#5

When asked “do you think about the potential for spreadability in your everyday composing, and if so, how?” the answer is an obvious yes.  In fact, I would argue that the only writing not done with spreadability in mind would be writing in a diary or some other form that is meant for the author’s eyes only.  In today’s culture, the vast majority of writing is done on platforms who’s primary function is to spread the word.  On twitter, all it takes is one simple click and your text is communicated to anyone who is a member of twitter.  The hashtag in itself is a tool of spreadability, as it connects any tweets of the same subject.  Blogs are the same- the author contructs a post in hopes that their followers will read the content and share it to their own audience- and so on and so on.  Even when I consider writing that I have to do, not writing that I choose to do, nearly every platform is used with spreadability in mind.  Take this very journal refelction for instance.  I When I am done with this, I am going to post it on a blog.  Because I am posting to a blog, I am not including personal information that I would not want an audience of somewhat-strangers to read.  Because I am writing this paragraph knowing it will be posted to a blog, I am writing this with spreadability in mind.  Furhtermore, most people these days get pretty excited when a tweet gets a good number of retweets, an instagram gets a good number of likes, or a facebook status gets a lot of likes.  For many, “likes” are a way of measuring success.  And each like is a measure of spreadability.  The term “communication” in itself implies spreadibility.