A book is simply a collection of paper with ink written on them and covered by thicker paper or cardboard in some cases. We don't need books in a physical sense, but we do need the literature they possess. The literature is what makes the book so valuable. The only reason we become so attached to the physique of a book is because they have the literature we hold so dear. Think of a computer; we love what's on the outside and we feel that we need to see it but it's what is on the inside that causes the computer to capture our attention. This also is the reason we have a hard time adjusting to the change "books" are going through. Many readers don't like that books are becoming electronic like the rest of the world. They feel that the book is sacred and that it is a part of human culture. This I believe is not true. I believe that the literature written on those vanilla pages is what is a part of human culture. Regardless of what form that literature comes in should not be a worry to us. All that matters is that the words written via pen and paper, on Word, or even on a typewriter, are gathered together into a masterpiece. A masterpiece of imagination, a masterpiece of intuition, a masterpiece of the human mind.
The writers in the interviews mentioned all feel that books are a need to human culture and understanding. I completely agree with this. However i believe they are wrong when they say that a physical book is any better than an eBook. With the advancement in technology, it's only a matter of time before you can write notes in the margins of a book on your Kindle or iPad; it's only a matter of time before you feel that you are actually turning pages, it's only a matter of time before you can put virtual post-its on the pages. As for the environmental impact, eBooks, if you think about it, are better for the enironment. This is because if the production of books stopped there would be more trees thus allowing those extra trees to soak up the extra carbon emissions that are required to produce an eBook. The environment would remain unchanged and if anything, it would improve because of the massive amounts of paper we use to produce books.
Really thoughtful distinction of books and literature; the computer analogy was perfect. I also really like the section you wrote about "it's only a matter of time." It's well written, and I hope you're right. I think writing in margins and virtual post-its are a big part of what's makes ebooks an entirely different reading experience right now.
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