Print Is(n’t) Dead

Leaders who ask me to “think outside the box” annoy me. They’re using a 15+ year old phrase to inspire me to rethink a situation or problem, proving they’re already thinking old and stale – or more accurately, they’re not thinking.

It’s no different with the current crest of the “print is dead” morons. There seems to be another surge in analysts re-predicting the death of the book (which must be news to J.K. Rowling, or anyone creating manga these days) or magazines (which are almost all profitable because of their small staff and reliance on freelancers). These predictions feed into the infantile American demand for the future to arrive today, which seems mysteriously close to Scripture’s warning against “itching ears” (II Timothy 4:3).

Yes, newspapers are experiencing serious problems, as the news meme has largely leapt to the internet and air waves (and books may someday follow in some form), but print is a 500 year old non-story that still functions perfectly today. Analysts hate reliable non-stories. They’re paid for promoting fear ($5 a gallon by the end of the year, anyone?) or profundity. Most continue to do the former while latching on to a convenient later that doesn’t hold up to much scrutiny but justifies their TV time.

Simple Facts
In reality, studies continue to prove reading on a screen inhibits deep thinking. Most schools are still struggling to show the positive effects technology is having in the classroom. Strangely, you don’t hear many analysts declaring new technology isn’t as effective as old technology. It’s un-American. It goes against our sense of progress.

That doesn’t change the fact that deep thinking and serious emotional responses require reading on paper. Chasing celebrity news and giving shout outs on Facebook and MySpace doesn’t. Wouldn’t it be sad if the major benefits of the internet consisted of multi-faceted human communication and entertainment?

Whether we write analysis, fiction, biography, or academic papers, we should infuse it with imagination, a constant reevaluation of our world today, and a Christian worldview. In other words, let’s make our writing worth reading on paper.