With the advent of technology and internetting, I haven’t actually noticed a decline with the world of books. Maybe it’s because I live in a small town, but I go to Montréal every day, and books are alive and well. What’s the impression that they might not be? Despite that, the one and only used book store we had here died some years back. I don’t take that as menace to books though, because I’ve seen so many used book stores come and go, for years.
I think they’re alive and well because even despite all that now exists that might ’‘threaten’’ to kill them, books haven’t lost their purpose, and they still offer an experience you just don’t get with what might replace them. I think it’s because the purpose and what a book is can’t be really replicated outside of what it originally is. And besides entertainment value, a lot of people still need cooking books, books for school…web programming books, irony.
I love books, I have too many, so maybe if there is a decline, I’m denying it to myself lol. But yeah, I think they’re still around because well, a lot of people still like books. I mean, we’ve had books for centuries, so they might be a hard thing to kill.
Also, what @Bellatrix says. Yeah, see. Reading a book is a fun experience that soothes someone, or might excite them. Nothing like reading ghost stories on a rainy night. Whatever one’s preferences, books cater to just about all of them. So not everyone likes to read, but I think there’s enough people who do that support the book industry.
Others like to learn, and not everyone has internet access. And even if they do…reading stimulates the brain, but doing it too long in front of a computer doesn’t feel the same. Books have established themselves in society for such reasons, among many others I’m sure.
@Blueroses Old book stores kick ass. There was one in Winnipeg called The Red River Book Store where I bought so much. I wonder if it’s still around…a friend and I were talking about it once, and she’s all like, oh that place…it smells like old book! I denno why, but that was hilarious.
I also happen to think libraries kick ass. There’s a definite feel to those I can’t quite describe. Also last Summer I went to this book convention thing in Montréal, where all these authors were gathered with their books. Books everywhere man…so maybe I don’t really know why they’re still around, but something is definitely preserving them.