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Subject:Re: Faster than the speed of morph... From:Mark Levinson <mark -at- SD -dot- CO -dot- IL> Date:Fri, 1 Dec 1995 12:02:50 IST
Another participant, in his early 20s I think, stated that for his generation
the printed word really wasn't very effective anymore, and that multimedia
was a quicker way to share information."
** Underlying the whippersnapper's point is a constant redefinition of
what information we want to share. True, multimedia's not a great
way to absorb _Moby Dick_, but maybe the next generation will consign
_Moby Dick_ to the specialists, as we consign Ovid. Anyone remember
the discussion of whether or not a writer should be able to count
on a reader to recognize "the most unkindest cut" as a quotation
from Shakespeare?
As McLuhan said, "We shape our tools, and then our tools shape us."
The habit of reading taught us a very effective way of thinking, but
reading is in decline and new habits are developing instead. For
some purposes, they are more effective. For the overall progress of
humanity, who knows?
Mark L.
