One reads in the mediums that they experience everyday. This may be through novels, magazines, newspapers and more recently online through the Internet. With this new source of information, the way people read it is changing. An endless amount of information to read is at the hands of anyone who can get internet access. The internet also allows new information to become available at any time of the day, no longer do people have to wait for some new big news to be released through an article in the daily paper or magazine. Since this new information can so readily become available to people, new information can also lose interest fast by another new more important information. Because of this need to quickly satisfy a reader, the way people are writing is changing as well. Online writing needs to quickly get the readers attention and not be to long as it might bore the reader. The internet has also allowed reading and writing to come together more as it provides new opportunities to comment, criticize and question a writer. With this new source of media, society is adapting to maximize the potential it has to offer, and these adaptations call for a change in how one reads and writes both on and off the web.
The internet has allowed people to read and write more, through their daily lives, than ever before. Since information can be so easily distributed, people are eager to read the latest news. Carr says “ the net is becoming a universal medium, the conduit for most of the information the flows through my eyes and ears and into my mind.” (carr) People want to take in new information, and now that it is easily available people want to continue reading it to learn more. Carr also states “my mind now expects to take in information the way the net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particle.” (carr) People expect to quickly go over large amounts of information, wanting to continue to take in as much information as possible. Thompson also says the internet has provided additional mediums for people to write in. “So much socialization takes place online, and it almost always involves text” though the text may not be long, well thought out pieces, it does keep people writing more often (Thompson). Similarly, Sullivan believes the internet has enticed more people to write. “Every writer since the printing press has longed for a means to publish himself and reach--instantly—any reader on earth” since this is now possible, people are more likely to write because they know it can be distributed to people interested in reading it (Sullivan). The internet has positively changed reading and writing habits in the sense that people read more because more information is available to them and write more because writing is more easily distributed to people.
In addition to getting people to write more, the internet has changed the style of how people write. Writing on the internet has no editor, and is solely controlled by the writer. Since the internet makes writing available to anyone, it has forced writers to identify and write to an audience. Thompson said this was “something virtually no one in my generation did.” (Thompson) This was an important change because previously a majority of writing was only presented to its intended audience so it was only read in its intended context. Since it is now presented to anyone through the web, the writer must know his intended audience in order to have effective writing. Not only are people better able to write to a specific audience, that audience now has the possibility to comment and ask the writer questions about a piece. Sullivan says blogging is “at its best, a conversation rather than a production.” (Sullivan) For Sullivan, blogging becomes a conversation because readers are able to leave their comments and questions directly on his blog. He then has an opportunity to answer those questions, making his writing very conversational. Though not all online writing allows readers to leave comments, a reader can still post his comments else where online to spark conversation with others. By enabling writing to become more conversational, it no longer leaves the writer in a position of dominance over his audience, but brings reading and writing together.
Online writing has become shorter than more traditional printed writing. Sullivan sees that shorter writing, though his blogging as something positive. He says “on the web one sentence links are as legitimate as thousand word diatribes.” (Sullivan) Because he is able to link to sources through his blogging, his writing does not need to be as long, explaining his sources, and readers are able to see his sources. With this new style of writing Sullivan says “the notion that blogging should some how replace traditional writing is as foolish as it is pernicious” (Sullivan). One must be remembered that traditional writing will always have its place even as writing changes with new technology. A major issue seen with this shorter writing style, is its effect on readers. With the fast paced short writing on the internet, people may be less likely to read a longer article or print novel. Carr expresses concern with people tendencies to “power browse” instead of reading an entire article (carr). Since so much information is available to people, they do not want to spend the time to read a lengthy article or novel anymore. Sullivan has a similar concern but through saying “no one wants to read a 9,000 word treatise online,” but he presents it similar to his comment on blogging, it will not replace traditional reading, but online people do not want to read a lengthy article. Online writing has adapted to peoples desire to quickly scan and read articles. People must not solely read online, online reading is important to the future of reading, but it cannot replace traditional reading. Likewise with writing, one should not write in the same style online and for a formal paper. It is a power to be able to read and write in both settings, but one must know when to use each power.
This is not the first time reading and writing have gone through a big change. The invention of the printing press and typewriter, both had similar changes on the availability of information to the public. Without change, reading and writing would become tiresome, repetitive tasks and no longer interest people. Change allows them to adapt to peoples needs, to better suit and interest them. With new technology and the internet people are able to distribute their writings to new audiences easily. Being able to publish ones own writing encourages more people to write because they know it will be read. Even if one is not posting his writings on the web, simply interacting with the web makes one write more than ever before. All this new writing on top of previous writings is now available to anyone at a click of a button. With the ability to easily access so much knowledge people are more eager to read on the web and search for articles of interest. The danger with this though, is people become accustomed to short readings on the web, and then sometimes find it difficult to transition back to longer web and print reading. Internet reading should be an addition, not a replacement, of traditional reading. The internet has provides the means to expand ones reading and writing capabilities. People need to maximize the new potential the internet has provided for reading and writing by doing just that, reading and writing on the internet.
No comments:
Post a Comment