Demise of the written word

Good post. Star&Flag.

I've been trying to get this point across to people for a long, long time now.

Moral of the story?

Do Not Forget. Remember. Remember. Remember.

The future in store for us will be a future where knowledge and education will be few, wisdom extinct, and children rule the world.

We live in a world where the Word is losing it's touch.

We cannot do anything but Remember.

Remember.

It may save your life.

Originally posted by AccessDenied
With more becoming available online one has to wonder about the future of publishing as a whole.
I have noticed this trend in bits and pieces, but had a real light bulb moment this morning.
The increasing use of text speak is losing us our language. Cursive writing is no longer being taught in school with the increased use of computers.
Everything that was in print is now being either transferred to the net, or placed directly on the net and not even going to print.
Combine that..with the tightening grip TPTB are trying to place on our internet..and what you have is a scenario that in a lifetime could place us back to the dark ages.
If we have our printed word taken away..and lose our ability to write, then we have those in control take away the internet that will eventually hold all our knowledge...
WE HAVE A SCARY SCENARIO.
Should we start hoarding books now to save them ???
I realize this may seem a drastic thought...but it has happened in the past, over and over again..and the past is the best predictor of the future.
TPTB love to keep us ignorant and in the dark..what better way than to work towards cutting off all knowledge to us altogether.

QQ moar plz

Some years ago a favorite magazine of my went online only and I was sad. I'm sorry but I'm not taking a laptop into the bathroom so I have something to read while I poop, its just wrong. I love books and to many do not share their love of books with their children. saving books or passing them down in the family is not a bad idea.

reply to post by AccessDenied


The process has been going on for a while, even back in the movie Ghostbusters Egon says Print is Dead. But I highly doubt it will ever devolve completely simply because of the sheer volume of book writing that still goes on. Those books might be "written" using the help of computers and they may be available in e format but I think actual physical copies of them will still be made for those who prefer to read that way.

The devolution of language through the use of text speak is frightening but I think the educated will write books. Why would an avid text message fan sit down to pen an entire book in text-speak when texting is based on quickness and convenience. I think they'll leave real writing to real authors and keep text speak where it belongs, in the hands of gossiping fifteen year old girls. I think the real danger isn't using these abbreviations in the context of online interaction but in creating verbal counterparts. Typing LOL is okay, going around saying LOL aloud is not.

I think the fact they don't teach cursive is a VAST step in the right direction. I absolutely detested cursive in school. They heap it on your plate when you only have a tentative grasp of normal handwriting to begin with and suddenly you have cursive on top of it. And cursive turned out to be entirely useless outside of school. America is far behind on math, language skills (learning other world languages), and a myriad of other subjects when it comes to schooling so eliminating cursive makes room for more important things.



[edit on 10-12-2009 by Titen-Sxull]

Originally posted by octotom
reply to post by AccessDenied

 

I understand what your saying. I think though that publishing will never completely die out. The reason being that there are people that prefer to have books. I am one of those. I can't stand reading books on computers. It's maddening to me! There is nothing like actually holding a book (and being able to make notations in it if needed).

While I agree with you, it's not what WE are doing that matters. It is what the kids today are doing. For example, my daughter no longer has text books to use for homework. Instead, assignments are available on the web and we are responsible for downloading and printing them.

If she were older, they would probably skip the whole printing out part and instead just have her submit it via the web.

As for "nothing like holding a good book" -- my grandfather had a similar saying "nothing like holding the news in your hands and getting the ink of your fingers". But alas, his love of newspapers may not have been enough either.

[edit on 10-12-2009 by lpowell0627]

Double-post. yes, it was THAT important.

[edit on 10-12-2009 by lpowell0627]

The level of bad grammar in this thread is astounding, considering the argument that is being made.

Before criticising others, you may wish to make sure you're not in the same boat yourself.

reply to post by lpowell0627


Exactly..same with my daughter.
Now, I have 2 daughters that are 19 and 13 respectively, and my 19 year old lets her text messaging rule her life..never seen anything like it. I think her thumbs would suffer withdrawal without it.
But what scares me most, is my 13 year old..she doesn't just use text speak on chat..she SPEAKS IT!
She literally says.."Oh M Gee" (OMG)
Or.." double U tee eff" (WTF)
or..instead of laughing at a joke..she'll say LOL and smile....
THAT is what scares me.

Originally posted by GTasker
The level of bad grammar in this thread is astounding, considering the argument that is being made.

Before criticising others, you may wish to make sure you're not in the same boat yourself.

Really? Where do you see that? and that's the pot calling the kettle black..
criticizing....hmmmm

I started using txt speak as a teen, trying to cram as much into a 10p txt as I could and then a couple of years ago, I realised i'd nearly forgotten how to write properly, so although I was rubbish at spelling and grammar in the first place, i've tried not to use txt speak since.

As for books, I can't concentrate online like I can if i'm sat holding a book, I seem to digest more from a book than I can online, my concentration is just not there reading from a screen.

Maybe though, as much as I hate the idea, I vaguely remember, Stephen Fry was going on about how he doesn't mind it that much because it's just an evolution in writing/language and that it's been happening since writing/language began, I think he has a point if i'm honest, though I would'nt support it personally.

Demise of the "hand written" word for SURE.

Is this a bad thing? Well, with anything that uses technology, it is bad if such technology is lost.

I can barely hand write a paper, but when I am typing the words flow ever so smooth.

My hand written paper and typed papers are on par with comparing a 10 year old to a 20 year old in football.

Star and flag.

Books or no books, the fault lies within the communication of adults and children. As adults, it behooves us to ensure good communication with young people. I have seen the homework some of these kids turn in. They are getting straight As but have no clue on spelling and grammar. Even if they read like a fish can swim, the concept of correct punctuation and spelling never seems to make it into their reading and English homework. This is only one more little red flag that TPTB do not give a darn if the masses can communicate with them or not. Kids are given information but not taught how to approach it critically.

The lack of understanding by young students is often due to the apathy of many adults in the education system. However, what if kids from elementary through high school did everything they needed to on the internet. No public schools resembling dreary penitentiaries would be necessary. The kids could knock out specifically required academic classes in a shorter period of time. This could also provide opportunities for kids to go out into the real world into co-op style training programs and what do you know! We have people in the work force who are:

A. Not pressured to compete with others in areas which do not interest them
B. Pursuing things that have interested them early in a very real way so they may have a real appreciation for what they do
C. Socially adept as these 'kids' would be able to work with both adults and their contemporaries, further creating clearer lines of communication

Here's an interesting thought...

...how much of our digitized information will survive the future, or be able to be accessed by archeologist of the future?

Future archeologists may know less about us than we know about our predecessors. Civilizations in the past used physical writing and visual media -- books, paintings, stone carvings, etc. -- to store their information. A far smaller percentage of our civilization's information is stored on this "visual" media.

Even if the actual digital media containing those digital records from today survives for -- say -- 1000 years, there is a chance that future archeologist won't know what to do with the digital media...would they even be able to play it?

You may laugh, but computer experts today would have a difficult time finding the equipment to read the old reel-to-reel computer storage tapes from the 1960s -- and that was only 40 or 50 years ago. Just think about 1000 years. Future archeologists will need to "re-invent" the DVD reader in order to access some of our 21st century information, or be able to access the information on a 1000-year old hard drive from a 21st century computer. Good luck getting that computer to work.

Obviously some information will continually be converted to the "next storage system", then the next, then the next, and possibly survive the next 1000 years in a readable fashion, but I'm sure that MOST information will not. I'm sure that there is information on those old 1960s reel-to-reels that have never been put on 21st-century storage media.

The bottom line is that the future may have a tough time finding out information about us. Ironically, they may be able to know more about the 19th century than about the 21st.


[edit on 12/10/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]

Originally posted by AccessDenied

Originally posted by GTasker
The level of bad grammar in this thread is astounding, considering the argument that is being made.

Before criticising others, you may wish to make sure you're not in the same boat yourself.

Really? Where do you see that? and that's the pot calling the kettle black..
criticizing....hmmmm

en.wiktionary.org...

Nice try, thanks for playing.

I see your bad grammar above. You should never start a sentence with 'and'. For your benefit, I'd also like to point out that spelling is not grammar.

[edit on 10-12-2009 by GTasker]

reply to post by AccessDenied


Nice rant. But language evolves. The question is however, whether what we see is an evolution or devolution The literate society seemed to have kept the balance between efficiency and redundancy of the encoding algorithm called letters, words, sentences, or simply glyphs.

I know it's a bit unrelated, but I never could understand texting on the phone. I hate it. The minute of the phone call costs the same as the text, if not cheaper and you can transmit more words by talking then by texting, plus you get an immediate feedback. Don't want to bother someone, leave a voice mail, or vide mail, it's almost 2010, technology have moved, what’s up with those kids ?

reply to post by GTasker

Perhaps you should also point out from where you are posting.


[edit on 12/10/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]

It's a bummer of a situation we've put ourselves in. I was flipping through the channels this morning and heard that Florida is now allowing cell phones in schools. They're making a giant list of all the student's phone numbers, and then the teachers text them a question. The students text back an answer, and are then graded on their responses.

I think that's an awful idea. It takes away a lot out of learning. You aren't taught penmanship, learning to read is declined because of the shorthand being used.

Here is a link to one of the articles:

www.allbusiness.com...

Originally posted by GTasker

Originally posted by AccessDenied

Originally posted by GTasker
The level of bad grammar in this thread is astounding, considering the argument that is being made.

Before criticising others, you may wish to make sure you're not in the same boat yourself.

Really? Where do you see that? and that's the pot calling the kettle black..
criticizing....hmmmm

en.wiktionary.org...

Nice try, thanks for playing.

I see your bad grammar above. You should never start a sentence with 'and'. For your benefit, I'd also like to point out that spelling is not grammar.

[edit on 10-12-2009 by GTasker]

HOUSTON , WE HAVE A COMEDIAN!
Did you have clown for breakfast?
Nice of you to place the argument for one and not the other as it suits you.
Spelling and grammar go hand in hand.
Anything else to add to the thread, or you just wish to be a grammar cop..hmmm?

Originally posted by AccessDenied

Originally posted by DataWraith
LOL, WTF r u tawkin abut?

peeple ritings fine on me comupter, nd I txt all teh tim.

Frenz luv my speelin..Dey fink I'm gr8 nd smart, lik was is name?, da guy inda weelchare, dawkings? lawkings? u no da guy, tawks lik a robut.

[edit on 10/12/09 by DataWraith]

Your honor..the defense rests.

Thanks for the humorous response..I get it.

Get what?



Very witty DataWraith
Gave me a good chuckle it did.

[edit on 10-12-2009 by mckyle]

Perhaps we should all switch to this?
www.spellingsociety.org...
media-2.web.britannica.com...

reply to post by DataWraith


I get a big kick out of reading letters from simpler, quieter eras: the letters of Lincoln come to mind, as do a number of Victorian writers.

There is a beauty and palpability to their words.

I find it very soothing, and intellectually nourishing.

Forgive me if that sounds elitist. My point being that we are losing writing as an art form, and as a means of conveying ideas and emotions eloquently!

I do firmly believe that our ability to think and conceptualise are limited by the words we use to communicate! And I believe that we are losing that very ability - at least on certain levels.