I don't like throwing a book away, but then, I rarely have anything in truly bad condition. I always donate books, or if that wouldn't work, I guess I'd put them in the recycling.

they want to make reading and book-ownership out to be an exclusive club where only certain people are getting the "real" experience.

Yes, this!

A lot of the rapturous talk about print books seems...insincere, I guess? Not actually about the books at all, at the end of the day.

I don't know. I love the look and feel of books -- the first thing I unpack when I get to a new place is books, because they make the place feel like it's a home (my home), but for me at least it is about the fact that (for me) every book is full of friends waiting for me (be those friends lovely pieces of prose, the perfectly tuned sonnet, or a character to love or a plot-twist to take my breath away). I don't really know anyone who idolises print books and doesn't love reading them too. Though, selection bias. I'm an English Lit graduate, doing my Master's degree this year... I did read a book called The Man Who Loved Books Too Much, by Allison Bartlett, a true story about a man who stole books because he loved them, except to me it came across as very much books-as-status-symbol for him. So I think I know what you mean.

I wish it wasn't an issue. I still can't really see why it's anyone's business whether I read print or e-ink.