The credibility of books in a digital age

A friend of mine wants to write a book. A book; 50,000 words on one topic, printed in ink on paper and in quantities only guessed at in advance of interest; then shipped through a distribution chain powered by fossil fuels; and arriving “in stores now” a year from now. A book in the digital age? What is he, nuts?

Not so much. Think of these:

...The advent of the internet did more than link people separated by great distance into small communities of interests; it made us more aware of the communities in which we live.

...It did more than assemble profitable markets from the far-flung bits-and-pieces too small to be addressed in the pre-‘net logistics paradigm; it allowed anyone with goods and services to find that market.

...It did more than give individuals the equivalent of a broadcast license; it led broadcasters and media of all types to thinks of themselves and their readers, viewers and listeners as individuals.

...And it did more than provide a way for individuals to be reached with commercial and personal messages; it undercut their effectiveness.

Each of these might seem mutually exclusive pairs, but at the base of each is a shared credibility. No market exists without credibility, no products are sold without credibility, no one hears what anyone says who has no credibility and it is not conferred by a asking for it.

Credibility, even, no, particularly in this digital age, is earned on the basis of a consistent commitment to the truth as you see it. Not a hidebound or unchanged dogma, but a living, breathing point-of-view. It really even need not be the truth (that’s pretty hard to pin down) or even most people’s version of the truth, but it better well be an honest assessment that can find enough market support to become a movement.

And just as our urge for security is embedded in our reptilian mind, credibility is recognized as the product of intellect, study, investment, insight, inspiration and review. In other words: a book. In the digital age, a book is an accelerant to a viral campaign, a platform for public speaking and a talisman that certifies that it is OK to listen whether in person, on a blog or podcast, or cited by another.

The evidence weighs a lot. At a recent seminar devoted to the practice of word-of-mouth-marketing, I came away with six books written on the subject. At a recent meeting devoted to the future of the web, I came away with three books on the subject. At a recent conference devoted to emerging business models, I got four books on the subject. And most of the authors were on hand to continue the discussion.

It is clear that books – devoted to ideas, offering insight to the inscrutable, outlining a step-by-step game plan for personal or business success – are as important today as ever. Even if no one reads them, their spines help stiffen our resolve to make sense of all things digital.