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Column
Text messaging and Internet addiction can be harmful to creativity and art, but not in the way most people think
Date published: 5/8/2008
RECENTLY, it! received a press release advertis- ing a book called "K.I.S.S. Keep It Short and Simple" by Jacquie Ream. The book apparently helps with writing skills and is aimed at teens.
The attention-grabber that this particular press release uses to harness the interest of readers is a plug about how text messaging, e-mailing and the Internet in general are destroying the linguistic skills of potentially great authors. I completely agree with Ream's conclusion, but for entirely different reasons.
The aspect of Internet and phone writing that is attacked in the press release is the use of slang. I do not really see this as a big problem. First of all, thanks to the invention of programs like iTAP, it is a lot faster to text using full words rather than abbreviations like "ur" for "your." With this technology, you simply press each number button containing the appropriate letter once--instead of four times for the letter S, etc.--and the phone figures out the word you are trying to spell. And fancy new phones have keyboards to make texting go much faster.
Secondly, I don't think that slang of any kind is a rape of the English language. I consider myself a pretty intelligent individual, with aspirations in the literary world; but I definitely use terms like "dawg" and phrases like "Hit me up about that later." Obviously, I still know how to say "my friend" and "Could you call me later? I am indisposed."
But sometimes, it is just more fun to use slang. And some slang actually makes one sound intelligent. Take "crucial," for example. While the overuse of this word may anger some adults, people are actually using it correctly. In the sentence "This book is crucial," one is making an exaggerated positive statement that the book he is reading is so good that it is necessary for one's very survival.
What does grind my gears about texting and being glued to a computer screen all the time is that, when people can have that kind of instant gratification, it takes away from creativity. Many expressive people carry a notebook or sketchbook around with them to draw or write in when they are bored, or when inspiration hits. However, inspiration will not hit--and you will not get bored--if you are constantly entertained by an iPhone.
I am willing to bet a lot of money that fewer people carry around a little notebook full of ideas with them, now that all of these things are available 24/7 at the touch of a button.
Date published: 5/8/2008
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