Notes on Preservation

I would ideally like to preserve my text, “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema”, both through online and print journals. Scientific journal databases, such as the original American Anthropologist in where this was published, both disseminate their articles through print magazines and websites. I am not sure of the rules surrounding republishing, but let’s assume that it’s possible, and the paper reappears in circulation. After some time, this article (and others like it) has a high chance of ending up being hidden behind paywalls, often due to academic databases such as Elsevier. The general consensus among universities, librarians, and I, is that the actions of companies like these are immoral, as tend to defy the original purposes of the researchers (to spread knowledge and increase collective human understanding). To help combat this I’d like to make sure another version stayed up on a free-to-view site, perhaps by posting a link to an independent site in the introduction of the paper. As long as it’s early enough in the paper, it shouldn’t be obscured by the paywall, and students/readers that encounter it online via Google search should be able to encounter it. Take that, Elsevier!

Meanwhile, a variety of archives and libraries will be able to collect the print versions. Archives such as these like to collect every volume of whatever specific journal they aim to preserve. Perhaps a custom-edition book compiling some highlights (including this article, obviously), could be released in some sort of promotional event. People tend to take better care of books than magazines, and a particularly fancy/expensive one would make an excellent gift for an anthropology professor, aspiring student researcher, or bare coffee table. Regardless of the book’s potential existence, I think it is a safe assumption to make that some library, Harvard or not, will be collecting these articles. Even the original publishers most likely keep backup paper copies stored somewhere, in case of server failure. In fact, my reasoning behind having these multiple backup paper copies, ideally stored in several different archives, will help me “not put all my eggs in one basket.” Server failure can very easily wipe out a seemingly untouchable digital platform, and something as simple as forgetting to pay for the website can delete years upon years of content.

Some other dangers to consider are viruses, government censors, and natural disasters. Viruses sent by a rival publisher, researcher, or malevolent individual are a bit far fetched, but not entirely out of the question. The server would need to be kept in a safe and secure location, where it would not be easily compromised. The location should also be able to prevent it from physical harm, as something like a flood or earthquake could destroy the website’s physical database. Multiple servers in separate locations would really be the only way to ensure the data was protected, since there is a chance the Wayback Machine might not be able to capture it. Finally, the only other thing I could see possibly impacting this text’s existence is government censorship. While this is an unlikely possibility, especially given the nature of the text, it should be at the very least considered. If such a future ever became possible, the cultural pressures driving this censorship would be difficult to contend with. Physical copies could be burnt, websites could be blocked. Should this ever happen, I believe the best course of action would be to actually hide the text materials, both physical and digital copies, and wait it out. It’s a rather grim solution, but I believe it’s the only way to ensure knowledge would be passed on, in such turbulent, hypothetical times.