Many of you have written about the downside of technology so now it is my turn to enlighten you on a positive aspect.
When I was reading the beginning part of chapter three in Smarter Than You Think by Clive Thompson, he made a valid point that because of technology with its blogs, social media, text messages, and many more, we are writing more than we ever would have. A rough estimate is that we write 3.6 trillion words per day which equals 36 million books and this is all because of growing technology and the internet.
Writing down our thoughts also clarifies the fuzzy ideas in our heads. As I read this chapter last night I had a great idea of what I was going to write about but, now that I have to write it down I realize I will have to hone my thoughts to be able to write it on this blog in a way that makes sense. As a result, technology is giving us the ability to make our thoughts clearer because is gives us a medium to write down our ideas.
I think this is one of the most phenomenal developments of recent years -- EVERYBODY is writing. Not everybody is writing well, and there is plenty of garbage out there, but still...the communication explosion is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteIn response, I have to say that technology IS helpful and a terrific medium in the hands of a wonderful, law-abiding citizen. However, I must raise a certain point. Think about all of the people that abuse this power to post for evil. The stalkers, creepers, and bullies of the internet are making it seem like a bad place to post for some people. In the immortal words of the internets, "This is why we can't have nice things."
ReplyDeleteI agree with the premise that more writing is obtained through advances in modern technology. Greater speed and efficiency are definitely achieved in the field of communication through technological advances, yet I do not feel as though it is easier for myself to figure out to make my thoughts clear. This is probably a personal preference, but I feel as though with the possibilities for a more sophisticated effect in my work (via an online thesaurus and easy reorganization through cut, copy, and paste) that my general message gets confused and lost in my attempt at perfecting it past the point where it is overwhelming.
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DeleteI agree with you, Austin. I feel like I have a lot to say about this, but for some reason I'm having a hard time typing it down. I guess that's where this all ties in. Yes, technology has made communication easier and faster but that does not mean I can write/type down my thoughts with ease. If anything, I get even more frustrated. I feel the need to use an extensive list of vocabulary and use a certain writing etiquette because I have the opportunity to do so with the online thesauruses and such.
DeleteI have to say that I agree David. Yes, writing down our thoughts does help organize and clarify our ideas, but not through technology. Technology has diminished the amount of thought it takes to write down one's ideas. For example, the ability to cut, copy, and paste is used as a shortcut for writing. It's as if writing no longer requires a person to think for themselves. Personally, when I use online sources, such as a thesaurus or read an article with ideas similar to mine, I find my thought somewhat altered or influenced or completely lost as Austin previously mentioned. Technology has taken the beauty of writing away...the need to think which in turn helps us grow as writers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jocelyn, Destiny, Austin that technology, especially the internet, sort of forces its thoughts upon our writings. The advancements of technology have definitely allowed us to do much more in terms of organization and communication, but our own ideas are being somewhat suppressed by the vast amount of information that is available on the internet and the shortcuts like typing programs offer. Jocelyn made my point exactly and it can even extend the argument to AOTD since television also does not require us to think for ourselves. T.V does not allow us to express our own ideas or even think about them profoundly since it all is submerged in entertainment media which is basically all television is. Returning to my original point, so many websites are available that we are bombarded by useless information at times that distract us from our original train of thought. I can relate to this when I write papers which is when I actually force myself to use bigger vocabulary words and more sound sentence structures. I find my message a little bit distorted, even though it might sound and appear better than it really was.
ReplyDeleteWhether you read something on the internet or in a book the author is trying to influence you with his or her ideas and it is your choice whether to believe what they are saying. When it comes to television it is your choice whether you want to let it think for you or for you to think for yourself. Television cannot physically grab you, force you to believe what it is saying, or stop you from expressing your ideas. It is your choice whether or not to believe what television says and if you choose to express your opinions or not.
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