The end of the 19th century is still widely referred to as the “end of the century.” end of the centurya French term that evokes impending major cultural, social, and technological changes. According to at least one Frenchman active at the time, some of the changes may include: Findes livre As humanity knew them at the time. “I do not believe (and advances in electricity and modern machinery forbid me to believe) that Gutenberg’s invention could do anything other than sooner or later go out of business.” 1894 Story says the central character of “The end of the book.” “Printing, which has reigned tyrannically over the human mind since 1436, has, in my opinion, been brought to death by the various devices for recording sound that have been recently invented and which will gradually reach perfection. You are in danger.”
First published in the issue of scrivner‘s magazine (Available on Internet Archive or this web page), “The End of the Book” depicts a conversation between a group of men from various fields as they hear the end of the world declared “mathematically certain” at the Royal Institution in London. , everyone was eager to speculate about the future. Happens within exactly 10 million years. ” The participants who foretell the end of the book are somewhat ironically called bibliophiles. But then the author of the story Octave Husanne He himself was famous for just such enthusiasm. This bibliophile, who believes that “everything that promotes and promotes human laziness and selfishness, succeeds,” just as “an elevator eliminates the laborious climb up and down stairs.” claims to put an end to printed matter.
Almost 130 years later, anyone who has visited Paris knows that the elevator is still far from done, but much of what bibliophiles predicted has now arrived in the form of audiobooks. It actually happened. “Certain narrators will be sought after for their masterful oratory, infectious empathy, thrilling warmth, impeccable precision, and fine punctuation in their voices,” he says. “Writers who are not sensitive to vocal harmony, or who lack the flexibility of voice necessary for great diction, will resort to the services of hired actors and singers, and store their works in containment cylinders. ” We may not use cylinders anymore, but Uzanne’s description of a “pocket device” that can be “kept in a simple opera glasses case” is a great addition to a Walkman, iPod, or other portable audio device. It will remind you of your device. .
All of this should also bring to mind another 21st century phenomenon: podcasts. “At home, walking, sightseeing,” says the bibliophile. It nourishes the mind while strengthening the muscles. ”This will also revolutionize journalism. This is because “speaking halls will be installed in all newspaper offices, where editors will record news received by telephone in clear audio.” But as it’s still obvious, how can we satisfy our human image addiction? “On big white screens in our homes” “kinetographs” (what we would call televisions today) projected fictional and factual scenes involving “famous men, criminals, and beautiful women.” Sure it won’t be art, but at least it will be life. ‘But no matter how much his foresight may have struck him in other respects, he, a bibliophile, does not know that books endure through all time, as Husanne may have known. did.
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Based in Seoul, Colin Mbemust write and broadcastIt’s about cities, languages and cultures. His projects include the Substack newsletter books about cities and a book Stateless City: A Stroll Through Los Angeles in the 21st Century. Follow him on the social network formerly known as Twitter. @Colinbemust.
Source: Open Culture – www.openculture.com
