Change My View: Audiobook Listeners >= Physical/E-Book Readers

People who consume literature through audiobooks, at least on Reddit, seem to hold a consensus opinion that their experience/enjoyment/value is greater than or equal to that of people who consume literature through putting eyeballs to the written word. Personally, I disagree. I’d like to hear your thoughts and a civil discussion as to the merits of the topic.

Here’s my thoughts on the matter. For brevity, I will refer to the aforementioned two groups of people as “audies” and “bookies.” My thoughts boil down to active versus passive engagement. Bookies actively engage with books (e.g., setting aside dedicated and focused time to read, utilizing a multi-sensory input of eyeballs sweeping across the page while hearing the voice in their head adding a mental soundtrack, etc.). Audies passively engage with books. Without exception, every audie listens while commuting or multitasking (e.g., driving, dishes, vacuuming, at work, gym, etc.). Not a single audie I’ve interacted with claims to set aside dedicated, uninterrupted, complete focus on their listening experience in the same way a bookie does for a reading experience. I’d even go so far as to claim almost every audie listens ONLY when they are commuting or multi-tasking. This strikes me as no different than the days of old when people would have the TV blaring in the background, or the kids running up and down the halls of the house, or have the radio on at work or in the car. At best, I find that audies can recall the basic plot of a book they’ve listened to but they fail horribly at anything other surface-level discussion of a book and will frequently miss relevant details explaining plot points or characterization. Don’t get me wrong – audies can still have an enjoyable time – but there is no comparison between actively engaging with an experience versus passively.

by MeatyMenSlappingMeat