Do people read more since Internet exist?

Germany
May 23, 2010 10:09am CST
Some people like reading as a hobby, other persons read only for work and someone believes that reading is boring and a waste of time. But, in general, do you think people read more since Internet started?
2 people like this
9 responses
@karen1969 (1779)
24 May 10
I don't think the amount of time has changed, because I still love to read and I read about the same amount. I like reading in bed before I go to sleep. Reading books on the computer is much harder and I don't like it. I much prefer curling up with a book!
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
25 May 10
I used to have access to a printer, & I've printed out loads of stuff to read. Alas, now I have no printer...... But I still have books! And yes, it's very difficult to curl up with a computer--even a laptop. Like I HAVE one... Maggiepie "The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money." ~ Alexis de Tocqueville[/b]
1 person likes this
• Germany
3 Jun 10
Of course it is quite different to read a traditional paper book or an ebook, for example. I also prefer normal books, but maybe sometimes we find a special book only as such, as an ebook, and not as a traditional one in a normal store or library.
• Philippines
23 May 10
The internet has actually expanded my reading repertoire. Whereas before I had to go to the library or look to friends to borrow books, now I have them all right at my fingertips just by going online. These days I get my reading fix (fiction, nonfiction, technical papers) by just downloading them from the web. I've become more updated with current events, too, as I've made it a habit to browse news sites first thing I log on. So yes, I think the internet can help encourage people to read. Not the typical, bound library books, but (e)books nonetheless...
2 people like this
• United States
23 May 10
Very true!! Good and optimistic point!! I feel like a pessimist now! Haha.
1 person likes this
@maezee (41997)
• United States
30 May 10
They probably don't read more, but you never know. It depends on the person. For me, I haven't sat down and read a book in a long while..Not because I'm too preoccupied with the internet (I've had the internet in my life for over 10 years..) but because books don't seem to hold my attention much anymore. People still READ stuff when they go on the internet, though - blogs, news sites, consumer reviews, gossip sites, etc. Maybe people are reading LESS books but coming online and reading more.. of internet stuff. *shrugs*.
1 person likes this
• Germany
3 Jun 10
If a book cannot hold your attention any more, perhaps your interests changed so you may try another kind of books to read. Also, Internet makes people spending plenty of their time to search, to study, to work, to play games.... so maybe their are to busy to take a traditional book into their hands to read. Beside of that, sitting in front of the computer most part of a day makes you tired so sometimes there's no will any more to read still a book or even a newspaper afterwards.
@hagirl (1295)
• United States
30 May 10
I think people read more even though it may not be in the form of paper the internet still has to be read for you to take part in any action you take on a website.
1 person likes this
@hagirl (1295)
• United States
3 Jun 10
It is actually away to use reverse psychology on your kids that do not like to read but love the computer..... Let them do a report from the internet instead of from a book.... same information but you will find they have to still read to get the information...... There was a study done probably a year ago on Nurses and the statistics of passing boards.... Written vs computer..... They were finding that the percentages was higher for passing among the ones using computer vs written..... One thing I have noticed is if I am reading a paperback I can not sit as long with my head bent in that position before it starts to ache.... with internet you do not have to keep your head in a bent fashion therefore they can research longer
• Germany
3 Jun 10
That's absolutly right. It's impossible to use Internet without reading.
@maikeruk (405)
• Germany
24 May 10
i think that people have more general knowledge since the internet appear. is so easy to access to information this days that almost everyone can sound like a genious just looking in the correct place
1 person likes this
• Germany
24 May 10
That's right. Since internet exists, information is available for everyone and easy to manage. You can get more information in short time and so you may get more prepared for everything.
@cip116 (1011)
• Romania
2 Jun 10
For me internet is necessary.I quickly find information but I can not read novels on the internet. I think that charm is lost in the novel action
1 person likes this
• Germany
3 Jun 10
That's right. Hopefully, traditional books never will stop to be produced and published. Internet is usefull and interesting, but it also gave place to another kind of reading like articles, reports, and so on.
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
25 May 10
I can only tell you that I've always read voraciously, & still do. Maggiepie "The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money." ~ Alexis de Tocqueville[/b]
@chulce (1537)
• United States
23 May 10
I must admit I have mixed emotions about this one. In some aspects, I feel that with the introduction of the internet that more people are reading, but then again, some aren't some simply would rather take a look at a picture or two, play a game here and there and then move on from that aspect. But, there are those of us that do a lot of research, tend to read a lot that use the internet to our advantage and do tend to spend more time reading these days. I must admit that we do not have cable television in our home, we tend to read a lot more, if we want to find out any news, then we end up reading the online newspaper to see what is going on, or to check the weather. Then again, we also tend to listen to the radio a little more as well.
• Germany
24 May 10
Maybe we could consider several groups of internet users: those ones who really use internet for important things and therefor they read more than they did before. Then we find another group of persons who spend (or waste?) their time for non-important or less important things and change completly their character. I don't want to say that playing games and listening to the music is not important, of course it has got some importance, but not in that degree people give importance to it spending whole nights on a game! And this is only one of many examples. But even for playing a game you have to read the rules and, depending on the game, the comments of other players. So, do people read more since we use internet!?
@NeoTR4N (84)
• United States
24 May 10
Without the internet, I would probably never read as much as I do now. I spend much of my time on the internet reading articles about things.
• Germany
24 May 10
Yes, Internet changes live of almost everyone who has access to it indeed.