Thank you for the image of the dog not caring about the stars. What a clear thing to notice yet unnoticed.
I think that one point that can also be brought in (and you did it in a way when you talked about the literate ruling the illiterate) is that without the written thought, one cannot build a society. Of course, societies were there before the Gutenberg press, but let's not forget, Alexandria had a famous library. There were always literate few, as you mentioned. If we think about this "few" there are still far more than there were before, both in numbers and percentages. Maybe dropping, but maybe that is the "natural" state.
One reason I think writing and reading will never go away is that writing and reading are closer to the speed of thought. What I mean by that is that movies, songs, oral forms are more attuned to the speed of feelings, but writing/reading carries a thought further because it walks at a similar speed.
The miracle is indeed that we can form comprehensible thoughts by reading.
Also, maybe I'm just biased by my literate inner circle, but I meet more people who not only read, but also write. And I'm not talking about writing as means to earn a living or to make yourself SEO and AEO friendly on the internet, but writing as a means slowing down to take life in and make sense and connect to yourself and others.
Also, what does functionally illiterate mean? I know I am functionally illiterate in many domains. I can barely understand, let alone function in the legal domain, or even the philosophical domain, even though many say I have a natural philosophical intelligence, if it can be called that way.
Love the circle you wrapped the entire piece in, too! But I have to say that although I immediately agreed intellectually with both statements, I also immediately "disagreed with my feelings" on both statements. I don't know (or maybe dare) to explain why.
Beautiful comment here I want to return to later to engage with a lot of this. TBD.
Meantime, functionally illiterate is level 1 literacy or below, meaning they can at best put together a simple sentence, but cannot read a complex one.
Great article. I love when your write about language and writing. It’s fascinating. I love the term psychotechnology too. I was listening to an author talk about writing tips recently and he mentioned that it’s the domain of the writer not to create images in peoples’ heads, but thoughts. And additionally, that many beginner writers fall into the trap of TV writing - trying to capture a scene the way a camera word, just with words. I did this a lot. Interesting how our visual culture is so powerful. I really enjoyed this article, will probably come back to it. Please write more on these topics!!!!
I stood a bit more with these feelings that disagreed. I think I can articulate what they were a bit clearer. The feeling that porn is not easy is the same feeling one would probably have about hard drugs ( I never did hard drugs). Like hard drugs, porn feels hard on the senses, violently over-exciting our senses. While reading feels easy precisely because it's the opposite. It goes gently on the senses. Yes, reading can trouble you at times, bring you even close to death (like hard drugs), but it does so gently, easy. Thought I shared this too :)
I did, and in exchange experienced one of the most remarkably incisive, persuasive and concretely vivid things I have read in some time. (And I say—or rather, write—this having read many of your other striking recent pieces.)
I believe your instincts and analysis in this regard are profoundly revelatory of both the current moment, and what is (probably) to come. It’s simultaneously sobering, depressing, and exciting.
Post-read I gotta say that what amazes me is the facility and craft with which you present and transmit these deeply complicated (but immediately recognizable) insights/ideas/experiences using just words.
(It’s almost enough to inspire a reader’s deep belief in the power of written language lol. But hell…I love me a paradox.) 🤣
My takeaway from this one is recent memory and revelation that Coppola is not good at physical placemaking. This is evident both in Costa Rica and more recently in his hometown in Basilicata. But since your essay has given me permission to, I will not write but will instead wait to tell you both the story in oral/aural form. Coppola’s place in Basilicata made Gina annoyed and grumpy, which almost never happens but is kind of funny when it does. It will be better in the retelling.
I do suspect that writing has upped the beauty-average of our best spoken sentences.
Oh, wow. What a piece again...
Thank you for the image of the dog not caring about the stars. What a clear thing to notice yet unnoticed.
I think that one point that can also be brought in (and you did it in a way when you talked about the literate ruling the illiterate) is that without the written thought, one cannot build a society. Of course, societies were there before the Gutenberg press, but let's not forget, Alexandria had a famous library. There were always literate few, as you mentioned. If we think about this "few" there are still far more than there were before, both in numbers and percentages. Maybe dropping, but maybe that is the "natural" state.
One reason I think writing and reading will never go away is that writing and reading are closer to the speed of thought. What I mean by that is that movies, songs, oral forms are more attuned to the speed of feelings, but writing/reading carries a thought further because it walks at a similar speed.
The miracle is indeed that we can form comprehensible thoughts by reading.
Also, maybe I'm just biased by my literate inner circle, but I meet more people who not only read, but also write. And I'm not talking about writing as means to earn a living or to make yourself SEO and AEO friendly on the internet, but writing as a means slowing down to take life in and make sense and connect to yourself and others.
Also, what does functionally illiterate mean? I know I am functionally illiterate in many domains. I can barely understand, let alone function in the legal domain, or even the philosophical domain, even though many say I have a natural philosophical intelligence, if it can be called that way.
Love the circle you wrapped the entire piece in, too! But I have to say that although I immediately agreed intellectually with both statements, I also immediately "disagreed with my feelings" on both statements. I don't know (or maybe dare) to explain why.
Beautiful comment here I want to return to later to engage with a lot of this. TBD.
Meantime, functionally illiterate is level 1 literacy or below, meaning they can at best put together a simple sentence, but cannot read a complex one.
Great article. I love when your write about language and writing. It’s fascinating. I love the term psychotechnology too. I was listening to an author talk about writing tips recently and he mentioned that it’s the domain of the writer not to create images in peoples’ heads, but thoughts. And additionally, that many beginner writers fall into the trap of TV writing - trying to capture a scene the way a camera word, just with words. I did this a lot. Interesting how our visual culture is so powerful. I really enjoyed this article, will probably come back to it. Please write more on these topics!!!!
Oops sorry I think I replied to a thread
I stood a bit more with these feelings that disagreed. I think I can articulate what they were a bit clearer. The feeling that porn is not easy is the same feeling one would probably have about hard drugs ( I never did hard drugs). Like hard drugs, porn feels hard on the senses, violently over-exciting our senses. While reading feels easy precisely because it's the opposite. It goes gently on the senses. Yes, reading can trouble you at times, bring you even close to death (like hard drugs), but it does so gently, easy. Thought I shared this too :)
You asked: “Suspend your disbelief.”
I did, and in exchange experienced one of the most remarkably incisive, persuasive and concretely vivid things I have read in some time. (And I say—or rather, write—this having read many of your other striking recent pieces.)
I believe your instincts and analysis in this regard are profoundly revelatory of both the current moment, and what is (probably) to come. It’s simultaneously sobering, depressing, and exciting.
Post-read I gotta say that what amazes me is the facility and craft with which you present and transmit these deeply complicated (but immediately recognizable) insights/ideas/experiences using just words.
(It’s almost enough to inspire a reader’s deep belief in the power of written language lol. But hell…I love me a paradox.) 🤣
This comment makes the effort worthwhile, no joke.
My takeaway from this one is recent memory and revelation that Coppola is not good at physical placemaking. This is evident both in Costa Rica and more recently in his hometown in Basilicata. But since your essay has given me permission to, I will not write but will instead wait to tell you both the story in oral/aural form. Coppola’s place in Basilicata made Gina annoyed and grumpy, which almost never happens but is kind of funny when it does. It will be better in the retelling.
I do suspect that writing has upped the beauty-average of our best spoken sentences.