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Japanese used bookstores see 5x sales surge as books are being bought by the ton

96 points · 130 comments · speckx

  1. zirkonit · · focus · HN ↗
    Our family volunteers at a nonprofit that moves a huge number of books. We take donations and run massive charity sales, clearing tens of thousands of books a month. Pricing works like a ladder: you try to sell a book for a couple of bucks, then for a dollar, then by the $5 bag, then for free, and you still end up with thousands of books nobody wants even at no cost. These used to go straight to pulp. Now they go to AI labs for scanning. Would we rather they were read, or at least owned, by someone? Yes. Is scanning better than turning them into toilet paper? Yes, even if only marginally.

    I'm sure the Anthropics of the world have shredded the last known copies of plenty of titles. But nobody talks about the last known copies that get pulped every day simply because there are so many books nobody wants and storing them is expensive.

    1. palmotea · · focus · HN ↗
      > Now they go to AI labs for scanning. Would we rather they were read, or at least owned, by someone? Yes. Is scanning better than turning them into toilet paper? Yes, even if only marginally.

      Yeah, now instead of old books being turned into toilet paper, we'll get turned into toilet paper. Much better.

      But Sam Altman will become richer than God, and isn't that what really matters?

      But don't worry! You'll still have access to ChatGPT until your savings run out.

      1. ChickeNES · · focus · HN ↗
        Do you have an actual point about scanning the books, or are you just using this as a soapbox to rant about AI and Sam Altman?
        1. palmotea · · focus · HN ↗
          Yes, you missed it. Perhaps you should read it again until you get it?
          1. ChickeNES · · focus · HN ↗
            Again, do you have an actual objection to the subject of the article, or are you just mad it enriches people you don't like?
            1. palmotea · · focus · HN ↗
              > Again, do you have an actual objection to the subject of the article

              I was responding to a comment, which apparently is another thing you missed. Maybe work on not doing that, instead of snarkily asking for everything to be carefully spelled out to you?

              > or are you just mad it enriches people you don't like?

              Nice strawman, pity if someone knocked it down.

              1. ChickeNES · · focus · HN ↗
                Okay, so all you have are personal attacks, goodbye.
                1. palmotea · · focus · HN ↗
                  > Okay, so all you have are personal attacks, goodbye.

                  Note: I made no personal attacks.

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