Each have their own pros and cons, making both viable candidates. One of the best groups of people to gather opinions from may be our student body and faculty. Out of those who replied in a poll, 81.5% of students and teachers chose movies while 18.5% chose books. Despite the bias for movies clearly outweighing that for books, there are still many factors to consider before reaching a conclusion.

     With the advancement of technology, people’s knowledge regarding film and video editing has evolved significantly. Using editing softwares and tools, producers can cut movies to perfection and add convincing SFX. But it’s not to say that written literature is becoming a thing of the past, as others may argue that more pleasure is garnered from reading a book. Reading dumps the reins and allows one’s mind to run free and visualize the events using one’s imagination, while movies paint the picture. ‘’When you read, you don’t have to know where you are,” said 8th grader Hailey Cischke in an interview “You become engrossed with the world of fiction and imagination.’’ Books encourage one to create unique mental images of the action, training one’s mind as well as one’s ability to analyze text. On the other hand; watching a movie, specifically one derived from a book, may let down the viewer. Their standards are high based on their own envisioning of it, leading to frustration when the movie doesn’t live up to that fantasy. Additionally, movies often fail to compile all the flashy details of books into their two hour timestamps; sometimes leaving beloved scenes to be omitted. 

     Conversely, others might prefer to watch a movie. Most films span from 90-120 minutes depending on the length. Long books require commitment and completion of them can take a while depending on your reading speed. Some may also lack the attention span to persist through the reading of a good book, or just not have enough down-time to do so. Movies also offer an advantage in the social department. While books are usually an individual activity, watching a movie offers a chance to make up quality time with family and friends. Students have busy schedules,  often leaving little to no time between academics and extracurriculars to bond with kin. Films are easily accessible through the simple click of a remote. Movies are also granted way more public appeal, via trailers and advertisements. There are usually specific movies that are anticipated, such as this summer’s Barbie™ movie. People have been going gaga over the movie even before it landed in theaters, proving further that watching movies can give you social plus. There are many books from which to choose, so not everyone will have read the same ones. Furthermore, book preference can be complicated because of different author’s writing styles, while movies don’t vary much unless you consider the producer’s way of filming shots and editing.

     Both books and movies possess strong supporting arguments. In all honesty, this debate is one that really cannot be whittled down to one answer. Everyone has their own opinion on it after all. But what is your take on it?