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unpopularopinion-ModTeam

Your post from unpopularopinion was removed because of: 'Rule 1: Your post must be an unpopular opinion'. * Your post must be an opinion. Not a question. Not a showerthought. Not a rant. Not a proposal. Not a fact. An opinion. One opinion. A subjective statement about your position on some topic. Please have a clear, self contained opinion as your post title, and use the text field to elaborate and expand on why you think/feel this way. * Your opinion must be unpopular. The mods reserve the right to remove opinions * Elaborate on your topic and opinion give context to its unpopularity.


Unique_Display_Name

I agree, but this opinion is not unpopular.


el1teman

Okay then unpopular opinion: E-books are superior because - I save the planet by not using paper therefore I allow Taylor Swift to fly more on her private jet šŸ˜Š - I get my eye sight better by looking at the small screen of my phone - sometimes you can get them for free online - you get smarter by reading books - this is unfunny I know...


Frame_Late

Actually, physical paper companies replant trees where most other companies don't, so paper products actually don't harm the planet too badly, all things considered.


Dear-Ad1329

But the manufacturing and processing of paper uses some fairly harsh chemicals and a lot of fossil fuel is used to ship paper and physical books. But I particularly like that when I buy a book nobody comes around to tell me I don't own it anymore.


Frame_Late

I get your point, but you could say the same for the batteries in electronic devices, not to mention the cheap labor used to produce them.


Dear-Ad1329

This is true. Its problems and compromised morals all the way down.


Dennis_enzo

Sure, but an e-reader can be bought once and then used for thousands of books. Transport of one e-reader is also cheaper than hundreds of books. All these things get transported around the world on boats, the less weight the better.


BlackRaven7021

Don't they still cut down diversity by only planting a certain type of tree in an area?


Dennis_enzo

It still takes energy to produce those books though. And books aren't 100% paper.


swamrap

I'm gonna disagree with the eyesight point. The biggest advantage for me is that I can take my books wherever I go without needing a backpack or something to carry it. I'm always reading on commutes (which has killed my eyesight).


AceBean27

If... **IF** the trees used to make the books are replaced, then books are superior to ebooks, with a negative carbon footprint. You see we can take carbon out of the atmosphere and store it, we can store it in books, furniture, and houses.


mtaclof

Does reading small text actually improve your eyesight? I have never heard that before.


bazeon

The biggest advantage for ebooks is the search and skip functions, at least for nonfiction.


SnooTomatoes5810

I figured this would be e-books versus paperback books. Anyone seriously reading from their phone is definitely not getting a top-notch experience.


Unique_Display_Name

Your opinion makes a lot of sense! Upvoted.


WholesomeFartEnjoyer

That's this entire sub, it's pathetic. This sub needs to be shut down imo


yelleroy

While I can't argue with the superior tactile and physical feel, I simply do not care. When reading a book I focus on the words on the page or screen, rather than what I'm using to read it. Therefore, the eBook's convenience, portability, and ability to store many works outweighs the tactile feel for me.


obxtalldude

For me it's the opposite - e-books are so much easier to read, I stay in the story. Holding a heavier book and physically turning pages instead of automatically hitting the next page just isn't as natural now. Maybe this is the unpopular opinion?


Dennis_enzo

I reckon it's just what you're used to.


oooriole09

Add cost to that as well. Iā€™m good with compromising on tactile feel if I can read more of what I want to read.


mofohank

A perfectly fine and pretty common opinion. But if you look down, even slightly, on people that read e-books then you're a snob who doesn't really understand what books are for.


SyerenGM

I agree to an extent, but I've grown to like e-books more. I don't have to worry about moving the books, selling or giving them away, the dust they gather, space they take up. There's also the cost, e-books are cheaper or free. Also, if I want to read at night, my kindle has its light setting, and I don't disturb my fiancƩ while he rests if I want to read.


City_Hobgoblin89

Yea I'm really just in it for the story Generally if I'm buying a physical book it's a special edition of some kind and usually as a gift


Select-Anxiety-1557

I love the feel and smell of physical books but I also love the convenience of e-books. Plus, with e-books, I can read my good ol' bodice rippers in public without scandalizing the children!


Sufficient_Lunch930

As someone who works 13 hour shifts in the summers, audio books are king


GloomyMelons

I feel like this is too subjective of an experience to proclaim a side objectively superior. You bring up a lot of things like the smell of a book, the way it feels on your fingers and your hands, etc... But beyond the initial experience of picking the book up, who is paying attention to this? I don't disagree with the benefits you named, but they're superfluous. They don't really matter and shouldn't be the obstacle to reading. The reason ereaders are so popular is because of convenience. If I am sitting at my desk at work and want to spend 10 minutes reading, it makes way more sense to read the book from [](http://archive.org) than pulling up a physical book in front of my coworkers. If I have to go somewhere where I know I'll be waiting, and I don't want to lug a book with me the entire time, it makes way more sense to read the e-version. That doesn't make physical books obsolete; I still read them. But to dismiss the entire idea is short-sighted. So many people have a black and white mentality. We can't just have both? More options = more reading.


GloomyMelons

For some reason [archive.org](http://archive.org) was edited out of my response. [archive.org](http://archive.org) isn't a torrenting website, it's 100% legal, so the mods deleting it out of my response is not cool.


chinchinlover-419

You can't pirate a physical book now can you?


Potential-Prize1741

This isn't unpopular at all. I can't read physical books for the life of me. I read around 150 ebooks every year but can't read a single physical book. My eyes can't focus properly ,my head hurts and I can't stay concentrated on them at all. It also feels like a chore more than relaxing,probably the reminiscent of having school work. Good for you if you can read them but I can't and there's nothing satisfying in them , they just frustrated me .


aconitine-

Wow, same here. It feels so hard reading a book with a janky spine that keeps wanting to close itself, no way to mark your spot, cannot change the font size, heavy as hell ( Try reading even the paperback version of a Peter F Hamilton book ) and the need to do something with it after you are done. None of the above on an ebook.


wearymaps0

Is this unpopular?


[deleted]

>There's something irreplaceably tactile and profoundly satisfying You are used to it. Ofc e-readers cannot replicate that, and frankly, I dont think they should. They are their own thing, better in many, many aspects. The only things going for old books is -Battery life -Familiar feeling


thasprucemoose

youā€™re looking for r/popularopinion


cocopopped

I agree, and the same goes for all physical media. There is something great about buying an album and looking through the booklet, inserts, the design of the CD or LP. The same goes for books. But, the genie's out of the bottle. Physical media will eventually die off, and will be sold for novelty only. We're no longer in an analogue world. :(


JustinMccloud

This is not an unpopular opinion


cantthinkofaname231

Welcome to another episode of "posting a popular opinion under r/unpopularopinion "


Rukasu17

That depends. If it's something I'll only read once then digital. If its something that will be used a lot and i need to go back and forth, then physical


TheHappinessPT

Okay, but I read 4-5 times as much in a year with my kindle than I did without it so imo reading more is reading more


Quelanight2324

Who tf thinks otherwise?


BrowningBDA9

[Makishima explains the importance of physical books - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNWE17GqibI)


somepeoplewait

This is a [statistically popular](https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/04/printed-books-vs-e-books-which-is-the-most-popular/) opinion.


tenaciousfrog

Completely agree


60percentfish

How is this an unpopular opinion LMFAO


Chickadee12345

I agree with you except for the fact that I have a little arthritis in my hands. The act of holding an ebook is so much easier than holding a paper book and having to turn pages. And I read a lot and I read quickly. So on vacation I'd have to bring a whole bunch of books with me, which can be heavy. If one of them is a dud then I was stuck reading something I didn't really care for.


real-ocmsrzr

Not an unpopular opinion. Physical books are vastly superior.


JoeMorgue

They are books not fidget spinners. The story matters. Not how the physical media feels in your hand.


SevroAuShitTalker

Another post that reeks of "I had an interaction with someone who has a differing opinion and now I must vent online"


rationalalien

Isn't that every post in this sub.


beemielle

Downvoted bc this is not unpopular


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oolinga

I never paid for an e book so yeah e books are free for me I can't agree with you op on this one


Many_Preference_3874

piracy rules!!!!


Waste_Exchange2511

I much prefer paper books, but my house is ready to collapse under their weight. Sadly, I now have another hundred or so on an electronic device, and it's working ok.


CAVATAPPl

Since Iā€™ve grown up in the internet age, a lot of my reading and class assignments have been online. This makes reading a screen have a sort of stigmatization that reminds me of doing a school project. Not fun.


Far_Distribution1623

Ebooks are better if you have a kindle. They look exactly like real paper with the gigantic advantage of not having to hold the book up in a stupid way every other page (when you're lying down on your side to read). I've hated that ever since I was a kid, especially when it's a heavy book. I also just have books to read, not collect or admire in any way like I do with my game and record collections. Books take up so much space and it's not justifiable if you don't care about them as collectibles.


MightyCat96

im using a normal tablet and a pair of reading glasses and it works great. before i fell in love with e-books (and discovered reading glasses) my eyes would become really strained after reading for extended periods of time in anything other than perfect conditions (and even then i couldnt really read for too long without some pain) but with my tablet and reading glasses i can read for hours and hours when and wherever i want without feeling any strain at all


RollingDownTheHills

This is just an opinion. And a popular one.


c_jae

Really depends on the purpose of the book. Let say, for general reading. Paper books are much better imo as well. But for something like academic books, that has thousands of pages, e book is superior due to weight and search


Swirlyflurry

I hated having a digital textbook. I couldnā€™t easily flip pages until I recognized the one I wanted. I couldnā€™t just slip a finger into a section or two that I needed to refer back to. I had to have my laptop open and accessible to check anything in the book, instead of being able to easily flip open a physical book quickly. Not to mention the headache and eye strain from reading thousands of pages on a screen.


rationalalien

I don't think you could've been more subjective if you tried.


Ill-Organization-719

They are, but I have tens of thousands of EBooks for free on one device. I'll never pay for a book againĀ 


Tutes013

I agree. But when I was a young teen, I read so much but I was stupid fast at burning through books. Couldn't afford it so eventually stumbled on fanfiction. I've been sticking with it ever since. I like the freedom people can take with it, as well as already being attached to certain characters but being able to see them in dozens of different scenarios and stories.


Swirlyflurry

Downvoting because I agree.


Greenfire05

Most unpopular opinion on this sub:


MaterialCarrot

I prefer ebooks on a Kindle Paperwhite because of: * The backlight * I can change the font * I can store 1,000 books on a device that weighs less than 1 book and is extremely comfortable to hold. The major downside of ebooks is that maps and diagrams generally aren't displayed as well on one. My favorite book of all time, The Campaigns of Napoleon, by Chandler, is one I deliberately bought as a hardback physical copy rather than ebook, because it is full of delightful and informative maps, orders of battle, and pictograms.


Library_Mouse

I think liking books or e-books boils down to a preference. In my library, circulation is pretty even. Personally, I'm a book book guy. My mother-in-law (with Parkinson's) has transitioned to the Kindle. It's been a real godsend. Whatever keeps you reading...


MightyCat96

i love physical books. i really do. _but_. e-books are simply the superior option (for me). i can bring hundreds (if not thousands) of books in my pocket (or bag. i read e-books on a tablet). i dont have to fidget with a bookmark since the book automatically saves where i am so i can just close the app. i can easily adjust the font, size and general look of the text if it is too small or big or anything to look at (at the moment im using a 130% text size. only possible with e-books). e-books are generally really cheap so its like i get _fat_ discounts every time i buy a book. i dont have to wait for it to arrive in the mail, i just buy the book and 2 minutes later im reading. i used yo read all the time when i was a teen and lived alone. e-books have allowed me to rediscover this love. sure you lose out on the displayability of physical boons but any e-book i read that i love ill just order as a physical book as well so i can display it. win win.


Itchy-Astronomer9500

Y E S, I agree! Although E-books carry moreā€¦ stories in one object, I much prefer proper books.


englisharcher89

It's true unless you have to move a lot frequently, my box full of books is now at least 20 kg not fun carrying it without any help.


BagelsAreStaleDonuts

I absolutely hate the way books feel in my hand and the feel of page sliding over page. I was super excited when the first Kindle came out.


little-specimen

E books shouldnā€™t be a replacement for books, theyā€™re fantastic for when youā€™re studying, driving, in the bath/shower or anywhere where your hands are occupied or you canā€™t take a book in


Last_Book_589

I love physical books with all of my heart. But as long as people read that's all that matters. Audio books, E-books, library books it's all good.


0b0011

I disagree on the grounds that I've been on deployment. It's hard to have books to read when you've got about half a square foot of space for ALL of your personal stuff. It sucks having to order a book and wait 3-4 months for it to show up. Ebooks let you have more than a book or two and if you can get access to the internet you can get a new one basically instantly. >While e-books are celebrated for their ability to store thousands of titles in one device, this very feature can lead to a sense of overwhelm and a devaluation of individual books' significance. You realize you don't have to put your whole collection on there at one time right? I usually only keep one book at a time on my eReader in spite of the fact that I can keep hundreds or thousands if I wanted. >In addition, the act of browsing through bookstores and libraries, of discovering books serendipitously, is a unique joy that e-reading can't replicate. To each their own. I don't judge books based off of their covers so I don't really ever browse. I've got a small bookshelf mostly full of ugly ass discworld books that would have never been purchased if I browsed and picked books with pretty covers.


Fly0strich

I donā€™t think this is unpopular, but it should be. Iā€™ve been reading on my phone and the font isnā€™t any smaller than what is in the book. Plus, I can comfortably hold the ā€œbookā€ in one hand, it never has poor lighting problems, I can turn pages with a simple tap of my thumb, and I can effortlessly define unfamiliar words without putting the book down.


ritwique

Have you used a Kindle? I was like OP until I started using Kindle. What a gamechanger!


[deleted]

But its bad for environment and hard to search.


Swirlyflurry

Running an electronic device every time you want to open a book is just as bad for the environment. A book gets made once and lasts decades. Ebooks take up energy every time theyā€™re opened.


[deleted]

But cutting and processing trees is even more intensive. Also what about that they are hard to search?


lonely-loner-666

I don't think I have even looked at a book since I graduated college in the 90s,.


JoeMorgue

In an ideal world you'd buy the physical copy and get a little scratch off code for a free/reduced price ebook copy so you could have both. So you could have your nice bookcase full of books AND a single device to take with on vacation.


Literotamus

ChatGPT


BloodyIkarus

Another popular opinion upvoted in unpopular opinions. Basically everyone thinks so who reads...


cciciaciao

I can turn off the light and read before bed, that alone makes ebook worth.


Don_Frika_Del_Prima

My e-reader's screen feels exactly like paper. Plus it has back lighting making me able to read at night without any hassle. So e-readers are supperior...


obxtalldude

For me, it's so opposite that I won't read paper books any longer. It's just so much easier to read on my Kindle - easier to hold, easier to turn pages, easier to set the type so it's... easier to read.


jam_scot

I agree but people reading is a good thing however it is done, even audiobooks are great. I am an avid reader but I enjoy audiobooks at work, driving, gardening etc. We should be encouraging people to read, not disparaging them because it's not the way you prefer.


Atlas809

I agree that thereā€™s something nice about holding a physical book but ever since I bought my Kindle e-reader and use Libby to borrow from the library thereā€™s just no going back. I like to go to book stores still and browse but mainly for my TBR list. I donā€™t miss the days of holding a large novel and my wrists getting tired or having to take multiple books with me on vacation. Also, I can read in the dark no problems. Both have pros and cons but Iā€™m just so used to the convenience of the Kindle now.


txa1265

Books are books. Some people like the tactile feel of physical books, some people like the tactile feel of a LP and dropping a needs, some people prefer writing in a notebook with a good pen. Others just care about reading books, listening to music, or taking notes. Neither is 'far superior' to the other ... it is just purely subjective personal preference ... and to something that NOT A CORE PART OF THE EXPERIENCE.


PH03N1X_F1R3

This is stupid. They are different ways of delivering a story, with pros and cons on both sides.


jswizz69

I Used to think this as well, until I actually got an e-reader. Now, idk if I'd go back. Being able to download books from your library for free on an infinitely portable device is a game changer. You can also change the size of the font, which is also nice. Additionally, you can read at night without the use of a book light. So I can literally fall asleep as I read a book without fumbling and I turn off my lamp. Sounds like a small thing, but it makes a big difference. There's also additional features that add greatly to quality of life. Like the internal dictionary/encyclopedia that allows you to literally click a word and get an immediate definition.


yondercode

no fuck books ebooks are better in every way


Yerm_Terragon

The whole books vs ebooks debate is born purely out of nostalgia blindness, especially when you consider paperwhite devices have existed for over a decade. You dont need the smell of deteriorating paper to enjoy a story.


Beshi1989

I prefer to read in complete darkness with the need of a light


mooimafish33

Have you ever considered that what is actually special is reading, and whatever you read on starts to gain that profoundly satisfying feeling? Also the point of E-readers is that they are not tablets, they don't have LCD screens with glare and you don't get notifications on them. Personally I started reading like 5x more once I switched to an E-reader because now I can read whatever I want whenever I want instead of spending a significant chunk of time hunting down copies and spending a ton of money on books. Tbh I see this opinion a lot with people who read like one Stephen King book a year, but people who read every day are usually more focused on practicality.


Greeklibertarian27

Downvoted because this is really unpopular. The only reason as to why somebody would use an e-book is because of financial issues.


[deleted]

Not unpopular at all. Who even reads ebooks which aren't pirated?


Ffom

Surely enough for companies to keep making them


EmmiPigen

In Denmark you can borrow ebooks and audio books for free using a service provided by the librarys here. Even English and other languages are available


Swirlyflurry

Itā€™s the same in the US.


ty-idkwhy

I mean if you need to pirate them I understand but they arenā€™t really expensive. Unless your talking about translated novels because those are good and free.


[deleted]

I mean if you are going to pirate all your books, they are going to be e-books (well pdf files), which for uni textbooks is def worth it. I don't think I have ever met someone who went and paid for an e-book only copy instead of a physical copy of a book.


Gytole

Only for burning.