The argument of digital versus physical media isn’t anything new to us as a society. When credit and debit cards came out, many older people were skeptical. They didn’t trust the banks to be accurate. Those who were against the idea of online banking argued, if they messed up it was on them. They didn’t want to be screwed over by a company taking out more than they should. This argument happened in the early 2000s.

Now, in 2025, we’re in an era where everything is too digitalized—our personal lives, our work, our homes. Everything revolves around that device in your back pocket. Our phones were supposed to pave way for future technology and our daily convenience. However, in recent years, we’ve discovered that they’re doing more harm than good. Many, including myself, are tired of the constant buzzing, whether that be a text message, an email or a simple notification on YouTube.

I remember the day that I turned off all notifications except for a select few apps. I was sixteen. By that time, I was walking around my high school with a cassette player and my jean jacket filled with cassettes that I’d gotten from my dad. After COVID, I realized that carrying around tapes and CDs meant more value for me. These things were mine to have—mine to listen to. I didn’t have to worry about it being deleted by accident or on purpose. YouTube was one of the many ways I streamed music and with the recent developments, I’m mentally preparing myself for the worst.

That’s where YouTube stepped out of line by wanting people’s IDs and personal information. We should not allow this to happen! We don’t know who is managing YouTube to ensure that our accounts are safe. These IDs aren’t going through people, they’re going through AI.

AI? Really?

The same AI that has a track record of stealing people’s identities?. Are we seriously allowing a robot that has not only stolen people’s likeness, voices but people’s work to manage what we can and can’t access? Of course people are wanting to go back to the way that things once were.

I’d written an article about how the 2000s styles are resurging once again from a nostalgic review of the past and how Millennials and Gen Z are taking a stand again on what they do and do not buy. This is just another form of that.

You don’t have to worry about hackers with a flip phone, you don’t have to worry if your Xbox 360 is going to shut down if you put in the wrong disk by accident, you don’t have to worry about your favorite artist deleting their work off of the internet so you can’t enjoy it.

We’re in the middle of a digital apocalypse. Many might say, “I told you so!” while waving their canes at us young folk for getting addicted to technology, but I have something to say before they open their mouths. You did this! You shoved a screen in our faces and told us to run along, you whined about us being pansies and that back in your day, you were running around barefoot to the point where blisters were on your feet and had to walk a mile to get to school the next day. You wanted us to have a cushy life because back then, your parents didn’t care about where you were or went. Don’t blame us for the environment you set up.

The internet gave us amazing things, I’m not going to dismiss that. It brought people together—friendships and relationships that were tested through distance and time, but having this level of censorship is the reason why I’m writing this article.

Don’t worry, this article isn’t going to be all negative, promise! This is where I talk about my love of physical media and encourage others to start buying more CDs, cassettes and vinyls. You may be wondering, “Hey! Aren’t the artists getting more money through streaming like YouTube and Spotify?” and you’d be right, but when everything is blown over and YouTube dies leaving a legacy of twenty years, something has to fill that gap. Most likely going to be Twitch and Spotify, but if the internet completely goes through the ID certification, I bet you everyone will drop their modern devices. I love physical media, as I stayed previously, because it’s mine. You own it and it’s yours to keep forever.

I love popping a CD case open for the first time and sliding it into my stereo. I love listening and humming along with the artist, knowing that the next song is going to be them—Spotify I’m looking at you—knowing there is consistency brings me joy. I don’t have to worry about reaching over to my phone and having to jump through hoops to just skip one song that I know isn’t my favorite. Getting a vinyl is the best thing ever, pulling the protective sleeve from the record with it having that static-like feeling is the only feeling you have with records. Cassettes, don’t get me started, having to rewind the tape to the beginning might seem annoying for some people, but I find joy in listening to the mechanics of my cassette player whirl. I often imagine what the inside looks like past the plastic blue casing. You know that new book smell when you’re in a bookstore? You come home to read a book you’ve been looking forward to and having the smell of something only found with ink and paper is not only calming, there’s something about that, it seems more special than plastic and glass.

A lot of this seems trivial, right? So what if these things are only found in physical media, it’s annoying anyway listening to the same few artists in your car after so long and the paper smell wears off after a few days of reading. But this is where I argue that the beauty of human invention has brought us so much further than anything else. We’ve only had the internet for 30 years up to this point, while, as I stated, we’ve done wonderful things with it, but there’s a time and a place for when it’s needed. Right now, I argue, we use technology more than we should.

So, here’s my advice.

For a few hours, turn off your phone, grab a cassette or CD, crack open that book or notebook, and just allow yourself to breathe and think for yourself. Between you and me, I believe we don’t think enough for ourselves anymore. Look at the world with new eyes, not what you saw online, but with true, genuine human interactions. Your life might become a little brighter afterwards.