Why/What is destroying Language

[CasperTFG]

I think the ease of creating, modifying and transfering data is what is destroying language.

In the days before correction fluid, If you made a mistake typing a letter, you started over. Therefore would also make sure you were writting the proper thing in the first place. Thought was actually put into what was typed or written down.

If anyone has ever used a telex machine you know exactly what I mean. If you made one incorrect key stroke, you would have to go back to the begining.

Our own impatients is also destroying language. Many of us would agree that we would rather read a simple to the point paragraph than a long winded essay on it.

The ease of transfering data also makes us sloppy. Today we can send out a message, then make a correction and send it again. Change our mind and adjust it again. All of this can be done and sent in a matter of minutes. If this was all going through letter carrier it could drag on for a month.

Today I got a perfect example of this. I sent a purchase order out. The company replied back to me that I priced an item in USD rather than CDN. I made the adjustment and sent it again. They replied with an invoice, on the invoice I noticed they wrote down an incorrect hardware extension.

All of this back and forth resending via fax, lasted a total of about an hour. If there was no email or fax, then this process would have gone on for months and I probably would have made sure everyone had the right information to begin with to avoid all of this.

The attitiude today is get it done and out the door. If something needs to be changed or fixed it can be changed then.

Just my thoughts.



Casper

There is room for all of gods creatures, "Right Beside the Mashed Potatoes".

 

[Stella740pl]

Dimandja,

I can argue with some of your points, and agree with some others, but I can sign under each word in this phrase:

"Exams at my former schools were not idiotic multiple choices questions. You actually had to think long and hard in order to answer the questions."

 

[ngkatsaras]

Is it possible to turn on timestamps? I can see the date of posts, but not the time. If so, please tell me how. Thanks.

 

[Dimandja]

If they let their best technology out, it would wreak havock on society and people couldn't adjust to the rapid changes it would bring.

If we can adjust to Microsoft frequent and haphazard software updates, we can handle anything.

 

[sleipnir214]

ngkatsaras:
Only dates of posts are available on this site.


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[Chance1234]

Just re-reading through these post again, i would like to add another two pence into the fire.

"A Bad workmen blames his tools"




Chance,

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[entaroadun]

I would tend to agree. I don't think the computer is to blame for letting us get away with slacking off. The responsibility lies in the person slacking off.

Like I said in an earlier post in this thread, a high level of precision and attention to detail is good, but it comes at a price. I'd rather have systems and processes that are more forgiving than less. From a society's standpoint, the total cost of screwing up is lower.

We could return to a time of Victorian discipline and be precise and proper in everything we do. But the social and psychological cost would be too great.

 

[Dimandja]

Why should we have to pick between one extreme or another?

It is not too much to ask that one picks up minimal reading and writing skills, or that one pays attention to what one is doing. Nobody asked that everyone had to become another Shakespeare.

It also goes whithout saying that we need and want more and more technology.

The problem I see is when we rely almost exclusively on machines to do our thinking.

I was saying somewhere around here that the biggest scare of Y2K was not really that computers would fail; it was that hamburger joints - among other businesses - would have to close down because their employees had no idea how to go about figuring out the total bill.

 

[entaroadun]

I agree that it's a compromise. That's why I'm not concerned with our collective attention to detail slipping a little bit. As long as we have the tools and processes to recover from mistakes gracefully, why does it matter?

Of course, if you are a total space cadet, no amount of technology can help you.

Why does it go without saying that we need and want more technology? Many societies choose to reject it. It is a lifestyle choice that a society makes. It is not natural law.

I disagree that we rely on machines to do our thinking. Is the ability to make change without a machine 'thinking'? Is a person who can't spell properly stupid? There are many brilliant people with no attention to detail. Once, Isaac Newton was walking his horse with the reins in hand; the horse got free and walked away. Newton didn't notice for 15 minutes.

 

[CasperTFG]

This thread has gotten so scewed (r ommited).

Let's stick to this. Would we be so lazy if technology wasn't there to allow us to correct our mistakes?

Casper

There is room for all of gods creatures, "Right Beside the Mashed Potatoes".

 

[Dimandja]

There are many brilliant people with no attention to detail. Once, Isaac Newton was walking his horse with the reins in hand; the horse got free and walked away. Newton didn't notice for 15 minutes.

This is a commendable thing?

Some technology - like TV - has made many bellies very soft - overweight. Imagine seating in front of the tube all day except for trips to the frige and the bathroom. Some other technology - like Video games - has turned teens into antisocial creatures. I literally have to pry the teens under my care from the PC - screaming and kicking - to put them out for some fresh air.

Technology is good, but I'm afraid we are not prepared to properly manage much of it.

As for societies that reject technology, what can I say? Some industrialized societies are into burning books, and still some are busy confusing religion and science. There are fools everywhere. A chacun son gout. Vive la difference.

 

[ngkatsaras]

How could we even have this forum without the Internet and computers? I remember the early BBS (Bulletin Board Systems) where everybody had to dial in with a modem line and those systems could only support a handful of simultaneous connections at a time, most only allowed a single connection.. dial-up, read the posts, submit a post or two, disconnect to allow someone else to connct.
Just imagine if we had to use a fax machine? I for one, wouldn't waste my time! But this is so easy and convenient that it just takes the time to type (minimal) and click "submit post", then BAM, it's there for all the world to read. That's a very powerful technology when you stop to think about it for a moment. One that DID NOT EXIST until only a few years ago. I view this as PROGRESS!

 

[sleipnir214]

Dimandja:
I don't know if forgetting about that horse is commendable. But if Newton were busy in that quarter hour examining the insights that led him to inventing calculus, I think his behavior is at least forgivable. Our priorities are not his.

I think Chance1234 hit the nail on the head. It's easy to blame technology for turning teens into antisocial creatures -- but unless I'm mistaken, they always have been. Particularly, according to the teachers in my school system, the early teen years.


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TANSTAAFL!!

 

[CajunCenturion]

I think it is time to put an end to this thread. It has reached a length that makes it unwieldly and cumbersome to follow and participate, especially for those who have slower internet connections.

Let's continue this in new thread(s).
CasperTFG has a good idea for one new thread.

Good Luck
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