Reading Responce 3

Jeremy Keen

English 100 A

Reading response to Birkerts

1/24/10

How Wisdom is Judged

In the article “The Owl Has Flown,” that was taken from his book “The Gutenberg Elegies,” Sven Birkerts wants us to look at the way we read, think and memorize books and information. I think Birkerts project is exemplified in his summary of historian Rolf Engelsing: “From the Middle Ages to sometime after 1750, according to Engelsing, men read “intensively.” They had only a few books-the Bible, an almanac, a devoted work or two-and they read them over and over again, usually aloud and in groups so that a narrow range of literature became deeply impressed on their consciousness. By 1800 men were reading “extensively.” They had all kinds of material and only read it once, and then raced on to the next item.” Berkerts summary of Engelsing’s conclusion shows us a picture of the past when books were probably hand written and very expensive. There were not many books to go around and the ability to read them was not wide spread. When someone took the time to read they would read aloud for groups or their families. With the reading and rereading of these limited books people gained a greater depth in them. In my own life, I find even in my favorite books and movies that I have experienced more than once I still am able to spot new nuances in these stories upon another viewing. I can’t imagine if my exposure was limited to only a few books, I would probably be able to quote any line in any part. By 1800 books and papers started being produced mechanically this intern allowed them to be much more easily obtained, and a greater variety was available. With the possibility of having numerous papers and books to read men began to read extensively. Reading things only once and racing on to the next not taking the time to absorb the text the way they used to. Birkerts wants to show us there used to be a different deeper way people obtained knowledge and wisdom. He doesn’t feel that today people take the time to reflect on the messages we learn. Allowing for “deep time” a time to contemplate a fact while resting and allow it to sink in and connect with other facts in its resonance. Birkerts feels without deep time there can be no resonance and without resonance there can be no wisdom. Today with the internet there is even more information than any one person can take in, in a life time and that is constantly increasing. But people are essentially the same as they have always been, before they were just limited with their supply of information. The demand was always there. If you consider wisdom, it sees through facts to penetrate the under lying laws and patterns. Than the broader view you can start with should be able to show laws and patterns more easily. I do agree that most don’t take the deep time they need.

In his article “On Reading a Video Text,” Robert Scholes expresses the need to dig deeper and pay attention to more than the surface message. In this way Scholes is advocating the same principles as Birkerts, wanting us to see the hidden meanings in this new form of communication. I feel wisdom will still come with age, as psychology has proven our brain doesn’t fully develop until our twenties, and after that we can start down that road.