GoKawiilEssay uses personal $40,000 CD collection to challenge NIMBY logic on streaming's costs
An economics writer recounts owning roughly 4,000 CDs, once worth about $40,000, that are now nearly worthless due to music streaming. Rather than framing himself as a victim of disruption, he argues that free access to vast catalogs of new and old music has given him far more value than he lost, turning an apparent loss into a net gain.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The essay uses this personal example to challenge the reflexive 'NIMBY' framing that treats any disruption as pure loss for incumbents, suggesting that many who suffer capital losses from technological change also reap substantial offsetting benefits. It implies the same logic could apply to broader debates like housing development, where opponents focus only on losses while ignoring potential gains.
- Streaming has made large personal CD collections financially worthless almost overnight.
- The author argues that access to unlimited new and old music can outweigh the monetary loss for open-minded listeners.
- The piece uses this example to critique NIMBY-style thinking that ignores the upside of disruptive change, including in housing policy debates.
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Published there as: “CDs vs. NIMBY”
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