One of the books most responsible lately for filling up with buzz that series of tubes that make up the Internet is Wired magazine editor Chris Anderson’s The Long Tail: Why the Future Is Selling Less of More. Anderson’s argument, in a nutshell, is that online vendors like Amazon, Netflix, and the various purveyors of digital music are providing a welcome (and lucrative) alternative to the blockbuster approach prevalent in brick-and-mortar venues like, well, like Blockbuster. Freed from the limitations of finite shelf space, online merchants can offer a much wider array of goods and services that cater to niche tastes and interests.

More to the SMITH point, he also contends that as sales volume becomes less of a critical issue for the seller, and as barriers to publication fall (think desktop publishing and blogs, podcasts and YouTube videos), the opportunities for individuals to tell their stories will only grow.

Recently, Anderson spoke about all this at one of the Long Now Foundation’s Seminars About Long-Term Thinking. If you haven’t checked out this spectacular series, either in person or via the post-talk audio downloads, Anderson’s presentation is an excellent and timely place to start.

And while you’re there, be sure to investigate the other excellent talks, especially those by Kevin Kelly, Sam Harris, Stewart Brand, Roger Kennedy, and the inimitable Bruce Sterling.