In The Last 200 Years, How Much Has The Written Word Has Changed?
How Humanity Has Embraced a Brave New World
George Orwell had infamous prediction about the years to come. An apocalypse is silently lurking in the back door while we were happy celebrating that we were able to avoid cultural and political tyranny.
Please allow me to share with you what 1984 looked like. The Cold War was ending in 1984. Ronald Reagan will be know in the entire world and in the next 10 years to come as the man who has put a stop in Soviet Union and the man responsible for putting the wall of Berlin down.
We do not know about this anymore right now. The current president is a celebrity. The TV become the leader of the world today and entertainment has fully replaced the discourse of the public. American rarely give importance to the written word in their daily lives.
Usually, if it does not entertain you, it is presumed to be not interesting.
We have landed in a Nreave New World even if we have avoided the 1984, claimed the book of Mr. Neil Postman, an American Communications philosopher. It will be shown in the next few line how the apocalypse has change the written word today.
The Written Word and it’s Celebrity status
Long time ago, before telegraph was invented, the word was tiny. Long time ago, people only used the written word to reach the outer world.
Yes, you may read the news to know what happened to the world. The newspaper may show you what really happened to the world months before but it is already history.
It is the books that you will find knowledge. In the 18th and 19th century, knowledge was the only thing that was worthy of the hard work and pursuit. Writing books will make you famous. During those times, if you want to be famous, you will write books.
It makes me envious of those who had written and published their work in the 18th and 19th century as I am an author myself. Mark Twain could have the traveled the world and speak in various events through writing. Because of writing, he has become rich and prospered in many things.
Nowadays, you will not get as much much popularity and money as you would not like to TV stars you see in the TV, it has already deviated. You will be known by your intellect if you got famous through your books.
Your looks will not matter and people do not care for as long as you write books and got famous for it. Your stature in life will not matter because only your books will define you.
Only logic prevailed in those times. If you did not have a difficult argument, you will only get laughed out in the senate or the White House. A long argument will excuse you from being bullied in the Senate or the White House.