Quote:
Originally Posted by jbcohen
Last night my mrs claimed that printed books have always been the "great equalizer" since everyone had access to them via their local public library and since most book readers cost $100 or more electronic books are not available to everyone. What is your view on the matter?
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Well, I would modify the statement by deleting "via their public library" as redundant, then agree with what's left, and say it was probably incontrovertible ?
Everyone can get hands on a book - friends, neighbours, school, thrift/charity shops, as well as libraries. You can borrow them, buy them, look over someoner's shoulder, get left them in a will,grab them out of skips.........
In fact beg, borrow, steal - or buy.......... or inherit.
[ In the UK we are fortunate to have "free" national libraries - untrue, of course, we pay for them via taxes, but that's right and reasonable, and makes them available to people on low/no incomes (although our present "semi-tea party government are putting the squeeze on local councils £wise, leading to some attempted cuts and reductions. As we speak, being challenged in the courts as illegal, with a decent chance of success. )]
All this equals access by everyone, surely, depending on your circumstances.
Whereas the high-tech version is simply nowhere near as accessible to a huge number of people, nor as versatile. Nor are they about in anywhere near enough numbers - AND , I hate to bring this up really, many times more dangerous, wasteful and expensive in resources as the book.
Now, after all that, I wouldn't be without mine, and I'm fortunate to be able to have one - but the book has a very impressive CV, and was pretty much ideal straight out of the box !
Oh, yes......... and you can throw it, sit on it, get it wet, play table-tennis/frisbee/hit flies and savage dogs with it, use it as insulation/fire on very cold days,use as body armour against various forms of corporal punishment or sport, like protect kicked shins at soccer.... and press flowers in it.
And do a heck of a lot more with it, I 'spect, but I'm running out of time !
Time to go in a dark room with cucumber slices over my eyes.........
