Are E-books Equaling E-harmony?
The popularity and accessibility of e-books is threatening our cultures' traditional idea of the storybook. The rising popularity of this linked literature is slowly replacing the traditional book in many aspects of our modern day lives. Many wonder how this will ultimately change our idea of the traditional text in the future. Grace Fala, professor of communication at Juniata, helps us tackle this problematic prose.
Question
Do you think that books will become obsolete?
Answer
I hope not. There is something really magical about holding words and touching words; the tactile experience is very important when reading. I like to hold my words and touch them. If they are on a screen I cannot touch them.
Q
How will e-books impact writers?
A
They already have. People reading screens do not read the same as they do a book. We scan more than we read nowadays. When scanning we are not able to remember as clearly or with as many details as we used to. Recollection is different. I can recall details better by reading a book rather than scanning a computer screen. We digest the information differently and it comes out differently, too.
Q
Does using a portable electronic device rather than a physical book take away from the reader's experience?
A
The world moves at a worrisome pace with computer communication. People often go to a webpage because it is fast. But fast isn't always friendly. Or warm. If students really want to understand the impact that e-books might have, they should talk to their grandparents or elder role models, in person. Ask their grandparents to talk about the impact that computers have on human relationships. Ask them what they think about e-books. Students might actually sense a technological generation gap forming.
Q
How could reading a child's bedtime story be altered by the rising popularity of e-books? Will you be reading from an electronic device or a computer screen instead of flipping colorful pages?
A
The answer is already in the question. All you need do is use your imagination. Which one sounds better? "Lets sit and read this story together or did you already read your story on the computer?" What happens to affirmations of touch? Of embrace? Of human-to-human, heart-to-heart, eye-contact? Our bodies are connected when reading a bedtime story. There is something tactile and lovingly affectionate about reading aloud together. The computers of today are efficient and fast, but they cannot replace and will never replace face-to-face, body-to-body interaction. Plus, I don't think computers are that aesthetic to look at. If I want to gaze upon something for extended periods of time, I'd rather it be a sunset, a child playing or an apple.
Q
What kind of impact will this have on writers?
A
E-books will probably encourage people to say more and to become more active as writers, but I'm not convinced that being more active means becoming more artful. Artfulness usually occurs when people do less talking and more listening.
- Sara Hernandez '09, Student Reporter