I have a backlog of games to play, movies to watch, and ideas to write about. But I actually hate the term “backlog.” It’s dirty. It even sounds harsh coming out of the mouth. Rather, I have a library of games to play, movies to watch, and ideas to write about. There, “library.” That sounds better, doesn’t it? More elegant.
But no, despite my overall distaste for the word “backlog” I still find myself using it. Fairly often, too. Because while it may sound harsh and messy, it’s also quick and snappy. Though, I’m not sure how widely known the word is. I know that gamers use it all the time to describe the games they have accrued over the years. And there are others, like me, who vehemently despise the word. Personally, I guess, at the end of the day, I don’t really care about it one way or another. But the connotation it has is rather negative overall, I’d say.
Like, my immediate thought upon hearing the word itself is “waste.” (backlog = I wasted TONS of money on all these games, most of which I don’t even care to play)
That is, at least, the general consensus within the context of the word. I might be misconstruing it a bit, just based on my individual experience(s). But… Watch a video or two on “Gaming Backlogs” and I think you’ll really start seeing it like I see it. It’s like the world views backlogs as something to conquer. Almost like they are a side-quest, if you will. When, in reality, a backlog is a consequence of over-consumption.
Whereas, if you were to call it a “library” it becomes more of a reward and less of a consequence. Also, “library” starts putting the blame on the consumer rather than the companies. Which is where the blame should go, really. As the companies themselves are not necessarily forcing you to buy their product. Sure, you could make an argument about marketing. Or sales, I guess (video games go on sale A LOT, usually for a decent price too). But, again, it ultimately comes down to the consumer. They decide whether they want to buy the product or not.
And yeah, okay… These digital storefronts (Steam, PSN, Amazon, etc.) do an EXCELLENT job at selling their products. Plus, with all the online tracking (stalking) and the algorithms… It’s stupidly easy for ads to target consumers on an individual level. Which is, honestly, disgusting and shameful (not the ads themselves, but their methods of stalking you I mean). I don’t think consumers are to blame for that. However, as a consumer I think it is your responsibility to better understand how these ads work and everything. That way, you can start making more informed purchases. So you can feel like you are expanding your library rather than simply piling more crap onto your ever-evolving backlog.
A backlog is not a side-quest. A backlog is not something to conquer. A backlog is a consequence.
PORTFOLIO 