I read this this evening on "The Daily Beast" a top rated blog in blogosphere. What it made me realize is how far we've come from the days of honoring -- and honing -- the art of speech, for the purpose of actually communicating to each other. What has happened to one on one, in person, face to face dialogue? Aspiring to eloquently turn a phrase and elicit a reaction? A smile? A tear? A heartfelt moment? A connection?
The late WIlliam Safire, who, from 1979 until his death in 2009, wrote "On Language" for the NY TImes Magazine, a column I religiously followed and enjoyed. It explored trends, delved into the origins and meanings of words and phrases and kept smiles on his devoted Lexicographic followers every weekend. Boy do I miss him.
I think he would agree that it is the art of connection that is being lost. For all the hundreds of "followers" one amasses, how many true connections are being made? Through our new preponderance of tweeting, texting, messaging, blogging, we are losing the art of the spoken word. And it's a shame.
I miss Spalding Gray. Thank god for Garrison Keillor!
ReplyDeletei shared this with a friend of mine and this is his response:
ReplyDelete"Thanks for sharing. I know the rant.
I don’t think it’s either-or. I think I’ve gotten to know and interact with more people in meat world (non-cyber “real life”) since getting on FB almost a year ago. And I’ve probably honed my communication / language skills. But people who aren’t into FB find justifications."
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19 years ago when i got my first computer there were very few people on them. The response i would get is "What's wrong with you" referring to the widely held belief that we were losing something. What my experience was that i was connecting with the most interesting people all over the world including a renowned physicist (on par with Steven Hawkings) with whom i am still connected today. He lives in the Ukraine.
There is no question that this is very different and i was actually , at first, agreeing with you, Karen until i remembered my experience from so many years ago when the majority thought there was something wrong with the computer involvement.
We used to have a group that met on the computer for coffee every morning. We then had gatherings where people came from all over to meet, talk and share!! People came from Canada, the US and once from Europe.
What a unique opportunity for connection!
Well I am cewrtianbloy not saying there is anything wrong with computers, Internet connections or social blogging. (Obviously-- this is coming to you directly from blogger!) What I am saying is that generations that follow, although certianly possessing pliable, nimble fingers and abilities to multi-task far beyond what we could even imagine, are sorely lacking in the art of verbal communication.
ReplyDeleteHow many times have you heard a teen say he's just "talked" to someone? Guarantee they say "talk" when they mean "text" "email" or IM.
It's definitely not an "either or" thing. It's just sad that actual speech is no longer "en vogue."