From then to now....

Walter J. Ong discusses the different aspects of writing in chapter four. Ong writes about Plato, Writing and Computers and brings up excellent points and comparisons in doing so. He begins by comparing Plato to the art of writing and then comparing our society to computers. Ong explains that Plato was concerned that writing would only weaken the mind; it would do more harm than good. Ong goes further into detail by comparing what many people have worried today, which is the calculator. Does this do more harm than good? Since we are having a computer do the work for us we are only weakening ourselves in not being able to compute numbers without the device. Which is exactly how Plato saw the progression of writing. Ong states, “Plato Socrates also holds it against writing that the written word cannot defend itself as the natural spoken word can…”(78). Ong wrote that if he asked someone a question that person can easily explain their answer to you, but if what you had said was written you don’t get any more information from it then what is already written.

In some ways I do see Plato’s thoughts and what I think is fears…Many older groups of people feel the same with the calculator, the computer, or even typing on a computer! In my mind I’m wondering when is paper and pencil going to be non-existent in our world. Where everything we do is on a screen? Ong goes further into his writing by explaining that Plato saw writing as a technology, just like many of us see our new gadgets of cell phones and computers. Ong states, “Because we have by today so deeply interiorized writing, made it so much a part of ourselves, as Plato’s age had not yet made it fully a part of itself…”(80). When reading this, I can’t see writing or computers not in our everyday lives. It would be difficult for us to do so, as I’ve mentioned its everywhere we go or do!

While reading the chapter Ong brings up some many valid points, and examples. He states, “People had to be persuaded that writing improved the old oral methods sufficiently to warrant all the expense and troublesome techniques it involved. Before the use of documents, collective oral testimony was commonly used to establish, for example, the age of feudal heirs”(95). Ong gives a brief example of men having to provide an oral testimony, but there testimony was off of memory of what they heard from others and others before them. We can’t always go off of our memory, and that’s why writing, is such a great tool to possess. Documentation is the best tool for memorization and for us to remember things that need to be taken into account. I believe the same with computers; such a great tool for us to have, my only fear is that we depend too much on these technologies. Which I believe is something that the older generation is fearful of as well. And it’s true; when we depend so much on computers and technologies what are we here for anyways? When are “robots” going to rule? Because time and time again….we see that computers always do it better…if we allow them to that is.