Paper vs. Plastic

Swish of a finger vs. the turn of a page. Reading a paper-back novel vs. reading it on an e-reader. My friend Corey over at Insane Literature enjoys reading an e-reader more than paper-back novels. I enjoy reading paper-backs more than e-readers. 

Reading a physical paper novel is more satisfying in the sense that you can hold the physical thing in your hand. Paper novels have the nice smooth feeling of ink on paper and you flip that piece of paper to look and another piece of paper. It is generally more of a pleasing sensation to look at ink on paper than looking at just another screen. 

Books have that nice smell of ink on paper and you can feel the way the ink has settled on the paper if you try hard enough. An e-reader or tablet is just glass and plastic. With a tablet you just swipe your fingers across the glass and the page turns. We all know this isn't a very satisfying sensation. 

Books are also more economically profitable and benefit the environment more. As the famous saying goes, "Paper or Plastic?," paper implies that it can be recycled hence being better for the environment. Plastic isn't as recyclable and even though they are making more and more plastics recyclable, the numbers just don't match up with the fact that all paper is recyclable one way or another. 

Paper-back books are economically profitable in the sense that they provide an always booming industry that generates workers. There are the people who cut down the trees for the paper, the people who ship that paper to the factory that generates the paper, I could go on and on about a whole list of people who go into the process of making a book but we would be here for quite a few hours. Books also provide stores that help the local economy, give the locals an enjoyable place to shop, and an enjoyable experience of smelling that new book smell in the book store, picking out that book that is just right, being able to carry it home, and then read the physical copy in your home.

If you can't tell that I really enjoy reading paper-back novels then I honestly don't know what else to tell you. Also, for the record I have nothing against e-readers and e-books I just enjoy the sensation of a physical copy of the book I am enjoying.