Journal 6 Lizzy Sellers

Molz gave examples of how mobility has been a factor in writing through different cultures throughout history, through the use of stone tablets, pads, papyrus etc. Mobility was never a serious issue in history, maybe except cave writings or the like. The thing that really changed was the practicality and the overall ease of mobility in writing. Today, we have phones, laptops, tablets (the Apple kind), and even the simplicity of notebooks and fountain pens (no more quills for us.) Modern technologies have been able to advance the way humans are able to write at all and this in turn effects what we write. We have the ability to document basically any thought that we have, through Facebook, Twitter, or even just regular journaling. We no longer have to go through the process of putting a stylus or some sort of sharp object to a limestone tablet to painstakingly engrave our thoughts, or go through the trouble of dragging a quill and ink jar that would probably spill everywhere anyway just to write down our thoughts that we feel are too important to leave unwritten. Now, we have so much freedom of writing whenever and whatever we want, we can document any conjecture we have, no matter whether the idea is good, bad, or terrible. We had to create laws that allow for people to say what they want when they want because writing and speaking our minds has become such a commonality that it often results in oversharing of opinions, lines drawn in the sand, and conflict that arises through disagreement in beliefs. This is because the process of writing has become just that easy thanks to the increase in mobility of our writing outlets. Communication is simple now, a text can reach a loved one a million miles away in under 10 seconds, an email can confirm a meeting or appointment in the click of a mouse. Mobility highlights the importance of communication between people and makes it easier than ever to spread thoughts, beliefs, and ideas to a much larger audience. When writing was on a stone tablet, only the people with the physical tablet itself could read it. Now, a text can be sent, forwarded, screenshotted, and shared on multiple outlets to reach a massive audience.