Although the picture above strongly suggests that "books aren't dead," one of Bob's friends asserted that the Kindle is a "crime against books," and he was asking for the opinion of our mutual friend -- the irony of all this is that I virtually intruded on their conversation, but that's beside the point :) -- I chimed with in my two cents: although I can understand the efficiency of the Kindle, I simply appreciate being able to physically hold a printed book.
The utopian vision that comes with the Internet can actually be dystopian in many ways. The ability to carry a thin screen with 20, 30, even 50 books is convenient, especially when you don't have room for books or you're traveling. But I don't particularly want to stare at a screen and definitely not for a long period of time. Growing up during a time where printed books were all that existed (and I'm not even that old), it's a sad thought to realize that printed materials will one day seize to exist. Condensing books onto a gadget makes me feel twice removed from the actual books, just like watching musical theatre on TV makes me feel removed from the actual live show - it just wouldn't be the same. Instead of grand libraries and bookshelves, people are soon going to have their collection of books in their backpockets. Book signings will be a thing of the past; that is, of course, unless you want someone to sign your Kindle.
Imagine a world without books! This brings me to the idea of Fahrenheit 451, which we also watched in class today. This overall utopian vs. dystopian topic is really too broad to discuss in just one blog, so I'll end with this thought: it may be that books aren't actually disappearing in the 21st century, and they're certainly not illegal like in Fahrenheit 451 (yet), but I can't imagine not being able to thumb through a book, feel paper, underline and highlight freely, and most importantly, have a collection of books on my bookshelf.
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