Knowledge, a prerequisite to living a meaningful life, is available in both books and technology. Before we get to the discussion of technology vs books, let us first understand that both can be used as a means. The goal is to gain knowledge that can be put to use. Hence, technology and books are tools to achieve this end goal. People have their preferences, however. Some prefer technology that comes with a lot of conveniences, while others favor books that come with a unique vibe. But to draw a clear picture, let us first understand the importance of each and then move on to their comparison.
Significance of technology
Declaring that technology has changed our lives would be an understatement. Technology has done much more than that. In fact, the technological era that we are living in has provided us with remarkable tools and enhanced our way of living. Technology has influenced our life so much that we can hardly contemplate how our lives would have turned out otherwise. It has made information easily accessible, thus empowering people to explore various topics and broaden their horizons.
To understand the influence of technology further, compare the traditional and modern times. Take businesses, for example. Those that implemented technology and went online are giving cut-throat competition in the market. Whereas, the businesses that were slow to adopt technology, or refuse to do so, are limited in scope. Incontestably, the differences are substantial, so much that the results speak volumes.
Importance of books
The most popular point that people make in arguments about the superiority of paper books is the smell of old ones. Well, they are not wrong here, but there are more supporting points. Firstly, your books are not prone to leave you like technology when there are power outages. Secondly, with books, there are physical interactions. This physical interactivity promotes deeper learning. Plus, you can feel your progress as you turn the pages towards the end. Lastly, books give a sense of ownership, which proffers personalization.
With books, you can find reference sources, so you can rest assured knowing the information is correct. This is an advantage of choosing books over technology, where the legitimacy of information can be trusted. This is unlike technology, where anyone can meddle with the information and lead people astray. Additionally, books improve imaginative and creative skills. These will eventually become essential in developing innovative solutions.
Technology vs books: What’s the difference?
After examining the importance of technology and books individually, let us explore their comparison by taking various factors into account.
Accessibility
Technology has improved the access to information strikingly. With a device and internet connection, you can have all the information at your fingertips. This is to say, it has made a plethora of resources available online. Moreover, the information can be accessed from anywhere at any time. Unlike books, you don’t have to worry about damaging devices while learning information on the go. Books are no doubt quite informational, but if you want to jump between topics, they are not a feasible option. You will end up referring to multiple books at a time.
Health concerns
Seeing kids with books the whole day doesn’t bother parents more than catching them with technology. Their concerns are understandable, as technology brings a lot of health problems. Prolonged use of technology leads to headaches, along with eye strain, back pain, neck pain, and so on. Compare this with books, where even investing a few minutes a day can have positive impacts. This was found in a study that also stated reading books lowers blood pressure and heart rate. Besides, the activity also reduces feelings of distress.
Affordability
Technology is more affordable compared to books. Suppose you went through the back-cover summaries and finally decided on a book. If the book doesn’t meet your expectations halfway, you are left with no option but to get a new one. That will not only incur costs but also waste your time. On the contrary, with technology, all you have to do is delete the current e-book and download others that interest you. Therefore, technology is more time-efficient and provides more flexibility compared to books.
Experience
Technology provides endless information and entertainment. That’s more like a curse in disguise. There are recommendations lined up to complete as soon as you are done ingesting current information. Too many options at a time create confusion and lead to distractions. How often do you find yourself on web pages that you weren’t looking for, or going through happenings that you are least concerned about? This is a common problem in today’s technological world, which also happens to make people more anxious and stressed.
Contrariwise, we have books that take people to different realms through words. These words are written by those who are long gone but still have a significant impact on people’s lives. No doubt, technology allows you to read books too, but the distinction in reading experience is hard to overlook.
Reading via technology comes with lots of distractions in the form of notifications, diverting the reader’s attention. Whereas books allow readers to fully immerse themselves in the topic or story, as well as live the lives of the various characters, so to say. With technology, users are more likely to keep multitasking instead of enjoying the experience of reading.
Reflecting on the books vs technology debate
One of the reasons people prefer technology to books is because they don’t have enough time or patience to sit through the process. Technology is a quicker way of getting information, whereas reading books is a slow process. But when it comes to retaining information, books have an upper hand. This happens because people tend to read fast on their screens, which makes it harder to retain information.
Now that we reached the end of this analysis, what are your thoughts on technology vs books? Would you prefer one over the other? If so, will that be worth it?