what happens when the physical form of our media becomes fully disassociated from its function? what happens when there is no longer any physical form at all - it feels like we are basically at that point. does anyone even remember CDs?

it’s wistful to remember cassettes as the form that allowed us to imagine and experience. for me it was record liner notes, the inscrutable clues left behind that exposed a world you couldn’t be part of. but that was the key - these were worlds (and objects) that were apart from us, we dreamed of being part of them, but couldn’t. they were hard to make.

instead, right now, we can be part of these experiences - and not just as simple viewers. we can be creators, sharers, promoters, discoverers. i think that’s why disassociating the physical form from the function matters. it allows for creation and experience that is wide open, accessible, and easy, as opposed to closed and hard and not understandable. and just as obsessive compulsive too. i still keep my cassettes in the closet too and likely will forever. they are good reminders of how much better things are now.

- andy weissman on form and function [emphasis mine]