Digital Books or Printed Books, Which is Better?
The development of technology and social media influences us to be more efficient and effective. It has impacted all aspects of human life, especially reading habits.
Technology companies competed with one another to create and improve reading applications, while publishers continued to produce printed books. Perhaps the public assumes that publishers will go bankrupt due to the declining consumer demand. However, this opinion has been contradicted by reality. In fact, people are still purchasing printed books. What’s the reason behind this?
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There are several reasons why people still purchase printed books even though they read e-books :
- For personal collections;
- To reduce eye strain;
- The scent of books, which often helps relieve stress;
- Printed books allow for more focused reading than digital books;
Beyond that reason, many people still choose digital books for daily reading. According to a 2023 survey by Statista, 64% of students prefer digital books over traditional ones. Frankly, what’s the benefit of a digital book??
- More affordable and accessible than paperbacks.
- The environmental cost is much lower than the printed one.
- Make reading more interesting among the young generations, so it attracts many young people to build a reading habit.
- Readers can take their “library of books” (not just one book) with them wherever they want and read at any time, without carrying too much weight or taking up much space.
Despite the benefits of digital books, we can overlook the advantages of printed books :
- Paper books are connected to stronger test scores. According to Science News Explore, in a study done in 2018 that analyzed over 171,000 readers, reading comprehension was found to be stronger with print books than with digital text.
- Printed books provide the reader fewer distractions.
- Reducing eyes-straining. Reading can be a great time to give our eyes a break with a traditional printed book.
- Print books offer an emotional connection because of the feel, the scent, and the sense of turning the pages. In digital books, we can’t get that sense.
Which is better? In my opinion, both are good media for reading. However, you can choose based on your situation and circumstances. If you are a busy person and cannot spare time to read a printed book, digital books can help you stay consistent with reading. Furthermore, if you are concerned about your eyesight, you can choose printed books to reduce eye strain. Ultimately, it is your choice.
Thank you for taking the time to read my piece. I hope you enjoy my writing ^^
