My own compulsion is buying books and CDs in the hope of acquiring secret esoteric knowledge
and enjoying secret ecstatic transports.

But my shelves have CDs that have never been played, and there are many more CDs that I
have played only once. As soon as music issues from speakers a CD loses its magical aura
and becomes just another CD.

And because books are cheaper but take longer to read I have increasing number of unread
purchases. A new book retains its lustre of potential for about six weeks and then changes
from being a possible bearer of secret lore into a liability, a reproach, a source of embarrassment
and shame.（「The Age of Absurdity」 36頁）

esoteric:深遠な、transports：忘我、luster：輝き、lore；知識、liability：負債。

どこでも物にまみれた社会では、似たようなものなのだなあと思った。以上。