Saturday, February 13, 2010

More gnashing of teeth about writing (or lack thereof)

Letter writing (in fact, any kind of original writing) is fast becoming (or may already be) a lost art. Writing and answering letters require an investment of your time and, as a consequence, a letter usually contains real thoughts. By contrast, e-mail and texting require little (if any) time or thought. In e-mail and texting, respect for the reader, grammar, spelling, and punctuation are simply discarded - all in the name of expediency.

E-mail is one of several insidious aspects of technology. E-mail offers great mobility and efficiency. However, e-mail lacks the authenticity of handwritten and verbal (face to face) communication. E-mail has been described as a perversion of actual handwritten letters and notes. Thus, we'd have to say text messages and tweeting are a perversion of e-mail.

This is going to become a problem because even though most people are tech savvy, they simply don't know how to write. I don't mean composing something meaningful on their laptops or netbooks - although that, too, is fast becoming a problem - I mean that people literally don't know how to write. Legible cursive handwriting is becoming almost non-existent.

3 comments:

  1. CAPT -- Suggestion -- I remember reading a "tutorial" on how to write a handwritten letter (4 steps I believe) perhaps re-posting that again. I spent a few weekends reading all of your blog and I think it was back in 2008.

    And you are correct sir, my handwriting is awful, my composition of email is probably worse...need to work on all of that!

    V/r Kevin ITCS(SW) Retired

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  2. Mr. Lambert,

    You are a true artist when it comes to the written word. I enjoy receiving your hand written notes. You are correct, it is a dying art and it is a shame. At least YOU are keeping the craft alive.

    Mrs. Wilson

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  3. Thank you Mrs. Wilson. I shall put a card of thanks in the mail to you today.

    Mr. Lambert

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