Another fine contribution from Prof. Brands on the state of literacy and in particular writing in our time.
Written language and linguistic structures expand our powers of representation into unbelievable limits to what we are capable of knowing. This symbolic power is the most mysterious of the ways we have of knowing because it opened a world of words and human culture. I don't think we will ever lose the written word. It gives us the time to ponder and exercise our imagination through the creations we construct with words. Poetry is a good example as we think about the work and the beautiful rhythms and choice of words and multiple meanings that the work can generate.
We may exist at some level without this means, but without it we limit our potential to grow.
I am one of those "can read faster than people speak." I get very frustrated when someone wants to send me "information" or "evidence" of something and it's a link to a Youtube video! UGH!
I do not lament the passing of cursive. It is of course the subject of intense debate. I see the pro-cursive side as presenting more of an emotional argument but trying to frame it scientifically. Humans have been reading "print" since Gutenberg! Then newspapers. I had a shop class in 8th grade for printing where we set type and made our own business cards. And now with computers, the need for it is unnecessary.
Cursive is a throwback to using quills which made cursive necessary. IMO cursive should be an optional class in schools right there with caligraphy, perhaps part of art class.
Another fine contribution from Prof. Brands on the state of literacy and in particular writing in our time.
Written language and linguistic structures expand our powers of representation into unbelievable limits to what we are capable of knowing. This symbolic power is the most mysterious of the ways we have of knowing because it opened a world of words and human culture. I don't think we will ever lose the written word. It gives us the time to ponder and exercise our imagination through the creations we construct with words. Poetry is a good example as we think about the work and the beautiful rhythms and choice of words and multiple meanings that the work can generate.
We may exist at some level without this means, but without it we limit our potential to grow.
I am one of those "can read faster than people speak." I get very frustrated when someone wants to send me "information" or "evidence" of something and it's a link to a Youtube video! UGH!
I do not lament the passing of cursive. It is of course the subject of intense debate. I see the pro-cursive side as presenting more of an emotional argument but trying to frame it scientifically. Humans have been reading "print" since Gutenberg! Then newspapers. I had a shop class in 8th grade for printing where we set type and made our own business cards. And now with computers, the need for it is unnecessary.
Cursive is a throwback to using quills which made cursive necessary. IMO cursive should be an optional class in schools right there with caligraphy, perhaps part of art class.