Reading On My Phone Vs. Reading a Physical Book- Discussion

I generally only buy books when I know I’m going to love them or I love the author. I’m very much so a library reader. Since this year though, I’ve been having a hard time finding time to actually and physically go to the library though. The solution to that was live-brary, downloading books from the library onto my phone. This saves me a lot of time and it’s quicker and more efficient.

This leads me into the discussion about our society, and how our phones are seen as pleasure items and in school, and as a result, they cannot be out. If i was reading on my phone at school, the teacher wouldn’t think twice to think i was texting someone and she’d snap at me to put my phone away.

If I was reading  physical book however, there’s a difference. 

There was an instance a few weeks ago where in Algebra there was a sub, she this grouchy 80 year old English teacher, very old school.

Well, i finished the work early and got out my phone to read. Everyone else took out their phones also, but for different purposes than myself, but of course, she would assume that i was doing what everyone else was with their phones.

She tells everyone to put their phones away, but i keep mine out. I was reading on it! She comes up to me and sees that i’m reading.

Our conversation:

Teacher: “What are you doing on your phone?” 

Me: “Oh, I’m reading a book.”

Teacher: “I can see that, but did you finish the work?”

Me: “Yes.”

Teacher: “Hmph all right.”

The rest of the class, phone less proceeds to look at me strangely.

Now, if i was reading a physical book, this would not have happened. 

I would never have been questioned as to what i was doing, and that’s a little sad and disappointing.

I think that all of these new electronics have given people a new founded assumption and prejudice against what people are using them for. Like that person has their phone out, they must be doing shenanigans.

And i hate that i can’t read on my phone without being judged by teachers. I feel like i have to put a sign on my forehead that says “using phone to read a book only”.

It is not of course the fault of teachers, because kids do abuse their phones in class.

There’s this one boy, who i have several classes with that i haven’t seen go a day without being asked to put his phone away by the teacher, and multiple times in one class period sometimes!

I guess though, whether someone reading on their phone, or a physical book, would get a similar reaction  from a teacher: to put it away.

My friend was once reading during math, cause she’s so good at it she doesn’t need to pay attention, and the teacher told her to close the book.

I am of 100% certainty that if it was a phone that she was reading on, the teacher would have been more harsh and snapped at her to put her phone away.

Yes, no cell phones out in class, but i feel like it depends on what you’re using that cell phone for.

My English teacher has a no cell phone policy, and i get why, but this means i can’t even take out a book to read. And no, i cannot tell her that i’m only reading on it because she still won’t allow it. (My English teacher is a very strict lady and if one cell phone is out, that means all of them should be allowed out, equality, so no, she wouldn’t let me read on my phone even if i asked her if i could)

 

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Has anyone else every experienced something similar? Please share your thoughts in the comments, i would love to hear them!

P.S. Pink banner photo credit: A Blog of a Bookaholic

and purple picture photo credit: Lili’s Reflections

(Click on their names to take you to their awesome pink and purple blogs respectively)