High End Audio-Gaining Higher Ground?

"06-19-14: Noromance
Agree with jmcgrogan. The 1% conspiracy to extract as much profit from every body while dumbing them down with endless tasks, taxes and rules has succeeded."

Now I've heard it all. With that attitude, you'll never have anything and it will always be someone else's fault. There's plenty of money out there. If you don't have any, you're the one to blame, not some fictitious 1%. If you are looking for a good conspiracy, try UFO's.

In the context of the entire population we audiophiles are barely a rounding error -- maybe one or two percent of the population at best. I think we're predisposed genetically to appreciate quality recorded and reproduced sound and that percentage will probably remain constant, so to me "converting" people outside this small population is a fool's errand. Unfortunately, and as pointed out by several above, behavioral, technological, and societal changes will probably prevent a good portion of the new 1-2% from ever hearing a good system to plant the seed. Which is sad since good quality sound is probably more affordable now than at any time I can remember.

Every generation probably says this about the next and maybe I'm just getting old, but I feel a little sad for my kids and the world they're heading into. Younger folks can't seem to stop to enjoy or appreciate anything (except maybe for video games), and even if they do they're compelled to whip out their phones to video it or text someone else about it. Just take a look at the crowd during a baseball game. Pure inner enjoyment and satisfaction seem like they're dying in the wake of constant multitasking and voyeurism, which don't really lend themselves to high-end audio. And with technology in our lives increasing at an increasing rate it seems like this will only get worse. Ugh.

Remember the Star Trek The NExt Generation episode called "The Game"?

Very prophetic, not just about the possible effects and impacts of addictive games, but how technology really does seem to be overtaking and wearing us all down, hopefully not for the slaughter.

Soix, I'm with you. When I look at my grandkids, I'm constantly baffled that all these guys want to do is play video games or are constantly texting someone. Maybe we'd have been the same way IF we'd had all the electronic stuff to play with that they have. I remember crystal sets and when the hottest high-end gear was all mono. I'm dating myself, of course.
Elizabeth also hit it on the head!

It's over. We are the last of a dying breed.