Previous Hater Friday articles have brought attention to the fact that our generation just doesn't read a whole lot. And it's true. Whether this crops up as poor reading comprehension, general disdain for the hobby or an aversion all together, it is becoming more and more prevalent in our society. But I want to talk about how this is showing up in the way people treat their books. As someone who has loved reading for the majority of their life, I would say I am very connected to the reader community and hold a lot of respect for books and authors. That being said, when I see a dog-eared page, cracked spine or a ripped corner, I feel the book's pain.
What I mean here is that I feel secondhand heartbreak, as if I were the author watching my work of art being damaged. Some would say I'm overreacting; some would say I have a problem. And yes, maybe I should not have screamed when my brother broke a book spine. But I just can't stand by and watch art like books get hurt. Because literature is art.
It is also probably important to mention that I grew up on library books, therefore, I grew up being taught to treat books with respect because they were important and meant to be shared. To dog-ear or crack a book that others will use is a crime and the same applies for taking it outside and getting water or debris all over it. I know there is the argument out there that it makes the book look more worn and loved, but there are other ways to see this like a weathered cover, thinning pages or fingerprint marks from countless patrons. Pages do not need to be hanging on by a thread for us to think a book has been loved.
We all have a book that means something special to us, maybe because it was nostalgic or the message or characters really spoke to us. I am sure you feel especially connected to that book and would not want to see it mistreated. Any book could be someone's favorite book and its completion symbolizes something special for its author.
If books are mistreated, I feel that the story is not being respected and the blood and sweat that the author put into their work is not being seen. People will rip pages, spill water without a care, throw them around or bend the book back on itself. This is not something we would do to a painting and I think books should be viewed the same way. Books have lost a lot of value in modern society, they are vessels for knowledge and they can change someone's life. Some dedicate their life to the art of bookbinding, publishing or writing books, so it makes sense to treat books with the respect they deserve. And sure, sometimes there is not a bookmark around, but use a receipt or a napkin — don't dog-ear it!
The moral of this article is if you dog-ear a book, break a page or snap a spine you will break a reader — or even an author's — heart. Remember to respect books — they are powerful and vital to our society and should be treated as such.
Ayla Kruse Lawson is a sophomore in the College of Human Ecology. She can be reached at akruselawson@cornellsun.com.
