Paper vs screen: Which is better?

Shane Parrish, with Walter Isaacson on The Knowledge Project, highlights the benefits of using both screens and paper in different contexts. Isaacson, an author and journalist, prefers to print out his work at the end of the day and review it on paper in the morning. He believes that reading material on paper can reveal issues and clunkiness in writing that might not be as apparent on a screen. This practice allows for a more thorough review and improvement of the text 1.

Christopher Davis, another guest on The Knowledge Project, shares his struggles with adapting to digital reading after years of reading newspapers in their traditional format. He finds the unpredictability of what might catch his eye on a newspaper page to be missing when reading on a screen. This nostalgic sentiment points to a certain richness in traditional paper reading that he feels is lost in the transition to digital 2.

Both perspectives underscore the unique advantages of paper and screen. Paper seems to aid in a deeper processing of information, while screens offer a more streamlined and efficient way of accessing a vast array of information quickly. Each has its place depending on the context and the user's needs.