Growing up as a child aren't we constantly asking questions about the way the world works? Why is the sky blue? How big is Montana? This is what makes childhood such a wonderful: the unrelenting thirst for knowledge. We ask questions and question everything that is ever put before us. But is there a point in our development that we just stop asking questions about the world and just accept what is presented whether or not it is factual? Our society is totally fixated on verifiable fact to the point that when something comes along and cannot be measured, catalogued, and put on a shelf or in book is not real, it is trick of the eye, an illusion.
Theories are only theories, they are not fact. There very few scientific laws and the rest are incredibly researched, experimented, and retested observations. The smallest of details can completely change a scientific theory so that raises the question of whether or not we should question science? Yes, yes of course I would hope so for the sake of the future. Nothing is set in stone. Progress is not created if we constantly question our foundations of science but there are certain points that would be a waste of time to question. Any child who was fallen off of a bicycle knows pains of gravity. But what can happen when we solely absorb and agree with all that is presented to us?
George Orwell knew what would happen and he wrote '1984' to show what a terrible place would be without thought, but we like the illusion. We like comfort and we demand it, if anything ever steps of our circle of comfort all hell breaks loose. This world cannot base itself off of scientific theories alone our personal perceptions of the world do play a role. An acknowledgment of both worlds is key. There is no truth. Time doesn't even exist. It is simply a concept that we invented to understand the world around us. Personal truth should be just as equally valued as scientific understanding. As infinite as the Universe is said to be what we do does not matter in relation to the rest of everything else. If searching for a greater truth completes a person then so be it, live life for the pursuit of knowledge. If spending time with the kids makes the most sense and neglecting what the rest of the world holds to be true then live long and prosper.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Something's Amiss with Writing Myths
With the advent of the vast and ever-growing internet writing has taken a definite turn toward the everyday usage. As Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media grow popularity writing one's thoughts have become a second to second ordeal. Our society is progressing into a world that is constantly calculated, quantified, and recorded; a dystopian future might be in our midst where what we say could be rearranged or deleted to fit into the plans of 'Big Brother' or the world might someday accomplish complete literacy in all cultures, which would just advance us a step in our mark on this planet's history. Whether the writings that all these cultures create be good or bad the writings are still good because all writing is a process of evolution.
The fact remains that there were always be 'bad' writing, there always has been, no matter how many people can and write. There will always be useless information floating out there in writing form that really serves no purpose. One, I suppose, could argue the definition of 'bad' writing and going along with my idea of the evolution of writing in an upcoming literate culture the writing will start out great, to that culture, but through the years of evolution of the writing the culture will look back and consider their first writings as 'bad' writings.
Writing myths are a mental block that thwart potential writers, which can be anyone, from developing their writings any further. The myth that writing is just good speech put down on paper is totally false because if one were to take any poem and use it as a speech it would make either A) absolutely no sense or B) confuse the audience, which is exactly the opposite of what the ideals that speech is supposed to accomplish. Along with this multimedia and social media craze this myth should die; it should've died years ago long before the internet. It should have never existed. Writing is some much more than persuasion, it is emotional and informative.
If we want to help dissolve this myth and other myths of writing it is evident that we must teach what writing is really is about. If these myths still exist that means somehow somewhere we are teaching these false ideals, find those and we solve the problem.
The fact remains that there were always be 'bad' writing, there always has been, no matter how many people can and write. There will always be useless information floating out there in writing form that really serves no purpose. One, I suppose, could argue the definition of 'bad' writing and going along with my idea of the evolution of writing in an upcoming literate culture the writing will start out great, to that culture, but through the years of evolution of the writing the culture will look back and consider their first writings as 'bad' writings.
Writing myths are a mental block that thwart potential writers, which can be anyone, from developing their writings any further. The myth that writing is just good speech put down on paper is totally false because if one were to take any poem and use it as a speech it would make either A) absolutely no sense or B) confuse the audience, which is exactly the opposite of what the ideals that speech is supposed to accomplish. Along with this multimedia and social media craze this myth should die; it should've died years ago long before the internet. It should have never existed. Writing is some much more than persuasion, it is emotional and informative.
If we want to help dissolve this myth and other myths of writing it is evident that we must teach what writing is really is about. If these myths still exist that means somehow somewhere we are teaching these false ideals, find those and we solve the problem.
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