Why do so many people hate reading paper books?

[9r4i]

I find it stupid how people read websites, their email, etc, but run away when it comes to reading a paper book.

Most young Americans don't read books. They're too lazy/impatient to read a book. In addition, they're afraid their friends/family will see them reading a book and they'll be considered uncool.

If you hate reading so much... than why do you read emails? Why are only the paper books considered uncool to read?

That's stupid. It's just a bunch of people being stupid.

[wolfion]

We're in an era where kids are growing up with high tech consoles, mindless cell phone games and general laziness, I consider myself an avid reader and a gamer as well. The main issue is that no one promotes books like they do other forms of media, for example video games and movies have trailers with nothing but action scenes to catch the attention of both adults and children. If book publishers, book stores, etc I assume just don't have the resources available to get todays youth (and granted adults) to be interested in books. The libraries in my city try to get kids reading by doing a "Club Read" a children's and teen summer reading program, the jest of it is every book a child read they get a point, with rewards at higher intervals. Though I don't think it fully works though I wouldn't know for sure as I don't work in the children's area at my library. Anyways I think i'm rambling now sorry about that.

[Sugar-Coated Accident]

I've actually seen this trend turning around lately. Libraries are becoming more popular again. Teens and young adults are reading more than they have for the past few years, largely due to the upswing in the publication of novels aimed at them and the hype that invariably surrounds them. I think that that's just about the only good thing that's come out of the whole Twilight phenomenon. Yes, most of the (more popular, at least) young adult books coming out aren't the best examples of writing and tend to fall apart under scrutiny, but hey, at least they're getting people reading.

There actually are book trailers, as well. I've seen them around the Internet, and I know James Patterson at least has had a few on television. I'm quite an avid reader, myself. I had three shelves on a bookcase collapse the other day, and it ruined my week. But I can sympathize; I remember hearing people at my high school bragging about how they managed to get through all 4 years without ever opening a book at all and wanting to cry.

[Phantom Kaboodle]

Some of the more "popular" kids at my school have been talking about reading books lately. They are reading all of the dystopian trilogies and John Green's books and some of them go to the library, so I do think it is becoming "trendy" to read again.

[Raye Delvego]

Well my group of friends don't like reading paper books because a lot of the good ones are actually quite big and too heavy for them.

[Klaark]

I wouldn't equate reading a book with reading an email.

[Lilac Wood]

I'm going to play devil's advocate here and argue reading is, and has been, increasing among young adults.

[faolan]

I wasn't aware that people did.

Oh, you mean that branching into other mediums means one hates physical books? Is that along the lines of saying that when a couple has a second child, it means they hate their first?

[Chocofreak13]

i VASTLY prefer physical copies of books to digital ones.

as i've had several computers fail on me in the past couple years, and i'm broke, i can't really afford ebooks (and i find tablets repulsive, honestly, my iphone is enough). my shelves are coated in books, and i'm going this weekend to get some more.

my problem is always that it's SUPER hard for me to get into a novel. i REALLY have to be interested in the topic for it to capture my interest, and if it doesn't, i can't focus, which makes it feel like a chore. i have a much easier time reading graphic novels, but then, as a comic artist, this is only natural, lol.

i think that because GNs are becoming more accepted as a literary medium, it's getting easier for kids to relate to books, since, like me, they may have a hard time keeping their focus on them.

however, i don't advocate comics replacing actual novels in the book circut. i'm just happy to see them become more than a niche.

[~ Aki - Fairy ~]

As mentioned, reading novels seems to be coming back.
I've been wondering off and on where my little (kid) chapter books went when we moved, because I have a cousin that's almost to that reading point (she's finishing up grade one, so probably won't be ready until next fall at least anyhow), not that I'm sure I want to give/loan them to her because her and her brothers are really hard on stuff generally.


Personally, since I got an e-reader I now prefer it, mostly because it's so much lighter and more compact than most printed books (not only in regards to going places with books, but also the fact that I don't have the storage space for more printed ones at the moment) and I love having the dictionary at my fingertips, access to some older books that I can't find in the stores, etc.. Through it I've also really been expanding my collection of authors.

[radical SATIRICAL]

Lilac Wood

I'm going to play devil's advocate here and argue reading is, and has been, increasing among young adults.

I agree with this. I'm finding, it's the same with adults as well.

I personally own an e-reader. I got it because I constantly read, but carrying around 2-3 books in my bag was getting to be a pain. I'd end up wrecking the books, the bags got heavy, and if I left them behind I'd regret it. I did however get one with an e-ink screen so it's similar to paper. I couldn't read a whole book on an LCD screen. No way.

I live with a book collector, I myself, and a collector. I still buy actually, hard copies of books by the stack whenever I'm near a place that...sells books. When I'm at home I'll almost always have an actual book in my hand - but when I go out I take my e-reader with me.

I've never heard that someone would think they'd be uncool if they were caught reading a book, at least not anywhere that wasn't on a TV show or a movie. But I don't doubt, maybe that's the case sometimes...strange as it is.

I'm happy to see what I've noticed, as an influx of people reading. Regardless of if it's John Green, Twilight, or even some of those ever popular smut books that came around with Fifty Shades. I'm just happy to see people picking up books, or reading, no matter how they're choosing to take in that information ( computer, e-reader. actual book )

[I Claudia I]

I love ebooks but nothing beats cracking open a brand new Hardcover.

[mercy petite]

what's with the hate for e-readers/ipads/nooks/kindles/etc.? when i travelled last summer by plane it was much easier having my books on my ipad than lugging around 2-4 paperback books in my carry-on purse. plus most classic novels are free in e-book form so when i took an eng lit class in college, i didn't have to pay for jane eyre, gulliver's travels, the scarlet letter, tarzan of the apes, and so on.

i still like reading physical copies because the screen can strain my eyes but in terms of convenience i like my ipad.

[_Kawaii_Demon_Mix_]

Put me in the spotlight...

I have heard that young adults are reading a lot more these days. Thanks to popular novels out there.
I am very happy to see the reading trend happening. I've always loved books and I'm glad that others are beginning to see why I enjoy them so much.

I was born for it.

[ThisNewAccountForNow]

I find I shy away from reading things on computers if I can find it in paperback or if I can easily print it out. This is particularly the case for academic articles. I can't stand reading them on computers. I have to print them out.

Don't get why.