EDITORIAL: PAPER FOR THE WIN

It is 2017 and we are currently living in the world of high profile technology such as smartphones, drones, and even robots. These smartphones (IPhone, Android, Samsung, etc.) combine everything that you could possibly need, clock, timer, notepad, calculator, camera, any form of music player, flashlight, and even books. With an expensive phone in the pockets of most, physical books are becoming less and less popular. With Nooks, Kindles, and smartphone apps such as iBooks, Bluefire Reader, Stanza, Wattpad, and many more, people have thousands of stories in the palm of their hands at all times. With this power, who needs paperbacks, right?

Wrong. For me, there is a totally different experience in reading an actual book vs some text on a phone, I guess you could say it’s more personal. It is easier, for me especially, to connect with a story is it is print, rather than it being on-screen. It is also easier for me to retain the information if it is in print.

While some argue for the convenience of ebooks (which they are) they also have quite a few setbacks. Staring at a lit screen can tire the eyes and brain. Reading digitally requires a higher cognitive workload than reading paper, also, staring at LED screens close to nighttime can disrupt sleeping patterns. It is also found that e-books can reduce reading comprehension. While reading e-books people often (without knowing they are doing so) skip over text in favor of interactive features.

Don’t get me wrong, I have read the occasional book on my IPhone, but I will always appreciate the smell of old books and the act of turning the next page.