The New Normal

"The problem with e-books is that they are e-books." This quote, produced alongside a cartoon, caught my attention in this week's reading. I would like to think of myself as an open-minded student. Yet, I was struck by the explanation following this quote. "If this tautological statement makes us laugh," the article says, "we do so most likely because we share a highly specific, normative vision of books and book reading."

Normative is not a word I would often use to describe myself. However, when it comes to reading books, I am the norm. Previously on this blog I mentioned my affinity for the public library. I value the ability to pick up physical books off of the shelves and flip through actual pages before deciding which genre I want to dive into next. In my opinion, one of the biggest perks to utilizing the public library is that it is free.

As the article suggests, e-books add an interesting voice into the U.S.'s capitalist conversation. Currently, I do not have the financial means to invest in a Kindle, tablet or any other e-reader. Even though I don't spend my money on e-books, other people certainly are which is causing bookstores across the nation to close their doors.

Although the article explains the road to e-books is still being shaped, I believe soon e-readers will be the new normal. I see the advantages to both classic books and e-books. E-books are useful because they provide instant gratification and are easy to transport. We are living in the digital age and most millennials gravitate towards anything technology-related. Years ago, e-books were trendy and intriguing for consumers, as highlighted in the video below.

A world in which e-books are the norm is inevitable, even if it takes 10, 20 or 50 years to get to that point.