Post
by cynik » Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:38 am
And look what happened to them.
I think there must be a distinction between the skill of writing, and the facility to furnish writing with content.
Though the two interact, I doubt that any practical skill, such as carpentry, plumbing or writing, can advance without hours spent on the tools of that trade, whatever the tools might be for that era.
I have noticed that often people with good ideas, or access to rare information, are possessed by the illusion that they can write well. They seem overcome by the value of the information, and disregard the possibility that, without a practical skill, the knowledge is stuck inside their minds.
Given that the way we value information is inherently based on our personal preferences and prejudice, it follows that the skill in divulging the information matters a great deal when attempting to sway others to share our prejudice. The aim of most communication is not so much to inform, but rather to convince. Granted, this is not always the case, but most often in life we seek allies to our cause, rather than merely seeking to improve others with raw knowledge.
And I would submit that the practical skill of writing, the correct use of grammar and the select use of terminology, is more useful, when seeking to convince adversaries, than access to special facts.
After all, what is history but a fable agreed upon?
And so I would beware people who claim that technology renders the art of writing redundant. Such people, I suspect, pride themselves on facts, and the privileged access to facts, which render them superior to their fellows. Academics, surrounded by their books and theories, are the classic case. Police are another group, as are doctors, and men of science generally.
Such people dismiss the art involved in the practical trade of communication, and they spend their lives trying to account for the fluency of musicians, poets and competent lawyers as though the skill of writing were the product of blind luck, and not diligent practice.
I put it to you all that any casual oaf can show a woman his bank account details. It takes an exceptional man to convince her that it doesn't matter what the numbers say.
