"Listening Is The New Reading?"

Canada
January 26, 2018 12:45pm CST
OK, this commercial for Audible is driving me NUTS!!!!! What gets me is their slogan. I don't care what they say, but listening is NOT the new reading! While audio books definitely have their place (nice for the blind, good to listen to while cruising in your car, nice to listen to while you're cooking dinner) listening to a story does not replace knowing how to read it. By "read" I mean visually, or with braille, if necessary. I'm not being hard on blind people who can not read a screen, and maybe have to listen. My point is that regardless of language, i think it is important that we know how letters fit together and form words. We need to understand how to spell and pronounce written words in our own language, and maybe even a few other languages. I'm sitting here typing at 120 words per minute on my laptop. I think my spelling is pretty accurate, and if I miss now and then, call it a typo. I can not see the screen all that well, but I've been typing for 25 years, and think I'm doing pretty dang well. So, where do you stand on this? Is listening the new reading, or is there still value in being able to put the letters together and read and spell?
4 people like this
6 responses
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
26 Jan 18
I agree with you and I think the root of audio books is laziness. It's hard work turning pages and moving eyes.
3 people like this
• Canada
30 Jan 18
I have to respectfully disagree with you, there. The root of audio books is to make the lives of the blind easier. However, when the sighted world caught on to them, they turned into a tool for laziness. They are good when used responsibly (imagine you're sitting in Toronto traffic during rush hour and know it'll be an hour wait., or you're on a long highway drive and want something entertaining to listen to when you must keep your eyes on the road, or even something to listen to while making dinner!). I think audio books are more educational than vegging infront of the TV all day, but they should not replace learning how to form actual W O R D S. When used improperly, they could contribute to the rise of illiteracy.
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (45223)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
27 Jan 18
2 people like this
@akalinus (40322)
• United States
26 Jan 18
Reading and listening are different. I think the slogan was written by someone who does not understand the value of reading and books.
2 people like this
• Canada
30 Jan 18
Precisely my point!!!!
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45223)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
27 Jan 18
I'm with you all the way. When reading, if something doesn't quite make sense, you can always go back over it. I think listening to someone else read is a good way to fall asleep.
1 person likes this
• Canada
30 Jan 18
For me it totally depends on the voice. What if I buy the audio book and the narrator has an awful voice? There are a few people I'd gladly listen to, if they'd read me a book, but not everyone has the voice for it.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45223)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
30 Jan 18
@danishcanadian That's for sure.
@HazySue (39269)
• Gouverneur, New York
27 Jan 18
I guess I am old fashioned. I still like to hold a book in my hand and read it. As a former teacher I believe that there is still value in being able to read, spell, and write.
1 person likes this
• Canada
30 Jan 18
Exactly! I never really objected to eBooks because we're still reading and learning how to spell. Audiobooks, however, take that away. How are we going to learn how to read if we're not actually reading?
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39269)
• Gouverneur, New York
2 Feb 18
@danishcanadian that is exactly how I feel. The kids of today are becoming very poor readers because the art of reading seems to be taken away from them.
@Meramar (2695)
28 Jan 18
There are some situations we may use the audio books instead of reading. But, as you well said, listening is not reading and we should not forget to read books. Meanwhile we listen to some (audio)book, many information or ideas may get lost on the way.
1 person likes this
• Canada
30 Jan 18
Exactly!
1 person likes this
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
26 Jan 18
I think that it doesn't really matter how someone gets their literature, as long as they are getting it. The same debate could be had for ebooks vs regular books.
1 person likes this
• Canada
30 Jan 18
With eBooks you are still reading words. The difference is pages versus screens, and that's totally different, but I think I see your point. Pages bound by cardboard aren't what makes a book You also have a point that it would be more educational to listen to Hemmingway, for example, than to watch or listen to a soap opera. At least the message is getting through.