Matilda and iReading: We finally know what would Dahl do!
Though I cannot read a physical book anymore and I do somewhat 'push' iToys on my kids, I do get and whole-heartedly subscribe to the sentiment in this brilliant comic strip. The use of Dahl's Matilda sort of says it all. As a society we are a combined collective assault on creativity and most of all on children's.
I have always struggled with the idea of a electronic books. I've embraced them fully in practice and haven't bought a physical book (except, ironically, for my kids) in at least two years now but I also feel like something is certainly decaying, dying. I feel like my relationship with my books has changed in a deep decisive way. This already happened to my music. I grew up listening to and loving tapes and then graduated to enjoying the smell of fresh CDs. Now, I have a gigs of music somewhere in my hard drive. I listen to more music than ever and am forever looking for something new, never fully giving the kind of time I once would to a highly anticipated new album. However, I've now come to terms with digital music fully. I don't think I can ever go back to physical music media. However, not sure I have yet fully embraced in theory the idea of digital books. I see its clear advantages and yet I struggle to fully own it. It is the mind vs. heart thing and the heart isn't easily letting go.
In being less physical (or rather not at all) the relationship has somehow become cheaper, more ephemeral.
I am consuming more books but books are consuming me far less.
