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> As a result, I almost never buy (or often even read) current-day bestsellers. I like this strategy because it maximizes the value you get out of old books w
by jrflowers 3y ago
> As a result, I almost never buy (or often even read) current-day bestsellers.
I like this strategy because it maximizes the value you get out of old books while you minimize the value of new books. A phenomenal and important book could be published today but the optimal strategy is to die before the Lindy effect becomes apparent and let another generation enjoy its value. This makes sense because books have a finite value that is divisible by the number of readers they get.
- zogrodea 3y agoWhy do you think books have a finite value divisible by the number of readers they get? That sounds like a very odd claim to me. Let's say there are two universes U1 and U2 and a book A which is identical in both. In U1, book A gets 100 readers, while the same book in U2 gets 1000 readers. I think most people would say that the book has the same value in both universes, independent of how many read it. Maybe your thought process involves the physical condition of a book (there is more wear and tear as it passes through more readers), but I'd like to understand your point of view.