This is not the 19th century. Books have no place as a leisure medium any longer. Some basic mathematics:
Books = words(1)
Television = words, visuals and sound(3)
television is at least three times more entertaining and that is without even factoring in that with television you rarely have to read anything, which has always been one of the main drawbacks of books. The only reason that novels have survived as well as they have in the wake of television is egotism. This can be seen in the recent soulstrut thread where various cowards reveal their intention to refrain from watching television.
Now, some may say that i’m being too cynical, that perhaps they simply do not enjoy television. Yes, perhaps, but why do they feel compelled to announce it to the world? I am sure that even they, as arrogant as they are, cannot believe there is any great interest in how they spend their three hours a day away from soulstrut. No, The reason they renounce television so conspicuously is that television is a mass market medium, it is associated with the majority. To announce your rejection of television is therfore to announce that you are distinct from the majority, superior, which is the whole point of doing it.
Further credence to this analysis can be added by taking a gander at the various books they claim to to be reading in lieu of television, books which id suspect were purchased to be placed prominently on a coffee table rather than enjoyed. Just take in the titles ‘Jesus son'(gay), ‘Rule of the bone'(real gay), ‘The god delusion'(gayly blasphemous), ‘the razor’s edge'(philosophically bent), ‘Surely youre joking mr. feynman'(Not gay as I own it. Feynmans exploits in the war make for entertaining reading, as does his slap downs of the various garrolous say nothings he encounters. Still, the recommender’s claim that it ‘makes you wonder why you watch television’ is gayly false)
So we see yet another soulstrut thread that when deconstructed is entirely about fronting.