If you've been following our national discourse lately, the issue of
why Americans don't "read" anymore has been the hot topic.
Everyone seems to have an opinion on this.....who reads and who
doesn't and why....and what it "means" to read.
In the NYT today, there is even more ominous news. Not only don't
most people read anymore, but now even more of them are WRITING!
Apparently, many people are just cutting out the middle man; and
starting on their "first novels" straight away!
My view is that "first novels" should be left mostly unpublished; or
buried deep, near the cross roads, at midnight! That way the reading
public would only have to wade through "second novels," after the
author has, sort of, "got the hang of it."
But, is it really true that people don't read anymore.
I don't think so. Perhaps they are just reading differently now.
For example, a lot of people spend all day staring into a computer
monitor at work.
Now, that's really a form of reading, don't ya think?
Of course, some people are "just looking at the pictures!" AND, WE
KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
Also, the popularity of E-MAIL is surely a form of reading. Prior to
the advent of E-mail most people NEVER WROTE LETTERS AT ALL!
THEY JUST PICKED UP THE PHONE AND CALLED.....almost all communication
was verbal pre-Internet, unless you were trying to create a "paper
trail." (eg. Lawyers, Insurance Companies, etc.)
And, how many times have you wished you could just pick up the phone
and call someone, INSTEAD OF USING THAT DAMN E-MAIL!
SENDING E-MAIL IS KINDA LIKE PRAYING. YOU HOPE SOMEONE IS LISTENING,
BUT YOU CAN NEVER BE SURE.....
Have you ever trying to "phone" E-Bay? Or, even the Beloved Portal,
Yahoo! The Internet can be a FIREWALL AGAINST MEANINGFUL
COMMUNICATION, as well as a means of communicating.
Sometimes the Internet reminds me of an Electronic Yellow Pages, very
impersonal and detached really.
The popularity of BLOGGING is getting a lot of media attention
lately.
And, the NEW SPELLING that the Interent has spawned has got to be
considered a literary phnomenon of some kind. Where else can you
find things like: "Grls! Grls! Grls!" except on the 'Net?
Internet spelling reminds me of those letters written back in the
1600's! It was OK, back then, to make up your own spelling, just so
long as the other person could some how figure what you were trying
to say! NO RULES!
KINDA LIKE THE INTERNET TODAY.
ARE PEOPLE READING LESS NOW? WHO KNOWS?
BUT THE INTERNET HAS TAKEN DOWN THE BARBED WIRE;
ALL OF THE "GATE KEEPERS" ARE GONE NOW. Maybe that's why the
publishers of writing and music are so pissed off?
WE ARE LIVING IN A "FREE RANGE STATE" WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING AND
READING NOW.
NEW WRITING. NEW READING. NEW SPELLING. IT'S ALL DIFFERENT NOW.
IT'S ALL NEW.
Postscript: Krugman in the NYT was particularly good today. Will
Grandma Millie be "unleashed" against the Republicans this
November? Stay tuned.................
