Looking Back and Looking Forward
08 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
in Assignment
Today’s culture consists of technology that has grown exponentially over the past twenty years. With the invention of the internet, content and information is only as far away as a Google search. On the world wide web writing is encompasses the entire visual experience, rather than relying solely on the construction of words and and the format in which they are written.
Writing itself is the expression of thought. It is used to convey an idea. When that idea is supported with sound and visual images the idea can be conveyed with emphasis. The use of multimedia to augment writing has many uses, some of which include increasing interest, and relevancy, and reaching a larger audience.
Some purists frown on using the computer as a writing technology, given the ability for misuse. However, their argument, that writing can be used to mislead and take advantage of people, is an old one that dates back to the beginning of writing. The attempt to stop the use of writing failed terribly.
Writing has continuously evolved since its inception. Originally used to keep track of business transactions, writing morphed into a way to express ideas and persuade others. The invention and accessibility of mass produced writing supplies enabled people all over the world to communicate with one another. Today, technology allows us to convey the same type of information but to millions of viewers at the click of a button.
Although easily produced, publishing content to the internet must be done while exercising caution. Ong (1986) points out that all verbal expression, whether it be writing, print, or an electronic outlet is bound to sound forever. That is, once it is out there, it is out there. There is no bringing it back because even if we hit delete someone else may have already uploaded or forwarded the content somewhere else. The content then becomes viral and takes a life on its own.
On the internet, words are no longer used as stand alones to convey a meaning. On the internet, writing is interactive. Responses from the audience can be used to supplement the writing so that it becomes more of an avenue for discourse rather than a one-way tool that is used to elicit a reaction.
The evolution of writing into a multimedia production took a few thousand years with the largest advancements taking place in the past 20 years. Technology is now moving at a rate where the technology produced today will be replaced by something different in 6 months. From instant messaging to tweeting, writing evolves right along with the technology used to create the writing.
Standing against the evolution of writing will only limit your effectiveness. Broadening the audience base by inserting a music track may seem as though it waters down the message but this is not true. By using a variety of media the writer is able to engage the reader with supportive content, making the writing more meaningful and relevant as ever.
