With so much technology encroaching upon our everyday lives, it can be worth asking if it really improves our experience.

What we frequently fail to notice when we're so caught up in using language like 'my phone' or 'your phone', is that all technology is essentially the exact same. Possibly we all have that friend whose phone screen remains in especially bad condition, but apart from that, it's likely that everyone's tech is thin, monochromatic, and shows no sign of love from its user. As anybody who has actually ever bought a used book from someone like the co-founder of the impact investor with a stake in World of Books will know, that is among the appeals of physical books. Every book is completely unique and bears its history upon its cover and pages, which certainly isn't the case for monochrome ereaders.

There are some things that simply can not be replicated in the digital world. After a couple of years of being stuck inside our houses not able to hang out, we would all probably agree that socializing with our good friends is absolutely one of them (may we never ever have to sit another virtual quiz for as long as we shall live). Another, is the pleasure of shopping. Things like digital books have actually attempted to draw a line under regular shopping for those amazing new books, people simply striking download then viewing it drop down into your virtual library. Nevertheless, it has no where near the exact same amount of charm as visiting your regional bookshop and wandering around the racks, before heading home with your purchase clasped in your hands. Even when purchasing books through online retailers such as that backed by the CEO of the asset manager with a stake in Amazon books you can still excitedly wait for the delivery, tearing open the package to get your hands on what's inside. With ereaders, you lose all these very physical happiness.

There have been numerous disruptive technologies over the last number of decades, that we often do not stop to ask if they are really better or even worse than the things that they are switching out. Obviously, there are plenty of examples that we might go into, from cryptocurrencies and NFTs to the metaverse that may seem like science-fiction, but there are some locations where the innovative technology that is expected to completely replace the initial has been proven to fall short of its ancient equivalent. One such location is reading books online. Although eBooks, upon their release, were considered the inescapable end to print, print books, now approaching two thousand years of age, are still quite in vogue, and people like the founder of the hedge fund that owns Waterstones plainly are not afraid that that will alter any time soon.