Although e-books and e-book readers may provide and attractive alternative to lugging around textbooks while allowing students to research and discover more information more effectively, they’re grasp and understanding of that information may be significantly hindered. Heavy, deep reading is still reserved for print books because they are so much more manipulatable. My AP English Language teacher always emphasized the importance of highlighting, and note taking within the book itself to really dig deep into the text and help us study it later. Both the note taking, highlighting, and searching capabilities are limited or completely lacking in e-book readers. So, what’s the point of investing in e-books and their readers if they only allow for basic skimming, or as my Book of Mormon professor says “only seeing the black words on the page.” Can this really be called valuable studying and reading?
E-books provide only a paltry substitute for the physical presence of well worn, highlighted, dog eared, marked up book. They lack character and significance; all they really are are black words on a white screen. E-books may even be said to defeat the purpose of books: to bring new ideas to life, because they themselves are so flat and lifeless. To rob the literary world of paper based book is to steal an intrinsic component that could very well cripple it. Comparing e-books and print is much like comparing genuine Italian pasta to boxed pasta or Macaroni & Cheese. In short, there is no comparison.
I myself hate reading books online. It hurts my eyes and gives me head aches after a few hours, I think cause the bright lights. Plus an actual book is so much more convienient and makes you look smarter.
ReplyDeletePerson 1: "Oh, whats that your reading?"
Person 2: "What, oh you mean this? That's just a little 1286 page book about the effects of keynesian based economic policy in the 20th century. I've actually only got 12 pages to go"
Oh ya, the chics dig it.
I love when you're reading a book and some amazing quote or some little part just jumps at you, and you love how it was worded! The first thing you want to do is put a lovely side not of your thoughts or circle it. How can you do this if it's online???? I also agree with McKay, it hurts my eyes.
ReplyDeleteI think some books are ok if they are just online or electronic or whatever, but I think the classics should definitely be read as real books, it just doesn't have the same effect as reading it on a kindle. But yeah, I love books mostly in paper format.
ReplyDeleteNice pasta analogy! Have you read/heard much about bookmaking? There's a class (or used to be) here at BYU on bookmaking. It's a serious art, with all the paper and ink and binding possibilities. There are definitely a lot of people vehemently against giving up this art and going electronic.
ReplyDelete