I like reading. That’s an unavoidable fact really but the point I’m trying to make here is that I’ve been thinking of a paperless day for years now and it just doesn’t come. In fact it’s not even on the horizon.

Even with Google Reader hovering around the 200 subscriptions mark, a day just doesn’t feel right without having something to read on paper. It’s not just that it doesn’t feel right. I’ve been noticing that the electronic and paper ways don’t really overlap that much. So in essence what I’m saying is that I don’t want a paperless future. I need newspapers. I need magazines.

Kottke pointed out a feature in The Morning News where readers and writers profess their love for the print.

Viva Print indeed.

But it also got me thinking… what would I miss most if print periodicals folded? In a way the scenario happened to me during the months spent on Ikaria. There were no daily newspapers to spend a few minutes with. Even my Google Reader soon climbed up to 1000+ unread items (it gives up counting beyond a 1000) as I didn’t get to use the computer in my spare time. I was totally out of it.

My salvation were old issues of The Ecologist. I read all of them… even though they were a year old (at a minimum) they at least kept me somewhat sane for those few minutes when a I got a chance to dive into them :)

And what did I start reading when I got back home?

In print it was the back issues of Polet, likely the best thing about Delo newspaper in its entire history. Very high on the evening reading list was also ŽIT, a local version of Science et Vie, Popular Science, New Scientist and whatever else is similar, with a long and proud history of over 50 years and going on strong (I hope). So when it comes down to it, these two are my must reads. If all else fails I need these so there’s at least something to hold on to.

Sure, there are several other magazines and newspapers I read. I’ll read, or browse, almost anything. Once at least. There are bottom lines somewhere… Among the desired reading is the local edition of Le Monde Diplomatique, Sobotna Priloga and The New York Times international weekly supplement (however I don’t read NYT online). I read a few other magazines but there’s nothing I would miss terribly.

When it comes to online reading I do most of it through Google Reader. Absolute must reads are a few comic strips (life without PHD Comics is not one worth living) :p and a few blogs/websites. Whenever I don’t have extra time and boredom I skip all those with serious content hyper production syndrome like BoingBoing or Coudal Partners no matter how much cool stuff may be hidden inside. I sometimes feel a sense of slight guilt but there are other things I can do than scan through 1000+ unread items…

I just hope the best newspapers and magazines with an opinion stick around for a while longer in their present paper form. For everything else I honestly don’t care which way they go. Instant, general news reporting is like fast food. Largely boring and worthless.