There can be no real question as to whether or not written communication will continue to be used as an indemniable link between people all over the globe for as long as we as a species continue to exist as sentient beings on this planet. We all know of the new era of communications technology that has taken the world by storm in the last few years, where someone in china can shoot an email out to someone in America, have it translated, and get a reply in less than 15 minutes. Who would have thought that possible but 20 short years ago? We as a species have advanced so far, and will never stop advancing, but there are certain things that we just cannot change, no matter how badly we want to. The use of written word in communication is one of those things that cannot be changed. It is so deeply embedded in everything that we do, from writing the programs that allow you to see what i am writting right now to giving you the ability to pronounce the words that you use every day as well as the ability to expand your vocabulary by learning new ones.
While it is true that new forms of communication will be formulated in the many years to come, the notion that we could simply erase written word from our culture is absolute naivete. Everything we do is based on written language, from the commands the computer is given, creating the images you see on the screen, to formulating the base for the voice communications we use everyday. The idea that text could ever lose its grip over the worlds communications markets is absolutely absurd. creative writing may be dieing, but written text as it pertains to basic day to day communications is not, and will not, become an obsolete tool good only for the gawking of future generations.
Writing itself gave birth to languages, allowed ancient peoples to record their history, and allowed people to communicate with each other through the use of letters instead of your traditional face tp face meeting, and although letters are a rare find these days (minus bills) emails have completely taken there place as the predominate form of interpersonal communications right behind “texting”. Both “texting” and email are revolutions in the way we as a species can communicate, however the use of written text as the base for said communications has not changed at all, it may have changed forms, but the premise and use of written language has remained the same since the dawn of literacy.
We may be able to revolutionize communication,and I fully support exploring our options, but do not be naive enough to think that we can communicate without the written word. Text is to communication as oxygen is to humans, one cannot survive without the other. Text gives life to our day to day communications, as oxygen gives life to our body’s and minds. Just as we cannot supplement oxygen with any other substance, neither can we take the written word from our communications and expect them to thrive, or really even exist at all.
