James Salter raises an interesting viewpoint in regards to how written language has changed in our day in age. Salter testified that his interest and passion for writing began as he grew to love reading and engaging in the written word through classic authors. He claimed in this blog that all writers form their passion for written word through reading others. This is a broad statement that may be true for most but may not necessarily be the catch all answer. Salter argues that the written language is suffering because of the lack of interest in print literature.
This is a concern that I have heard many times, raised by individuals in the older generations. However, I believe that written word and the passion for writing is not dying, but simply adjusting. As media platforms and resources change, so does the way in which written word is communicated. In today’s world, writers can post, inform or provide feedback to others in an immediate and convenient way through online writing. Online writing has become the most widely used way of communicating through the written language. This is not dumbing down the written word language but simply tweaking it.
Salter is passionately argumentative in his blog as he poses the question, “What we call literature, which is really only writing that never stops being read, is part of this. When it relinquishes its place, what is there to substitute for it?” (1999). He is frightened for his comfortable world of “literature.” What Salter has failed to realize is that there are many news ways of communicating that offer an ease and accessibility that was previously not available. The important thing is for effective communicators to hold the bar up for successful and informative information so that our generation does not fail to uphold the level of literacy. After deeply researching and studying communication in the realm of our modern media age, I believe that this can and will be done as we better learn how to engage and interact with online audiences. The level of literacy has not died, it has only adjusted. It is up to our generation to learn how best to adjust with these changes and increase media literacy for generations to come.
Salter, J. (1999, September 13). Once Upon a Time, Literature. Now What?. In NY Times . Retrieved June 9, 2014, fromhttp://www.nytimes.com/library/books/091399salter-writing.html
As a person that enjoys writing as a hobby, it is an interesting concept to consider the idea that writers get their passion for writing through reading others’ work (Salter, 1999). That is actually true for me. Similar to Salter, I learned to love to write because I learned to love to read (1999). I do agree with you, though, that his statement is a very blanket statement that does not necessarily explain every person’s desire to write, though, I would venture to say that it would probably explain a majority of people’s desire to write (Salter, 1999).
ReplyDeleteYour post focused on the idea that reading has changed because of technology, and I completely agree with you. For me, though, this does bring up the question of how do we go about teaching the young generation to love reading, and to understand how to use media literacy? Do you have any thoughts?
References:
Salter, J. (1999, September 13). Once upon a time, literature. Now what? New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/libr