Clive Thompson on the New Literacy

In the beginning of the article “On the New Literacy” Clive Thompson mentions John Sutherland, a professor from London who believes that kids today can’t write and blames technology for that. John says “ Facebook encourages narcissistic blabbering, video and PowerPoint have replaced carefully crafted essays, and texting has dehydrated language into bleak, bald, sad shorthand”.
Clive Thompson opposes John Sutherland by pointing out the benefits of technology and how it is helping kids and adults with writing. He supports Andrea Lunsford, a professor from Stanford university. Andrea says “ I think we’re in the midst of a literacy revolution like of which we haven’t’ seen since Greek civilization” after collecting 14,672 student writing samples from 2001 to 2006. Clive Thompson agreeing with that writes that technology isn’t killing our ability to write but instead its reviving it, and pushing our literacy in bold new directions. Clive Thompson found similarities between the modern world of writing and Greek tradition of argument.
Agreeing with both sides, I think that technology has helped and also hindered somewhat of writing techniques. Spelling errors, frequent abbreviations in writing samples, and also a different perspective on writing has evolved in the 21st century. Texting, chatting, and even word processing can be held accountable in teens, who struggle with correct form of English writing. Looking from a English university professors perspective, I can understand that the equipment used today to socialize has slowed down the writing process.
Lunsford also makes a great point with students ability to push literacy in new directions, with new perspectives. I think it can be regarded as a revolution, as it is a new form of socialization that has taken over most of our lives. The youth today does write more, putting their personal thoughts, and conversations into writing; Which can help with better memorization and diverse ways of writing. I think apart from writing, it has become a major communication tool, a way of reconnecting and staying in touch with those miles away. I often hear stories, with people who met their lost families through facebook, I think it’s a very useful way of using the technology that we have to make a difference in others’ lives. I think people in general are more educated and up to date on every day issues then ever before, and technology is a big part of that. Blackberries and i-phones are informing students faster then ever before and in newer forms. Where this transformation has pros, I think on the negative side, our society may struggle with more verbal, imaginative, and visual creativity. All the focus is going into creating new technology and how to be faster then others, which maybe affecting creative writing as imaginative thinking is important for that. Overall, I think professors have good points for both arguments. I think to make the future work more efficiently, combination of both technology and creativity can be blended in together; benefiting students for successful and effective learning.