Monday, March 20, 2006

Addiction, Amazon and abortion

They say that the first step is the hardest.

My name is Rick and I have a book problem.

I buy too many. I have for years, but the advent of Amazon was like putting a bottomless tapper on an alcoholic's kitchen sink. I can't tell you what I've spent there. That comes in some future step.

One of the great things about the Amazon business plan is that they suss you out so completely. They've got the algorithms to know that if you want item A, there's a good chance you'll want item B. (And, in my case, items C-E.)

So when you would search for books on "abortion" it'd ask you if you want books on adoption. No good, said a retired Episcopal priest who found Amazon's computer-driven recognition that people considering abortion also think about saving their child "offensive." (I am, once again, an embarrassed Anglican.)

Amazon buckled under and disabled that part of the system, but things still aren't ok for the pro-"choice" folks.

The problem now is apparently that three of the top ten books are pro-life in perspective. (It's not about that choice.)

Amazon should consider itself placed on notice: If I go over to Borders, my guess is that your share values will drop 20%. Give in again at your peril.

1 comment:

Billiam said...

I MUST stop buying books. At least, untill I read the ones I recently bought! LOL I also am addicted to books. Be it from Amazon, Borders or American Compass. I just can't get enough. And there's no end in sight. Is there, like, a book lovers anonymous? One day at a time, that sort of thing?