How Important Are Books To You? What Purpose Do They Serve? Could You Go Without Them

Marcus365 · 03-02-2014, 05:14 PM

How Important Are Books To You? What Purpose Do They Serve? Could You Go Without Them?

Ravensknight · 03-02-2014, 05:29 PM

I would rather die than go to the rest of my life without any books.

BWinmill · 03-02-2014, 05:37 PM

Books are very important to me, though I wouldn't go as far as Ravensknight.

If we were to live in a world where books were outlawed, the first thing I would do is look to Fahrenheit 451 for guidance on corrupting the firemen.

As for their purpose, I use books for both learning and entertainment. They are my means of finding understanding and peace.

shanghaichica · 03-02-2014, 05:53 PM

Books are really important to me. They are a source of entertainment and escapism and have been a constant companion since I was a child. I'd rather not give up books. I'd give up music, TV and the Internet before I'd give up books.

faithbw · 03-02-2014, 06:15 PM

Books are very important to me. I use them for informational and entertainment purposes. That being said, if I had to go without for some reason I could (although I wouldn't be too happy about it). I mean humans went a very long time without having written materials. So if all the books in the world were destroyed, I'm sure we would find a way to survive.

EndlessWaves · 03-02-2014, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus365

What Purpose Do They Serve?

The book is an information storage format consisting of small pieces of paper piled one on top of another and joined all along the same side. It superseded the scroll and is likely to be superseded by digital data.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus365

Could You Go Without Them?

At this point in time the vital information is all in digital data format but there are still large amounts of niche and personal information in book format. I think you could probably have an interesting and fulfilled life if you never looked at another book, but it would probably limit your choices a bit, at least for the next few decades.

QuantumIguana · 03-02-2014, 07:16 PM

I could live without books if I really had to. I find it quite dull to be around non-readers, and if there were no books, life would be like that every day. But what purpose do they serve? They put words on paper, screens, scrolls, stone, clay or whatever to be read later.

I could watch movies and TV instead, but those are shallower formats. A documentary is never going to go into the detail that a book will, there just isn't time. If there were no more books, I suppose I would have to write some.

BWinmill · 03-02-2014, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EndlessWaves

The book is an information storage format consisting of small pieces of paper ...

I'm assuming that ebooks qualify as books in this discussion.

BWinmill · 03-02-2014, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

I could watch movies and TV instead, but those are shallower formats.

I agree that movies and television programming tends to be more shallow than books, but this has more to do with how they are produced than it has to do with their potential. Video has the potential to demonstrate ideas through motion and sound in a way that would be difficult (if not impossible) to do through the printed word. It can also replace the written word with the spoken word.

Of course, it rarely does so. I suspect that this has everything to do with production costs. Higher production costs means that you're liable to create a product that is shorter and that targets a broader demographic. That kinda kills off the notion of depth.

crich70 · 03-02-2014, 08:42 PM

They have been my friends through out my life to date. When I was a kid and was unpopular with my peers they provided me a place to escape from the real world for a few hrs. And they have also given me endless hours of enjoyment as well. A world without books would be a far less interesting place to live I think.

Pangolin · 03-03-2014, 06:38 AM

Exactly Crich. A world without books (in whatever format) would be a world without colour. Safe harbour and the feeling as long as I have my books around me I can find interesting, sympathetic, funny voices to hand whenever I choose, the world can do what it wishes. Its a feeling of independence - apart from the essential dependence on the books themselves of course. No system's perfect.

DiapDealer · 03-03-2014, 07:01 AM

Very important. I don't know. Probably (but not voluntarily).

tubemonkey · 03-03-2014, 07:16 AM

Important - entertainment - yep.

tubemonkey · 03-03-2014, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Very important. I don't know. Probably (but not voluntarily).

Such a long answer. Try brevity next time.

bookaho!ic · 03-03-2014, 07:20 AM

books are far too important to me as previously stated by others, they have been my constant companions. i am sure i could live without books but i would only exist not live

03-02-2014, 05:14 PM	#1
Marcus365 The Bayou Classic1 Posts: 29 Karma: 104250 Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: memphis Device: none	How Important Are Books To You? What Purpose Do They Serve? Could You Go Without Them How Important Are Books To You? What Purpose Do They Serve? Could You Go Without Them?

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03-02-2014, 05:29 PM	#2
Ravensknight Serpent Rider Posts: 1,123 Karma: 10219804 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony 350; Nook STR; Oasis	I would rather die than go to the rest of my life without any books.

03-02-2014, 05:37 PM	#3
BWinmill Nameless Being	Books are very important to me, though I wouldn't go as far as Ravensknight. If we were to live in a world where books were outlawed, the first thing I would do is look to Fahrenheit 451 for guidance on corrupting the firemen. As for their purpose, I use books for both learning and entertainment. They are my means of finding understanding and peace.

03-02-2014, 05:53 PM	#4
shanghaichica Guru Posts: 991 Karma: 5782970 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Scribe,Kindle Oasis 3, iPad Pro 11,15 Pro Max,iPad mini 7,colorsoft	Books are really important to me. They are a source of entertainment and escapism and have been a constant companion since I was a child. I'd rather not give up books. I'd give up music, TV and the Internet before I'd give up books.

03-02-2014, 06:15 PM	#5
faithbw Guru Posts: 618 Karma: 1526148 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: A place where the sun always shines Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Mini 2	Books are very important to me. I use them for informational and entertainment purposes. That being said, if I had to go without for some reason I could (although I wouldn't be too happy about it). I mean humans went a very long time without having written materials. So if all the books in the world were destroyed, I'm sure we would find a way to survive.

03-02-2014, 07:16 PM	#7
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	I could live without books if I really had to. I find it quite dull to be around non-readers, and if there were no books, life would be like that every day. But what purpose do they serve? They put words on paper, screens, scrolls, stone, clay or whatever to be read later. I could watch movies and TV instead, but those are shallower formats. A documentary is never going to go into the detail that a book will, there just isn't time. If there were no more books, I suppose I would have to write some.

03-02-2014, 08:42 PM	#10
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	They have been my friends through out my life to date. When I was a kid and was unpopular with my peers they provided me a place to escape from the real world for a few hrs. And they have also given me endless hours of enjoyment as well. A world without books would be a far less interesting place to live I think.

03-03-2014, 06:38 AM	#11
Pangolin Pangolin Posts: 204 Karma: 1243880 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Brussels, Belgium Device: PW 2	Exactly Crich. A world without books (in whatever format) would be a world without colour. Safe harbour and the feeling as long as I have my books around me I can find interesting, sympathetic, funny voices to hand whenever I choose, the world can do what it wishes. Its a feeling of independence - apart from the essential dependence on the books themselves of course. No system's perfect.

03-03-2014, 07:01 AM	#12
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,569 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Very important. I don't know. Probably (but not voluntarily).

03-03-2014, 07:16 AM	#13
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,762 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Important - entertainment - yep.

03-03-2014, 07:20 AM	#15
bookaho!ic Evangelist Posts: 466 Karma: 5575734 Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: UK Device: kobo Aura H20 2nd Ed	books are far too important to me as previously stated by others, they have been my constant companions. i am sure i could live without books but i would only exist not live

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