Writing,
technology, and circulation are all directly connected by a common goal: To
produce, share, and spread information far and wide. The conventional sense of “technology”
may suggest for people to consider more modern ideas, specifically in the
digital realm, like computers, tablets, cell phones, etc., but in all
actuality, writing can just as easily be considered a form of technology.
Humanity progressed through the original form of communication – oral speech–
to a more advanced form of intelligent conversation – written language. Without
the discovery and invention of specific writing tools and utensils, the
technology of writing itself would have never come to exist. While we should
consider writing as a form of tech, we should also recognize its uniqueness in its
integration with other types of technologies. Writing exists in many forms –
cave drawings, record keeping, handwriting, print, etc. – and is now accepted
as an essential aspect to digital technologies as well. In the modern age, it
is likely close to impossible to encounter any form of computer or laptop that doesn’t feature some form of word
processing system. Furthermore, we cannot avoid the use of writing in almost
all internet applications.
Circulation,
while not considered a technology, is a critical aspect of the sharing of
information. This is an undeniable fact of our modern world, especially in
regards to the power of social media sites. Information (and writing) is
circulated at faster rates than ever before through the use of the internet. Regardless
of our modern technology, circulation has always been an integral aspect to the
spreading of information. In her academic essay entitled, “We are the Web,”
Margaretta Jolly discusses the importance of the circulation of letters to the
Women’s Peace Movement of the 1980s. The letters were essential for the sharing
of information regarding the major movement.
Altogether,
writing, technology, and circulation should not be analyzed as entirely
separate components when discussing the overall ideas of information and
communication amongst a large group of people. Writing, without the help of
circulation, would generally remain unseen or unaffected by the masses it is
usually attempting to reach.
No comments:
Post a Comment