An Opinion Essay: Will People Buy Printed Reading Material In the Future?

In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Although online reading is becoming dominant, printed materials will continue to attract readers due to their cultural, collectible, and practical value.

It is true that reading online is slowly replacing physical reading, and it’s sure to become an even more popular practice in the future. This trend is driven by several factors, not only because it’s often free of charge.

For starters, convenience. Compared to carrying a smartphone - which fits easily in a pocket - or tablets, which are already commonplace, physical books are both inconvenient and cumbersome.

In addition, reading online also helps the reader interpret the text better using different tools. For example, built-in web search and online dictionaries can aid the reader when they come across words or examples they’re unfamiliar with, helping them form a more balanced understanding.

However, despite the advantages of online reading, there are always going to be people who still prefer the more traditional method of buying physical material.

A group of people that will prefer hardcovers and paperbacks over digital books are the collectors. For them, certain physical copies with unique features (like a special finish or limited edition) hold inherent value, which digital versions cannot replicate. This means they’re still going to buy physical copies even if that practice has fallen out of fashion.

Furthermore, there will always be people who don’t embrace the change, which I believe are divided into two groups. Firstly, people of an older generation, who are likely to have difficulty when using electronic devices. Secondly, younger people who don’t see the need of transitioning to online reading. The latter of which aren’t necessarily unable to use smart devices, but really don’t need dictionaries or web browsers to accompany their reading journey.

In conclusion, although online reading will undeniably become an even more popular phenomenon in the future, there will always be people who buy printed newspapers and books.