Is technology creating a bleak, bald, and sad shorthand style of writing amongst people today, creating an age of illiteracy? That is the main question that is being debated in Wired Magazine. A man named Clive Thompson argues against College of London English professor, John Sutherland, stating that he believes technology is not killing our ability to write, it is reviving it. Thompson teamed up with some of the ideas that Andrea Lunsford got from a project that she conducted at Standfored University where she gathered 14,672 student writing samples. Lunsofrd pieced together a lot of different styles of student work and found out some interesting facts. She discussed the fact that students write far more now today than they ever have before in history. In the past, barely anyone wrote anything unless they were assigned to do so in school. She also points out the amount of “life writing” is tremendous. With all of the twitter updates and everything that students do online, there is an extraordinary amount of socializing going on through text. She found that this kind of writing gives students the ability to adapt their tone and technique to target a specific audience. Clive Thompson states at the end of the article, “knowing who you’re writing for and why you’re writing might be the most crucial factor of all.”
My view on this is that technology is in our lives no matter what. It isn’t going to make a difference if people think that technology is being abused and that people today are learning bad habits from all of it. It is the new way, and it will only continue to grow bigger and become even closer to people. You can just use the last few years as an example. Everything is getting smaller and more convenient for people to use. It wasn’t too long ago that you had to be sitting at home, plugged into your wall and using dial up to receive internet connection. Now look at today; people have Internet at the tip of their fingers. With all the new inventions like lap tops and iphones, you are never further away than a touch of your finger to find out anything you may need to know.
I believe that technology is an incredible thing. To think that I could instantly connect with anyone in the entire world with just the click of a button is amazing. Being a student today, I know how much time students spend text messaging and on facebook alone. I, for one, am in constant contact with at least one person pretty much throughout the entire day. That means that I am practicing my writing skills very regularly, along with everyone around me. I know it can cause bad habits when it comes to certain aspects of writing, but that doesn’t mean that its completely ruining writing. I think it just means that writing today is taking a turn. I am 100% with Clive Thompson when he says that writing is not being killed, it is being revived and pushed in “bold new directions.”
I definitely agree with you on pretty much everything you have just said. People can bicker and complain all they want about how it's just not the same as it use to be. The facts are posted and the truth is out. A new generation of technology is arising and has been for quite some time. You can either go with it and change with it, or you can be left behind. If you choose to accept technology, it may actually help you, if allowed to do so.
ReplyDeleteI have to also agree with you in that technology is in our lives no matter what... Even small things like walking across the street, is affected by technology. If we want to become successful at all in the world today, we have to advance with technology.
ReplyDeleteAs for the writing portion, I would also have to agree. Writing today is taking large advancements, but in a different manner. I believe even the students or newest generation doesn't know just how much they're writing. given the facts with Facebook and Twitter and even this blog, we are possibly doing as much writing as our fathers and fore-fathers. When Sutherland accuses this generation of not writing enough and even when we do it's "bleak, bald, and sad shorthand", he doesn't realize that computers and technological devices are the pen and paper of our generation as compared to his. Our style of writing is different, yes, but on a whole new level.
I have to disagree on one thing though... And that is how writing is being "revived". I believe it is being redone and over-achieved. Our lives today are based upon how well we can use technology, not at all what it was 20, 30, 40 years ago. It is a new experience for both the younger and older generations. And it affects both just as much, just the older generation is a little skeptical about the success of this "new age of writing".