Why Do We Still Read Books? Essay Example

Why do we still read books even though there are so many alternatives such as e-readers?

Books have been noted as treasure maps towards gaining new knowledge about particular things in life. Relatively, through the years, books have lead individuals, inventors and social leaders towards realizing how to communicate well and gain respective recognition through expanding their capabilities towards developing the way humans live. Written books have been made accessible to those who want to read and want to learn more from the said sources of knowledge.

However, the changes in the society, especially in the field of technology created a huge change on how books have been valued and perceived by the human society. Considerably, the entrant of modern technology gave way to the birth of e-books and e-readers that transform written materials into electronically readable files. It could be seen how much attention the applications providing e-reader options to their readers specifically gave way to the new culture of reading especially among those who are technologically savvy. Whether or not this development in technology has completely changed the way books are viewed and appreciated by the society could only be determined on the number of printed books released out in the market and the rate of readers that buy them to physically read them.

Most often than not, modern authors make sure that their written books are released both in written copies and in e-copies as well. Both works protected by copyright laws, these writers hope to serve the needs of their readers depending on what specific piece they might be comfortable to read. According to observation, many publishers see the difference among readers in the market. While there are those who are more fond of receiving copies of new written materials in their own gadgets, a relative number of individuals remain accustomed to having an actual piece of the work as their own copy at its physical form. There are actually two reasons that identifies this particular attitude from the said people.

One is the comfort that reading from paper provides. E-readers are often strenuous to the eyes, especially if the gadgets are not really made for direct reading. Hours of spending the time reading through e-readers often render the eyes tired. Considerably, there are those who develop poor eyesight and other eye-problems related to such practice of reading. The other reason for such attitude towards physical books is that they give the actual feel of reading. Some people feel it is more comfortable for them to read through the written words as they hold the book in their hands; there is that particular source of satisfaction and determined distinction as to how these pieces of work actually connect with them as readers. The fondness of human individuals towards having a pile of books collected in their own libraries is considered to be a hobby that could not be completely overcome by the emergence of e-readers and other gadgets that make it possible for written pieces to be read online or on a soft copy.

Nevertheless, no matter how a person wants to read his or her book, this element of informational source will continue to redefine the manner of thinking of human individuals throughout the turning of civilizations. It could be realized that people will continue to appreciate written works as they grow towards advanced maturity. Gaining information about things they are interested with is a relative source of satisfaction among humans, and it is because of this that the life of books is expected to push through towards years of advancement in the future.

No matter how a person wants to read a book, the real value of each reading material depends on the changing power it has towards the living condition of humans on earth. A book may be read through a soft copy or a hard copy; the only difference would be how humans react to each word written within its context thus determining the connection that particular reading material has towards the being of the person who has read the said piece. Through the years, it is expected that books, no matter what form it takes, will always be a part of human history and development.

References

Burke, Edmund (June 2009). “Islam at the Center: Technological Complexes and the Roots of Modernity”. Journal of World History (University of Hawaii Press) 20 (2): 165–186 [43].

Clapham, Michael. (1999). “Printing” in A History of Technology, Vol 2. From the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution, edd. Charles Singer et al. p. 377.

Eisenstein, Elizabeth L.  (2009). The Printing Press as an Agent of Change. Cambridge University.

Saenger, Paul. Space Between Words: The Origins of Silent Reading. Stanford University Press 1997.