‘The book has no place in modern society.’ Discuss.

1) Thesis : In terms of Portability

● Replaced by other forms of technology
● Lighter and more convenient to carry around
● E.g Latest Kindle weighs less than 200g Commented [1]: https://ebookfriendly.com/kindle-
paperwhite-2018-4th-generation-tech-specs-
Stores up to 6000 books in the device comparisons/
(https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.expertreviews.co Commented [2]: https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/ama
zon/amazon-kindle-paperwhite
.uk/amazon/amazon-kindle-
paperwhite&sa=D&ust=1550765378134000&usg=AFQjCNE
w9pMHG_9kVcPeeZs0PISDLinQDA)

● As compared to traditional books, ebooks are relatively

lighter
● No worry of damage or loss of property
● Lifetime of data stored in electronic methods very high, low
maintenance
● Conversely, books require extreme care for fragile paper and
preserving books’ “spines”

2) Thesis: Ease of access / Convenience

● Quick search and can find information needed
● As compared to flipping pages on books
● Spend significantly less time with today’s hectic society
● Can read multiple online reviews to make informed choices
● Technology “Finds” books that we like based on previous
purchases
● Change in the way people get information:
● Previously, people had to read volumes of books or watch
long documentaries
● now can easily get information through video and audio, and
tweets
● Saves people the hassle of finding and scrounging books for
information
● 2.6 billion dollar industry worldwide
● https://goodereader.com/blog/audiobooks/global-audiobook-
trends-and-statistics-for-2018
 3) Anti-Thesis: People have a sentimental value to physical books
hence it still has a strong appeal and is unlikely to die off anytime soon
- Sensory aspect of reading a physical book cannot be completely
emulated by ebooks
- Physiological findings that hardcopy books appeal to the touch and
people feel that they “interact with the book”

INTRO PARAGRAPH

In today’s society, it is undeniable that technology has caused many

items to become obsolete. Even books that have been used perennially,
has been studied 8 min in average daily from a study done by American
Time use Survey from the labour of Statistics. In this essay, books shall
encompass all kinds of books from fiction to non-fiction and modern
society shall be considered from early 21st century where internet had
gained popularity and ebooks gained traction in the book market.
Furthermore, thanks to demographic shifts, the young have been more
proactive to adopting technology than the old. Technology has
redesigned books in the form ebooks through kindle and apps and
transformed the way we used to get information to such a degree that
we cannot help but wonder will books also become outdated with the
relentless march of technology in today’s modern society. Contrary to
popular opinion, I believe that books will lose its relevance due to
ebooks’ portability, convenience and change of how people obtain
information today from volumes of books to nuggets of information from
youtube videos, tweets and audio books which has increasingly become
the preferred mode of obtaining information today.