December 6, 2011 - CLOCKWORK PRINCE release signing in New York City
This truly breaks my heart
I pledge to read the printed word
My problem with this “BLAME THE eREADERS!” movement is that people who put down eReaders can still be found shopping at Barnes and Noble and ordering their books from Amazon.
eReaders aren’t meant to replace books. They’re a convenient way to carry around more books. Most of the people I know who have eReaders are avid book lovers who read printed books first and then get digital copies so they can take their library with them. Personally, I love my eReader because I can preview books with the push of a button, read 50 pages, and decide if I want to take the trip to the book store and buy it.
Pledging to “read the printed word” isn’t doing any good if you’re just shopping for those printed books at big chains for discounted prices. Those stores are all closing for the same reason Mom and Pop business all over the world are closing: they’re being replaced by bargains and, in this economy, people are shopping for a discount. If you buy a book at Target for 30% off the list price, you’re hurting the little bookshop downtown that can’t afford to give you that price.
Bookstores have been closing for a decade. It’s not the fault of eReaders, it’s the fault of big businesses taking over the market.
If you don’t believe me, go watch You’ve Got Mail. That was accurate in the 90s and it’s still accurate today.
Well, except for the fact that if you meet someone online today, there’s an even stronger possibility that he or she will be a psychopath.
(Source: hiimspencer, via siriusismyhero)
