Word on Wall street is that eBooks are catching on. They took the lion's share of holiday sales at all the big chains--Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and even the oh-jeezus-just-put-it-out-of-its-misery Borders--and are fast-outpacing print books in terms of sales. With the growth of ebooks, now with apps coming to the iPad and other reading devices, some have said that print books may be all-out replaced with ebooks.
Now, while I consider myself somewhat of a neo-Luddite (not all technological advances are necessary and beneficial, and may even be our undoing as a species), I'm not totally against ebooks after looking at the facts. If they're more convenient to voracious readers, that's great. If it gets more people reading books (as I'm hoping to write some myself) then I'm all for it. If it enables more talented writers to get their work out there without the annoying and greedy middleman of Big Publishing (which has worked for some already), then awesome! I even considered opening an account at a bank that was offering a free Kindle if you opened an account with them, just to get the Kindle. For free.
But if the ebook were to replace paper books....well, I think we're in trouble. Because if even books were no longer printed on paper, what need would be for there to be anything else?
Obviously, there is the advantage of tangibility. There's no other feeling like the weight of a book in your hand. And several people, including myself, are reluctant to give up the intricacies of book design and touchable existence for more convenience and a cheaper price. I also pick up a book or magazine to escape the glare of a screen, whether it's from my computer or television. But there are some disadvantages to ebooks--and several other forms of digital technology--that are rarely discussed.
There are several implications to a complete and systematic digital conversion. For one, a digital world ties us to our phones, our e-readers, and our laptops; i.e. a screen. Our senses become reduced to the simple mechanisms of sight and sound. While virtual reality technology could change that, it still doesn't excuse the fact that poeple are turning away from the world right in front of them in favor of one that is purely of their invention. Another concern is people's vulnerability to identity fraud. If everyone is paying for their entertainment and other products online, they are exposing themselves to cyber- and identity-thieves who could hack into their accounts or even their computers and seriously fuck things up. Another vulnerability entailed with the reduction of payments to debit and credit is economic, especially with credit cards. The ease and illusion of relative safety in paying with credit as opposed to from one's bank account can tempt some people to spend more on things they can't afford, providing a boon for credit card companies. And this may sound conspiratorial, but electronic purchases are recorded, and therefore traceable, exposing people in corrupt areas to trouble just because the government doesn't like their buying habits. While the Internet is free now, in a completely digitalized world, the people may be under even more control than they even know. (In fact, the Internet, or parts of it, are already going to start making you pay)
While a digital world can open up doors for some people (human rights activists among them), it's important to remember that not everyone can afford the devices to access this world, thus locking them out. Even now, when a lot of jobs are available to apply for online, people who cannot afford a computer, internet access, or a safe haven in which to access the internet are at an even greater disadvantage. Libraries and community centers are important in that they remove this disadvantage from the most vulnerable. Even if they do land a job, it could be one that pays paltry wages, not enough to afford them access to the digital world. That's the problem with accepting a middle-class norm, as it marginalizes the experiences of people who can't afford the latest smart phone or e-reader. Books may be expensive, but at the library they will always be free. Sony has configured a lending program for select libraries, in which people could borrow e-readers, but ideas like this are still very much in their infancy, so their success or lack thereof has yet to be determined. The internet can be liberating, but when one relies on internet only, it can also be a form of oppression, keeping the impoverished down.
The potentially worst--and most overlooked--problem is the implications of e-waste. While digital products technically don't exist in the physical world, the platforms that make these products possible very much do exist. A lot of metals and other materials go into laptops and e-readers, using up resources and energy. And since many users of this technology just throw out their old and broken devices, e-waste piles up, returning the toxins to the earth of third-world countries--and counties. Recycling programs and more energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly products have gained momentum in the tech industry, but it's only a matter of time before the metals and other raw materials begin to dwindle, or the workers in the mines and factories start demanding fair wages, thus increasing the cost of electronics and making them even less accessible. What will happen to a digital world if the gates to that world grow rusty and are forced to shutter?
It's a good sign that people in the publishing and tech industries have recognized some of these problems, and I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, in spite of the numerous times they have enraged and frustrated me over the years. I can only hope that the dark, decaying post-apocalyptic world of my nightmares does not in fact come true.
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