subject: Will We Ever Live In A Truly Paperless Society? [print this page] Paper has played an integral part in all aspects of our lives since the first pieces of papyrus were daubed with hieroglyphics in Ancient Egypt. Old scripture and scrolls provide an invaluable insight into our predecessors whilst various religious tomes have inspired and continue to inspire and shape the lives of millions across the world. As such it would be ignorant to underplay the power of paper. Given the recent major developments in the storage and sharing of information however, it is worth stopping to consider the role that paper plays in modern society.
The development of the computer was an unequivocal breakthrough on myriad fronts. The implications of this electrical wonder and its application to day to day life were furthered with the development of wired and wireless communication and the internet. The speed of communication via email all but killed the use of the conventional postal service for personal communication and replaced the fax in the vast majority of cases: rendering two major uses of paper for communication obsolete. More recently still, in the light of increased pressure on businesses to be more environmentally ethical; electronic communication has relieved paper from further duties: direct debit and internet banking have replaced bank statements and cheques in many instances; weighty mail order catalogues have been usurped by online alternatives and even junk mail is switching from a postal menace to email spam.
It is certainly the case that the advent of the digital age has had an impact on the number of roles in which paper is used, but not all attempted transitions have been a resounding success. The E-Book has been around for a number of years and is a brilliant idea in theory, but despite the relative popularity of such devices as the Sony Reader; has barely dented the sale of physical books. There are several possible explanations for the continued reign of the hardback and paperback: from the familiar feel of a physical book, to the absence of a requirement for batteries and the low cost (compared to purchasing a portable E-Book reader). One of the most compelling explanations for the relative failure of the E-Book to oust the conventional book relates to the idea of purchasing a tangible object. An E-Book contains the exact same story as its physical counterpart and you do indeed 'own a copy' but many people are put off by the fact that you don't have an actual copy you can touch, hold and accidentally spill tea on- just a computer file.
In the office environment there is always going to be a need for paper based office supplies, although much work is done on computers: hard copies will continue to be a necessity...for the near future at least.
This brief exploration of the idea of a fully wireless society barely scuffs the surface, but even this dip of the toe into the water of possibility highlights that paper is due to stay with us for a fair time yet. That's not even considering the role of paper money, newspapers and furniture assembly instructions in society: all of which have digital or electronic counterparts- none of which are close to replacing the paper original.
