Reading Response #1

In Clive Thompson’s article “The New Literacy,” he urges the fact that the social media is improving this generations writing abilities and opening language to a new level. This article includes opposing views on this subject. John Sutherland blames technology for lessening language into “bleak, bald, sad shorthand.” Facebook is said to allow people to post nonsense and blabbering and for text messages to include its own language.
Andrea Lunsford, a professor at Stanford University, has collected over 5 years of writing samples from her Stanford students. Her writing samples include in-class assignments, emails, blogs, and essays. She found out that students write more than any generation before has. Her research shows that online media is pushing literacy and that the Internet has allowed for us Americans to write often. Previously, writing was only done during school hours or if needed in your career. With having Facebook and twitter, people are always writing for an audience, which is believed to help them write well. A lot of debating and persuasion is used when posting organized updates. She did not find any use of texting speech in any of her college student’s essays.
There is a lot of objection to this and I believe it to mainly be from the older generations and close-minded people. A lot of people from older generations are egocentric and are not open to new ideas. They like the way things used to be and unwilling to keep up the technological advances. Although, some are using email and cell phones, a great sum of them does not enjoy self-checkout at the grocery store or text messaging. Being close-minded, they do not notice the positive effects of technology and how it is expanding our knowledge and allowing us to have everything right at our fingertips.
My view on this topic is that I believe that Americans are using a lot of writing. Updating their Facebook profiles and writing text messages helps practice writing as well as sometimes learning the spelling. They want to get the spelling correct because an audience of friends will be reading what they write. I don’t know of many people that use text speech and especially, not in an essay. Technology is doing communication a favor and it has helped our earth greatly. We can stay in touch with people all over and send pictures, videos, and status updates. My only concern is that people get addicted to the Internet and text messaging. I really hope that people will participate in other activities with their family and friends and get exercise. Instead of studying or doing homework, students waste their time online. Texting is absurd because students would rather text then pay attention in class or text while at work. I think it will always be imbalanced but a healthy dosage of social media is not a bad thing. This issue is important because this is our present and future. With technology advancing, communication and knowledge can only expand from here. Having a positive outlook that Thompson is trying to demonstrate will help us all accept the fact that the world is changing.