In his essay, Birkerts explains the differences in vertical and horizontal engagement. Horizontal engagement he describes as managing data. Because of the plethora of information in our world, instead of looking into to each piece of context we just manage it. He uses books as his primary example; instead of reading one book and studying it we just move on to the next, and then the next after that. Vertical engagement is the opposite. Birkerts explains that long ago when people read they had few books to read, thus they read them over and over, and studying them further and further. They were not looking at facts they were looking through them, searching for the wisdom within. In my section of his essay Birkerts states "only where silence is possible can the vertical engagement take place". From this quote we can infer that he is saying that not only can vertical engagement can take place but also wisdom. in his essay he talks of how counselors treat there patients by listening to them primarily, even allowing moments of silence for the people to think. By allowing this silence they are leading them to vertical engagement. I believe that when you are talking to some anyone about a personal issue of yours you are always searching for this wisdom. The counselors just provide that silence for you to listen to yourself.