Blog #1 - A Better Pencil (aka A long rant about technophobes)

This novel is an interesting read, while Ong seem to mainly focus on orality (at least that's what I've perceived), Baron's book is on literacy. His in-depth observations really shed some light on things I've never paid much attention to. For example, he explains the nature of humans and their tendency to rely on literature. He tells us how we see text as the truth and how it has shifted from oral to literacy in the aspect that it's easier nowadays to learn. He makes a point saying that everything important to us is mainly recorded in text.

We have books holding our "sacred texts", our laws are written down, and IOU's are too, and so forth. What this shows is that as humans, we will more than likely make mistakes through words. For an example, I for one, enjoy retelling stories of events in my day, if they are memorable enough. However, I tend to say, "I'm not sure how it went, but..." My memory is not exact when I tell the story to someone. But if I had recorded the words said, as they have happened, I could have told the specifics to my audience. It could have supported my words or even improved my storytelling. Baron also makes a point about how writing is everywhere, and not only in the form of books or stories, but just information (whether it is actually true or not). Our food packaging tells us the ingredients that make up the food, and how it might be "yummy" and "beneficial". It gives us information in text, so we tend to believe in them. It's a form of trust, even if it is a corporation out for your money, they have some form of authority and possibly knowledge that we don't have.

In a later segment, Baron touches on how computers have people who enjoy their capabilities, and also they have enemies. Technophobes, they are called. People who live by the fear that computers will destroy the life of books, corrupt writers, encouraging self-published authors. And other fears too.

I have strong feelings about these people, honestly. Not positive ones. They live in a world that constitutes that their world is the one we all should live in. Think of Sale's tale to Wired. Wired is a magazine. Magazines are typically written by computers and contact people, most likely through means of technology. Sale's audience, how did they find out about him in the first place? Was it truly all through the word of mouth. Did Sale use flyers or newspapers, or even the internet to advertise him lecture to people? If it was indeed through the word of mouth, then that is impressive. However, flyers are created through technology. Unless Sale's did all of them by hand. Why be so afraid of something that creates a convenience for society. 

Also, his world is certainly very narrow. I have a family that enjoys computers very much. My father, uncle, and even my old grandpa, find it fascinating to learn its language, its components, and anatomy. They even have hobbies of tinkering with them. However there is a side that really makes my point.

My mother came to the United States with my dad's family. Guess what? She has absolutely no family residing in the US. She left them all behind in Taiwan. How does she communicate with them? Letters? No, that is too expensive. Flying on a regular basis to talk face-to-face? No, a round trip ticket to Taiwan is already $1,000. Emails, phone calls, wireless chats, video calling, these are all so easily accessed at a cheap price. Would Sales argue that putting a price on family worthy of destroying technology? Technophobes do not understand beyond their own lifestyles, making assumptions that technology is unhelpful and toxic to the world. The world is beyond traveling on old-timey boats and the Wright brothers' archaic planes. Does he drive a car only made in an assembly line with no technology and drafting designers working solely by hand? Does he travel and fly in planes guided by computers to ensure he doesn't die in an accident?

Now, to address his phobia on self-published writing. Sales seem to vouch for the fact that writing and literacy is encompassed, and to him, rightfully so, people who have money and are of a certain age to do so. Trust should not be limited to that. He seems to have little faith in humanity. A 14 year old girl may be using computers and the internet to write her stories and thoughts to people who can share her writing. Validation of a human's capability of literacy should not be limited to if she could go off and publish her writing and share to a limited audience. She could share in a forum that specifically caters to her topic and with people who understand.

Technophobes make me sad, how something so amazing such as technology becomes something to fear, especially on narrow assumptions. Paranoia and quick judgement with little thought of the world beyond one's biased thoughts truly makes a fool out of technophobes. Am I being too critical or judgmental? I may be. But at-least I take in consideration people's experiences that can be shared easily and side with humanity. Most people do not have privileges that Sales seem to revel in. But they all have stories just as valid as a published novel. They all have a voice and it may not make sound, but it still speaks; and it's just as loud as Sales' sledgehammer.