The Great Equalizer of the 21st Century: E-Readers?

Adult reading…you know what I mean—real reading beyond your boss’s emails, CNN’s news tickers, and your cereal box

Adult writing… real writing beyond your grocery list, a note to your child’s teacher, or a sticky note reminder.

Readers often have plans on for their work; stacks of books to read, waiting lists to borrow books, magazines to expect in the mail, newspapers coming in, etc.  Writers have notebooks where they collect ideas and thoughts, beginnings of treasures with which they play when THEY decide—writers are “bossy” that way!

(Check out my posts on reading/writing emergencies for more thoughts about how these occur.)

How often do you intentionally make time to read?  To write?  What makes a difference?

According to a 2012 survey by CNN, people over age 16 who used electronic devices tended to read more often than those without.  Not only did they read more news articles or magazine-like features, they also read more books.

E-book users reported reading 24 books in one year, while those reading only traditional books reported reading 15 in a year.  Many preferred traditionally printed books when reading to children (I know I do).  

However, 20 percent of adults reported not reading a book at all--and those without e-readers were more likely not to read at all.  AT.  ALL.  

While I am a person who worries about brick-and-mortar bookstores, I think I must also celebrate digital reading in that it gives endless access to reading.  

With Internet access, you literally have the world at your fingertips.  You can become the audience to fledgling blog writers (welcome), book reviewers, or buy work from your colleagues on Teachers Pay Teachers. 

Again, I believe that their is something different and magical that happens with the brain when one writes, holding a writing tool and connecting words to paper.  I hope we never let go of this process for only keyboarding.  You can post (and sell, if you choose) your own written work.  You can share your writing instantly with any specific audience you choose--or you can post it for the world to see.  Talk about audience and purpose for writing!  

You can read articles published from most any news organization in the world, 35 seconds ago.  You can keep in touch with friends from around the globe almost instantly.  

We are a society that loves access, ease, speed.  Because of digital devices, reading has become "cool" again, and essential to life--as has a form of writing with texting, emails, Tweeting, and Facebook posts.  While these might make us read and write more often (quantity), the quality arguably lacks.

But that's by choice--On a sleepless night, you can lie in bed and shop for a new e-book on Amazon and start reading it about 5 seconds after you buy and/or download it.  You can read many books for free, ranging from Jane Eyre to Peter Pan, from Wuthering Heights to Treasure Island.  You can even borrow e-books at no cost, as well, saving a trip to the library.  (Though, again, I hope libraries still exist in 20 years...)

The CNN article goes on to predict that a day may come where Amazon actually gives away some version of the Kindle, as it will likely increase the demand for their e-books, thus increasing their profit.  While this is good for Amazon's bottom line, it might just be good for our society, too.  

We know that education is the #1 equalizer for those who seek to escape poverty.  E-readers may let us take heart, if we are hoping to see a new surge in the middle class, as they can provide equal access to information and literature:

"As the price of e-readers approaches zero, it opens up more opportunities for people who have been left on the wrong side of the digital divide to access the same wealth of information, entertainment and education as people with normal vision and average-or-better income.

Since the invention of writing, the written word has always disrupted the balance of power in societies. While e-books might have started out as a high-tech novelty for early adopters, they may ultimately prove to be a great equalizer across boundaries of ability, resources and education."