Posts Tagged e-books

Bemoaning the Decline of Print

By Matt

September 26th, 2009

This morning I stumbled upon a blog entry titled Rebooting the Book (One Apple iPad Tablet at a Time) by Mark Sigal. In the article, Sigal dreams of the new possibilities of when digital readers and other multimedia devices completely replace the printed book, in particular when Apple gets involved in the e-book reader business. (I personally don’t know anything about Apple’s e-book projects, but it’s really beside the point.)

This article is another example of dramatic, high-tech speculation in which possibilities in the future world astound us, and those who hold on to present or past ways are cast aside in irrelevance. In this case, it’s the bibliophiles who are desperately (and apparently, naively) holding on to the printed word; if only they would open their eyes to the inevitable developments — “books” with internet connections, interactive features, simulations, video immersion, and built-in social networking — they would see the light too! So the other author pleads.

For better or worse, I don’t quite consider myself a bibliophile. I like reading, but I tend to get distracted and forget about the two or three books I’m trying to engage. However, I, like some bibliophiles, am really hesitant to fully embrace the e-book reader trend, or the multi-media remaking of the book. My primary concerns are in the form of questions. First, there are the copyright issues. How will future e-books be distributed, who will have the rights to read them, and will I be able to give a copy to my friend when I am done (something I can do now with physical books, at no risk to my legal self)? Will e-books make me more or less dependent on energy companies, telecoms, and technology companies? Will they help the small publisher, or more greatly benefit the large media outlets (e.g., Amazon, Apple, etc)?

These last concerns are particularly directed at Sigal’s speculations about the new possibilities for multimedia in learning. Will future forms of what are now printed genres help me better reason about the world? Will simulations and immersive digital environments help me to better develop, communicate, and defend my ideas? Will they help me think and speak coherently? I for one have a really hard time reading a long wikipedia article without getting completely distracted with links redirecting me and my thought processes to other articles or other places on the web.

I like new things. They’re fun and exciting. I also understand that communication media change and will continue to change. (Personal case in point: I’m writing a blog.) However, don’t give up on print just yet. Don’t give up on that which is non-interactive. Don’t give up on the linear construction of ideas. And please, don’t just assume that if Apple is coming out with a new technology that the best thing to do with it is to push it into our schools.

Update (1 October 2009): I just read an article regarding these new kinds of media and some and those who are suspicious.

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