keeping you in one specific area of "you may also like". That is something worth thinking about, and, I think, solvable. And I'm glad to see we've come to roughly the same conclusion, even if that makes us "not original." ;-)