The Queen's Chair: A World Without Newspapers
I can't imagine a world without them. However, it's slowly happening. Newspapers and magazines closed its doors this years. Thousands of writers lost jobs. Some still don't know what to do. Others are headed to the world of the Internet. Our attention span and intellect is shrinking, America.
It almost seems like no one is reading anymore. These days, we turn to the Internet, websites, and TV for information. If a piece is longer than three minutes, we lose interest. The Sunday paper isn't required reading anymore and don't get me started about the Nook, the IPad, the Kindle, and these new electronic devices. I need to hold a newspaper, magazine, or book. Those gadgets are fine if you're traveling, but to read in your own home? Forget about it.
The other day, my teenager asked me how to spell a word. Rather than being her dictionary, I told her to get it and look the word up. Her reply? She didn't have time to look it up in the dictionary...I would be faster. I couldn't believe my ears. So I asked her what would she do without a computer spell check if the power went out. She said she'd google it. She obviously didn't get it.
I know my kids don't read the comics as I did as a child. My Sunday mornings always began with Blondie, The Wizard of ID, Bloom County, Broom Hilda, and Prince Valiant. Couldn't imagine that. Sunday comics were my "baby steps" into the world of journalism, news, and current events. Sitting in his chair, my dad took the "news" part of the paper. We, kids, got the rest of the paper: comics, TV Guide, and sales fliers which eventually went to my mother.
I like to read. I like cuddling up with a book and I enjoy reading a well-written article. There's just something special about dog-earring a book. Or having an author sign your book. I don't know about you, but I don't want to live in a world without newspapers. Frankly, not everyone owns a computer or is computer literate. Why do people forget that?
It almost seems like no one is reading anymore. These days, we turn to the Internet, websites, and TV for information. If a piece is longer than three minutes, we lose interest. The Sunday paper isn't required reading anymore and don't get me started about the Nook, the IPad, the Kindle, and these new electronic devices. I need to hold a newspaper, magazine, or book. Those gadgets are fine if you're traveling, but to read in your own home? Forget about it.
The other day, my teenager asked me how to spell a word. Rather than being her dictionary, I told her to get it and look the word up. Her reply? She didn't have time to look it up in the dictionary...I would be faster. I couldn't believe my ears. So I asked her what would she do without a computer spell check if the power went out. She said she'd google it. She obviously didn't get it.
I know my kids don't read the comics as I did as a child. My Sunday mornings always began with Blondie, The Wizard of ID, Bloom County, Broom Hilda, and Prince Valiant. Couldn't imagine that. Sunday comics were my "baby steps" into the world of journalism, news, and current events. Sitting in his chair, my dad took the "news" part of the paper. We, kids, got the rest of the paper: comics, TV Guide, and sales fliers which eventually went to my mother.
I like to read. I like cuddling up with a book and I enjoy reading a well-written article. There's just something special about dog-earring a book. Or having an author sign your book. I don't know about you, but I don't want to live in a world without newspapers. Frankly, not everyone owns a computer or is computer literate. Why do people forget that?
I feel your pain on this one, but we are in the age of tech. I love reading papers and books as I like the feel of cuddling up with my little one to read to him or to read for myself, but I also am abreast of the new age tech as it would be unwise not to be.
I know you've heard of the "Red Queen Theory" and in this age its either you change with tech or you fold up and close your doors like the newspapers and magazines that you mentioned did. In 2011, I would hope people would have an affordable computer or at least go to the local library to use one. There is no excuse to be stuck in time, because time waits for no one.