Books or the internet?

[ladyofastolat]

skordh's heroic endeavours have reminded me of a recent semi-drunken debate Pellinor and I had - viz. what would we rather give up for life: books or the internet.


1. In both cases, books/internet access essential to work or study are allowed, up to a reasonable limit. You are not allowed to cheat by opting to give up books, then getting a job as an editor at a publisher that specialises in your favourite genre. (As a librarian, I would probably have to give up my job if I opted for the book ban.) You are also not allowed to embark on a constant stream of voluntary study merely in order to circumvent the ban.

2. "The Internet" includes email. You will not be allowed do anything at all that involves your computer - or any computer that you are using - connecting to the outside world. This also includes online gaming. I'll allow you LAN gaming, though. See how kind I am!

3. "Books" include physical, printed books. I will be harsh and also make you give up newspapers and magazines - pretty much any example of the printed, written word that runs to more than a few pages. (I wouldn't want to deprive you of the pleasure of reading junk mail, you see.) However, you are allowed to read newspapers online, or read the full text of any novel that happens to have found its way online, whether legally or illegally.

EDIT: Okay, if it makes it easier, what about limiting the question to a choice between giving up books for six months, or giving up the internet for six months. That might make it less traumatic.

[Poll #863274]

Feel free to add your reasonings in comments.

Comments

[intertext.livejournal.com]

It's a totally impossible choice and I would rather not make it, but I voted for books (to give up) simply because I do really love the internet, and it seemed like a good compromise, because more and more books will be ON the internet and in my day to day life I probably use it more than I do books. But giving up books is like giving up my dogs or my friends... Urgh. But I wouldn't want to give up the internet either. Double urgh.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

That was broadly my reasoning, too. Every year, more and more books are online, so I reckoned that by choosing the internet, I could have my cake and eat it.