Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Books or Reading--Which is More Important?

I'm working on a science fiction short story that's got me frustrated. It's set in a future where the vast majority of people rely on a computer-brain interface and network to accomplish daily tasks, including reading. A few people who are unable to obtain the implant can read independently, and this skill is treated as something worth preserving. I'm trying to decide how (or if) to recruit more people to carry on this skill. If they do, is it more important for them to decipher words on their own, or is it the fact that they're taking in stories through words (when most stories are told in visual media) that is worth preserving? I'd appreciate your thoughts on this matter.

1 comment:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I think both are equally important. When everyone else is relying on the computer to be their brain, those people are actually using theirs.
There was a story in the IWSG's Parallels that had a similar idea. Reading on one's own just freaked people out.

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