Books Vs. Television

Discussion in Books, eBooks & Audio Books started by sunnyside • Apr 21, 2016.

  1. sunnyside

    sunnysideActive Member

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    When it comes to reading books, would you say that you spend more time doing so than watching television? If there is a movie which is also in book form, would you enjoy reading the story more than watching the actual story played out on television?

    I think that television has lessened the amount of reading done by most people these days. I myself used to do a lot more reading before. However, there may still be some who prefer to curl up with a book which they may find more entertaining than watching a television show.

    What is your take on this? Do you like both books and television alike, or do you tend to gravitate towards one more than the other?
     
  2. DiscountDreams

    DiscountDreamsActive Member

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    I prefer books and don't watch tv. Books give to you while a lot of times tv takes from you. I prefer nonfiction books that are eye opening or systematic, but I still like fiction now and again.
     
  3. Jitters

    JittersNew Member

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    I used to read more books than watch TV.
    But now Netflix has beaten them both as it is just so convenient and cheap.
     
  4. kokimboka

    kokimbokaMember

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    Am a reader and would go for a book anytime. I prefer reading a good book than watching a movie,am not really a TV person. I spend most of my time reading or listening to music. My hubby thinks am a nerd because he is too much into TV and would rather sit and watch TV the whole day than read a book. He hates reading.
     
  5. TheKnight

    TheKnightActive Member

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    I read more than watch television because I rarely watch television now. I feel like the situations to read books arise more frequently in my life than watching television does. When I'm out, I tend to visit the library and read a few books so that I can rest a while in an air-conditioned place. Most of the shows I used to watch on television do not air anymore either.
     
  6. Nakitakona

    NakitakonaActive Member

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    Not all books written are shown on the TV and not all TV shows/movies/documentaries are written on the book. So it is impractical to compare the books and the TV. They may supplement each other but not all. But I would love watching a TV series based on what is written on the book. I want to appreciate it in a life-like situation.
     
  7. Vinaya

    VinayaActive Member

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    TV and books, both are good source of information, knowledge and entertainment. However, TV being an audio visual media, has an advantage over books. You have to read at least 10 hours to complete a novel, on the other hand you can watch the movie based on the novel in less than 3 hours.
     
  8. FolkArtist

    FolkArtistActive Member

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    I watch a little TV today and there are a lot of ways to watch today with the streaming movie services out there- and a lot of them are free. I also like books a lot as well-and I like spending time and ordering a lot of art books online with Amazon-making things easy. There are some really good deals on used books today on Amazon-but also there are some good foreign and indie movies on these streaming services as well.
     
  9. Merissa

    MerissaNew Member

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    @sunnyside@sunnyside Personally, I enjoy both reading the book of a series or movie and watching the televised production. The two gives me different experiences when I participate in them. With a book, it is more descriptive to me and the characters of the book are portrayed more on a deeper level whether it would be in their personalities or their emotions. The book also displays things that would not be in the movie or series version of it, so it's a bit extra. The televised part satisfies the visual aspects of the book for me and basically fulfills my fantasies on how the characters look and what the writer has in their mind when writing the book. Though I am not going to lie sometimes the book version is much better than the TV version but I normally enjoy both.
     
  10. kaka135

    kaka135Active Member

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    I agree that reading a book will take longer time as compared to watching the movie, as I might not be able to finish reading the book within 2 hours. I still prefer to read the book if possible. I found that the book usually gives more information and also provides me more space for imagination.
     
  11. arachnophobik

    arachnophobikMember

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    I think I'd rather watch television, but I do agree that a lot of good stories come from books. Books are entertaining until you find out that the story isn't, then you'll realize that you've spent a lot of time reading a boring book as compared to seeing around 30 minutes of a television show/movie and you already know if it's boring. Both have their perks and cons, but I prefer television more for its visual aspect.
     
  12. kamai

    kamaiActive Member

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    Well in my case it would be both reading and watching online. I don't watch TV as much as I used to now that I can find my old favorite shows online. Instead of books I read blogs or am in forums online. It's been a while since I have owned a TV or a book so my only choice now is the internet.
     
  13. NinetyEighty1

    NinetyEighty1Active Member

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    I usually prefer television over the books due to the whole visual aspect. Though, sometimes depending on how it is done and if the book has more exciting aspects, I might just pick the book especially if it is a comic book.
     
  14. nangk08

    nangk08Active Member

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    I prefer books more than the TV, however, there are days when I like to watch television when there is a favorite movie being shown or some series that I like. I also like to read books after watching movies or series that are based on books. Sometimes, the books live up to the expectations and sometimes you feel that the movie was better. In any case, however, your visual expectations are satisfied to some extent when you watch them actually on the screen. For example, although Harry Potter movies were a sort of disaster as compared to the books, it was quite a pleasure watching the Hogwarts castle on the screen. So there are some books that you like better than movies or vice versa. But what you prefer more over the other will change from person to person.
     
  15. morgoodie

    morgoodieActive Member

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    I prefer to read rather than watch TV, but there are some things that I like to watch. I will sometimes read the book after I have seen the movie and I find the book is usually better than the movie. Books are so much more in depth and you can get a better feeling for the characters which is why I usually like them better. I also find reading books to be relaxing.
     
  16. harijobs

    harijobsActive Member

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    I like to read books rather than watch television. When I am reading a series I tend to imagine things in my own way and I live as some characters till I finish that book. Plus reading is also my hobby so I love to read books. I also love to watch television but only to some extent.
     
  17. Ani_m

    Ani_mMember

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    Honestly, I find myself watching less tv over the years. I rather read a book, it’s more exciting and more relaxing to spend my time. But spare rime is tricky sometimes, we can’t always use it for everything we want to do. But if I had to choose where to spend my time it would be with a good book.
     
  18. Kimika

    KimikaActive Member

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    I can't tell if I am spending a lot of time watching TV than reading books but I do love doing both. there are times that even if my favorite show is on, I do not watch it and prefer reading books instead or surfing the internet to look for stuff to read. I usually watch TV before going to bed and start reading a book before going to sleep.
     
  19. Jasmin Cottontail

    Jasmin CottontailActive Member

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    I don't watch the television anymore since I don't have the time to. And even if I do, I'm not that interested in watching TV anymore. I spend most of my days working and during my spare time, I either stream online or read blogs and articles. Watching and reading is both fun for me and I love doing them both depending on my mood.
     
  20. janemariesayed

    janemariesayedActive Member

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    @sunnyside@sunnyside Many years ago, before the days of television, people would sit down to read a good book in the evenings. Nowadays though, people sit down to watch television in the evenings and don't read so much anymore. I think more people would read before going to sleep or if they were sitting on a deck chair by the beach.
     
    #20Jul 21, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 24, 2017