All Hail Words on Paper: 8 Reasons Why Books Will Never Go Out of Style
Sep 14, 2015 • Shen Mascariñas
Sep 14, 2015 • Shen Mascariñas
Hear out Dr. Seuss for some real talk: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you will go.” Reading is good for you, and you need to do it more often. Your parents, teachers, and friends know it, and (somewhere deep down) even you know it, too.
With the rise of technology, the prowess of printed books has been challenged. In fact, its sales hit rock bottom at 2012 after e-readers and ebooks came out. While reading using a gadget has its advantages, reading words on paper is still a great and comfortable way to let a story unfold or acquire new information. We realize that’s ironic since you’re reading this from your laptop or phone, but here are 8 great reasons why printed books will never go out of style.
The drop in sales of printed books was only temporary. After the hype of e-readers and ebooks, people went back to buying good old fashioned books, as the rise in book sales would prove. For the battle between words on paper and words on gadgets, the fate seems to be “coexistence than conquest.”
Give your eyes some sight variety by digesting information through a medium other than the phone, tablet or laptop that sees your face more than you see your friends. Grab a non-digital book instead, and dive into stories that aren’t about your social media friends’ #AuthenticLife.
According to academic research, many complain about the hassles of reading on a screen. These hassles include eye strain, headaches and sleeping difficulty. All of these aren’t or definitely less experienced by those reading printed books. If you’re reading about a topic that you loathe or you have zero interest in (ex: accounting for school), don’t add to the physical pain of your brain by going for an electronic medium.
Let’s be real. If you’re reading an article or a novel from a gadget with an Internet connection and applications for Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, you’ll probably deviate at least twice. There are far more temptations in an e-reader than in our trusty old friend, the printed book.
The unique smell, turning pages, folding pages you intend to go back to, the weight of the book in your hand and the mark of tear drops as you cry or laugh too much–these are things that make the experience of reading a book complete. At least for now, no gadget can replace these factors that booklovers have come to really appreciate.
There’s still nothing like snuggling up with your favorite book before bed, as if that book is the lover you’ve been searching for (and still haven’t found on Tinder).
Curious what the science is behind the “old book smell” that everyone loves? Read this.
With the slowest Internet connection in Southeast Asia and the 8 feelings you suffer through because of it, downloading ebooks here will always be a pain in the ass. Getting up to grab a book on your shelf is much easier than battling for a decent Internet connection.
Some would argue to digitalize everything, including content of printed books, to save trees. Let’s not forget that trees are a renewable source, though, if only we’d put in the effort to actually replenish what we’ve abused. The earth metals used to build e-readers, on the other hand? Rare and very toxic!
You’re about to get to the juiciest part of the story or the ultimate secret of the retired millionaire. You’re incredibly excited to find out, and you feel like you totally deserve that piece of information since you kept reading for so long. Then something terrible happens–You’re low on battery, and your device is going to die any second now. Just as you think nothing can be worse than this, you plug your device and find out that it’s not charging. It’s a freaking brown out. Job well done, technology *slow clap*!
If you’re still in doubt, get a couple of books and survey whether there’s sense in what we’re talking about. For the most extensive and varied collection of literature, head to the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) from September 16 to 20, happening at the SMX Convention Center. You’ll even get to exchange ideas with book lovers, authors and booksellers. This is the perfect venue to discover or rediscover your love for words on paper!
Thoughts? Share them in the Comments Section below! Better yet, let’s talk about it at the MIBF! See you there!
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