In the 17th century, books were created in printing houses, the sole purpose of which was to print the stories submitted by authors. Old-fashioned presses were used, pressed by hand by the journeymen who worked them. The type for each page had to be set by hand. In one 12-hour day, a printing house with two presses could print about 2500 pages of text through the work of numerous journeymen. The printing process was difficult, tedious, and long. But the result was highly valued because of the time and effort put into it.
Today, a book can be printed in a matter of minutes on the Espresso Book Machine. With a few simple clicks of a button, the machine can generate a book of several hundred pages in five or ten minutes with no human workers required. The progress that this exemplifies is quite astonishing. What once took a lot of time and effort now happens in virtually the blink of an eye.
The Espresso Book Machine and other such technologies have changed the book publishing industry and, more broadly, the spread of information. In the past, books were sought after and treasured because they were so rare. When printing a book takes hours and lots of manual labor, the number of books published is not very high. Books were not as readily available as they are today, so they were much more valuable. Now that a book can printed in minutes, anyone can publish a book. Millions of books can be printed each day, and books can now be found anywhere. They are much less valuable in today's culture because we have such an abundance of them.
The ease of printing and access to books today really is wonderful. Anyone can publish a book if they so desire. People have the ability to put their stories and ideas out there and share them with the world. And people now have access to so much knowledge, and learning is easier than ever before. The benefits of the faster, easier printing process are endless.
The one downside to the Espresso Book Machine is the effect is has on people's view of books. It saddens me to see how little respect people have for books now. Where once they were objects of value, objects people were in awe of, they are now commonplace items that people hardly take notice of. People don't realize what incredible things books really are. We've grown indifferent to them. I wish I could experience the days when books were people's most prized possessions. When the knowledge they contain was cherished above all else. I'd love to see a world in which people still appreciate books for the wonder they are.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
The More That You Read
In class last month, we watched the film The Name of the Rose about a monastery containing one of the greatest libraries in the world. Although it contained the only copies of many wonderful, classic works, the librarian locked them away. Only the two librarians had access to these amazing books, and most of the others didn't even know the books were there. Ultimately, the story boiled down to one of censorship and the restriction of knowledge.
Censorship is an issue fought around the world, and it's a problem we've been struggling with forever. Governments and other authorities decide what they think is best for their people to be exposed to, and what they don't approve of they don't allow the people to know. As in The Name of the Rose, books have often been the subject of such censorship. The US government puts out a list of banned books every year that it does not find suitable for young readers and that it prohibits public schools from providing and teaching. In other countries, like China and North Korea, the censorship extends much further and is much more strict.
Supposedly, the purpose of censorship, at least in the case of the banned books, is to keep violence, sexuality, bad language, and other bad influences out of the minds of the people. It's to keep them from getting bad ideas and making bad decisions based on the information they've read about. While I understand the theory behind this, I don't think it's quite the right approach. Just because someone reads about violence doesn't mean they will assume it's the correct way to handle a situation. People don't always emulate what they read or watch. Giving someone that kind of information doesn't mean they will use it to make bad decisions.
I personally believe that knowledge should be free and available to everyone. Information shouldn't be censored, it should be given to anyone who wants it. Authorities should not have the power to control what information we do or do not have. I believe everyone should have the opportunity to learn what they wish. Learning is a basic human right, just like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The more information and knowledge that is available to people, the more opportunity they will have in life. Restricting access to knowledge not only limits their view of the world, it limits their opportunities. As Dr. Seuss says, "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."
Censorship is an issue fought around the world, and it's a problem we've been struggling with forever. Governments and other authorities decide what they think is best for their people to be exposed to, and what they don't approve of they don't allow the people to know. As in The Name of the Rose, books have often been the subject of such censorship. The US government puts out a list of banned books every year that it does not find suitable for young readers and that it prohibits public schools from providing and teaching. In other countries, like China and North Korea, the censorship extends much further and is much more strict.
Supposedly, the purpose of censorship, at least in the case of the banned books, is to keep violence, sexuality, bad language, and other bad influences out of the minds of the people. It's to keep them from getting bad ideas and making bad decisions based on the information they've read about. While I understand the theory behind this, I don't think it's quite the right approach. Just because someone reads about violence doesn't mean they will assume it's the correct way to handle a situation. People don't always emulate what they read or watch. Giving someone that kind of information doesn't mean they will use it to make bad decisions.
I personally believe that knowledge should be free and available to everyone. Information shouldn't be censored, it should be given to anyone who wants it. Authorities should not have the power to control what information we do or do not have. I believe everyone should have the opportunity to learn what they wish. Learning is a basic human right, just like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The more information and knowledge that is available to people, the more opportunity they will have in life. Restricting access to knowledge not only limits their view of the world, it limits their opportunities. As Dr. Seuss says, "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
The Social Media Paradox
Social media has existed, in one form or another, for thousands of years. But only recently has what we think of social media, sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., become the phenomenon it is. This version of social media has drastically changed our culture and our people.
As Tom Standage wrote in Writing on the Wall, "Users of such sites do more than just passively consume information, in other words: they can also create it, comment on it, share it, discuss it, and even modify it." Social media gives its users a lot of power, particularly over the spread of information. The effects of this power are somewhat contradictory.
Every social media user has the ability to create content, spread information, and share their thoughts. The purpose of social media is to give people a voice and a platform for sharing their thoughts. One of the wonderful things about social media is that it allows everyone to chime in on issues. We can see everyone's perspective. Everyone gets a voice and a chance to give their opinion. It's a great thing that people can share their opinions and that everyone has the opportunity to be heard. But there is a downside to giving everyone a voice. Social media gives users the idea that they deserve everyone's undivided attention. They feel that every thought is worth sharing and every post is worth the attention of their friends and followers. People sometimes expect too much and forget that they are one of many.
Social media also has quite a paradoxical effect on people's self-esteem. On the one hand, self-esteem is bolstered by the constant validation of people's opinions. The steady stream of likes on a photo or post, the numerous retweets or favorites on a funny tweet, give the user an ego boost. They feel more confident in themselves and their thoughts, and their self-esteem strengthens because of the constant praise. However, social media also tends to make people more self-conscious. I have friends who will delete a picture from their Instagram if it doesn't get 30 likes in the first 10 minutes. Every post, picture, and caption is analyzed and painstakingly edited until it is deemed acceptable. People fear judgment based on their posts on social media, and they criticize everything they do and alter it until it is worth posting.
The social media generation is constantly thinking, constantly sharing, constantly judging, and constantly validating. They are always connected to one another through social media, and their entire lives are affected by it. Social media has obviously had a large impact on our culture, but it is hard to say if it is overall a good thing or a bad thing.
As Tom Standage wrote in Writing on the Wall, "Users of such sites do more than just passively consume information, in other words: they can also create it, comment on it, share it, discuss it, and even modify it." Social media gives its users a lot of power, particularly over the spread of information. The effects of this power are somewhat contradictory.
Every social media user has the ability to create content, spread information, and share their thoughts. The purpose of social media is to give people a voice and a platform for sharing their thoughts. One of the wonderful things about social media is that it allows everyone to chime in on issues. We can see everyone's perspective. Everyone gets a voice and a chance to give their opinion. It's a great thing that people can share their opinions and that everyone has the opportunity to be heard. But there is a downside to giving everyone a voice. Social media gives users the idea that they deserve everyone's undivided attention. They feel that every thought is worth sharing and every post is worth the attention of their friends and followers. People sometimes expect too much and forget that they are one of many.
Social media also has quite a paradoxical effect on people's self-esteem. On the one hand, self-esteem is bolstered by the constant validation of people's opinions. The steady stream of likes on a photo or post, the numerous retweets or favorites on a funny tweet, give the user an ego boost. They feel more confident in themselves and their thoughts, and their self-esteem strengthens because of the constant praise. However, social media also tends to make people more self-conscious. I have friends who will delete a picture from their Instagram if it doesn't get 30 likes in the first 10 minutes. Every post, picture, and caption is analyzed and painstakingly edited until it is deemed acceptable. People fear judgment based on their posts on social media, and they criticize everything they do and alter it until it is worth posting.
The social media generation is constantly thinking, constantly sharing, constantly judging, and constantly validating. They are always connected to one another through social media, and their entire lives are affected by it. Social media has obviously had a large impact on our culture, but it is hard to say if it is overall a good thing or a bad thing.
Book People
The other day at work I had the chance to spend some time talking with some of my customers. There was an older couple at one table that I had a particularly interesting conversation with. They asked about my schooling and what my major is, and when they learned that I major in English, they started talking a mile a minute. The man said to me, "It's been ages since I found someone else who loves books like I do. I've been dying to talk about reading with another book person!"
I then sat at their table with them, and we talked about books for the next half hour. We discussed our favorite books, what we're currently reading, what we think the future of the book industry is, and what we'd write about if we decided to write a book. It was the kind of discussion that you never want to end because you've finally found people who understand. As they were leaving, the woman said, "Book people are becoming a rare breed these days. It's been so nice being able to discuss this passion with someone who shares it."
In the past, books were often the subject of conversation. Reading was a common pastime, and everyone spent their leisure time engrossed in their favorite books. Popular authors and intriguing stories were common small talk topics, and everyone had something to contribute to a conversation about books. But these days, readers are becoming more and more rare, and conversations like this are few and far between.
It saddens me to realize just how much book culture has changed. Where once books were the topic of discussion, TV shows have become popular. Discovering a common love of reading is cause for celebration. When I find someone who will discuss books with me, I'll drop whatever I'm doing to talk with them about it. It's something to take advantage of while you can. While the bond that instantly forms between readers is special, it doesn't seem right that reading has become so uncommon as to make those connections rarities.
The conversation I had with that couple was the bright spot of my day, and it still makes me smile to remember the joy we got out of talking about reading. Such a simple thing, and yet so many people don't know how to appreciate it. My hope is that, somehow, we can figure out how to bring the joy of reading back to people. My hope is that we can all be "book people" and share that common bond. Books aren't dead, but some people need to be reminded of that.
I then sat at their table with them, and we talked about books for the next half hour. We discussed our favorite books, what we're currently reading, what we think the future of the book industry is, and what we'd write about if we decided to write a book. It was the kind of discussion that you never want to end because you've finally found people who understand. As they were leaving, the woman said, "Book people are becoming a rare breed these days. It's been so nice being able to discuss this passion with someone who shares it."
In the past, books were often the subject of conversation. Reading was a common pastime, and everyone spent their leisure time engrossed in their favorite books. Popular authors and intriguing stories were common small talk topics, and everyone had something to contribute to a conversation about books. But these days, readers are becoming more and more rare, and conversations like this are few and far between.
It saddens me to realize just how much book culture has changed. Where once books were the topic of discussion, TV shows have become popular. Discovering a common love of reading is cause for celebration. When I find someone who will discuss books with me, I'll drop whatever I'm doing to talk with them about it. It's something to take advantage of while you can. While the bond that instantly forms between readers is special, it doesn't seem right that reading has become so uncommon as to make those connections rarities.
The conversation I had with that couple was the bright spot of my day, and it still makes me smile to remember the joy we got out of talking about reading. Such a simple thing, and yet so many people don't know how to appreciate it. My hope is that, somehow, we can figure out how to bring the joy of reading back to people. My hope is that we can all be "book people" and share that common bond. Books aren't dead, but some people need to be reminded of that.
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