Write to Learn; Slow, Steady, Sure

Read this, by Dan Primack, via my delicious network link sharing with Ben Casnocha

The End of Writing

“Tim Draper delivered the opening keynote at today’s Wharton Private Equity Conference, and spent a lot of time discussing the transformative power of new technology. One comment that stood out was about writing, and the idea that it could become antiquated within just another generation or two.”

“What would replace it? Video.”

“Draper argued that the act/art of writing became pervasive because it was the most convenient and commonly-accessible way for people to communicate ideas without having physical contact (both 1-to-1 and 1-to-Many). But today, he believes, video is beginning to become more convenient among younger people. Once it also can become more commonly accessible (i.e., affordable, mobile, etc.), it could become the communication medium of choice.”

The way I see it, video significantly adds to our choices – just as podcasting does – but as a near-total replacement to writing? I don’t think so.

Easy and convenient is not necessarily best.

Composing the written word comes with powerful self-made magic. It’s an example of when slower and simpler on purpose is a very good thing, one of thinking and deliberation versus spontaneity and quick capture. There’s both tactile pleasure, and this all-me certainty inherent with writing, and the key? We learn as we do it in the way the process is prolonged and savored on purpose.

Still, I’m not that quick to totally dismiss Tim Draper’s suggestion from the standpoint of how we need to keep learning connections intact, no matter what wizardry technology cooks up next, if we are to continually mentor new generations of lifelong learners. That’s why JJL is here!

What do you think?

What has been the difference when you consider what you may have learned from the writing process versus another process?

Shout Out! Tim, I would love to hear your take on this, since you are mentor extraordinaire!
“Tim Milburn is the author of studentlinc - a website dedicated to developing lifelong leaders one student at a time. He loves learning through new technology and learning how to best use technology to learn...which is not the same thing.”

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Post Author; Rosa Say.
Writing has always been a huge part of Rosa’s life, thus her strong opinions about its’ value! Her handwritten journals pre-dated all her electronic writing tools, have stayed the course alongside them, and will most certainly post-date them too.

Rosa also writes at Talking Story, Managing with Aloha, and Lifehack.org, but the writing about her learning journey will get posted right here!

Also here, and somewhat related to this; Learning Through Blog Forums
First post for 2007 (by Rosa); The Year of the Joyful Learner

Comments

[Steve Sherlock]

Interesting question Rosa. The pen and keyboard allow for the thought process to work its way out. Sure, you can re-record the audio or video. Or work with a script to start with. I think the key is the amount of time you take to prepare your thought before you express it.

A phone call is great for one-to-one conversations, a video camera to view the person in the same one-to-one conversation allows the full range of the physical expressions to become part of the conversation. I think video phones will become prevalent sometime in our life.

[Rosa Say]

Steve I agree that the availability of video phones will most likely be prevalent, but I still wonder how quick we'll be to use them. I can more readily see how they can be used in a business or other professional setting, however personally we value our privacy so much.

Working from home a lot, I have to say it's a wonderful luxury to dress down and still allow voice only to portray more professionalism!

As for the writing part of this, you said very succinctly what took me a whole paragraph! "The pen and keyboard allow for the thought process to work its way out."

[Steve Sherlock]

Rosa, how soon? Hard to say, some of it is here. Did you see Seth Godin's vision of web 4.0 (yes, he goes way past web 2.0!)

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/01/web4.html

He describes an integration of devices into life that on the one hand is scary (yes, the kimono will be open) and on the other hand is both possible and enhanced.

[Glenn (Customer Service Experience) Ross]

Wasn't TV supposed to kill radio?

Now, video may eat up some of writing's market share, I won't dispute that. But replace it, I disagree.

But I'd like to see this discussion continued.

Regards,

Glenn

[Rosa Say]

Aloha Glenn, mahalo for stopping by. Your comparison to TV and radio goes to show we can have both, and I love looking at this from the view of abundance!

Steve, thank you for sharing the link. Godin does a wonderful job opening our minds to the possibilities, doesn’t he? It will take some writing my way through it to digest :-) and not get stuck on two words still: Choice and Privacy. Despite possibility and availability, the almighty consumer gets to choose – and we exercise that right. Godin may have a point that total “privacy is an illusion,” but in the examples he shares he still illustrates that we don’t voluntarily or knowingly give it up.

[Blaine Collins]

Interesting topic Rosa.

I think Steve hits on a key point in his comment about working from a script. Videos from impromptu scenes are sometimes entertaining and dynamic, but the best video is usually (not always) preplanned and scripted. To me, that means that advance thinking and writing about a presentation will still be needed and valued, even if the primary medium is video.

I do think video has a certain ease and appeal for many people who just don't get into reading, much less writing. Interesting though that one of the largest phenomenons of the cellular era is "texting", in which millions are choosing to write to each other on devices that would easily allow them to talk.

[tim]

It seems to me from Tim Draper's comment above (I don't have it in it's full context) that he only has room for one or two arrows in his quiver.

From my perspective, video won't replace writing, but it certainly enhances it...allows it to come to life in a new way. I see video as simply another arrow in a quiver full of communication techniques, practices, and mediums.

Isn't it interesting that much of video and audio files today continue to be transcribed? The written word isn't antiquated..if anything, it's just starting to catch it's second wind. Since the invention of the printing press, the written word has become accessible to almost everyone. With the invention of the virtual printing press (i.e., internet), writing will continue to evolve in it's use. But it won't simply go away in place of video.

Reading & writing engages creativity, critical thinking, and the imagination in a way video cannot. This was proven to me again when I recently took my son to see the movie, Eragon. He had read the book prior to seeing the movie. When we left the theatre, he was disappointed. The book had been a much better experience for him and the movie seemed to miss the mental images (and much of the book's original plotline) that he had envisioned as he read the book.

I don't believe that video will become the communication medium of choice, but rather one of the choices. Before we wrote down words, we communicated through images. Has that medium disappeared?

[Greg Balanko-Dickson]

I love the discussion here, thanks for initiating Rosa. As the author of two books, three podcasts, and experimented with video I want to share a perspective on what is involved from a production standpoint.

Bottom Line: video is a lot more work to do well. To present a professional image via video takes writing, creativity, and a strong visual presence. It also takes a lot longer to produce a finished product.

I have been able to refine my Podcast production time down substantially and if I put a year of experimenting (like I did with podcasting) into it, I am sure that the total time would be reduced substantially.

However, I liken being present to produce a video as going on stage to speak to a group of people - it takes a lot more energy to really connect with the audience. Which might be due to the fact that I am quiet, reflective person who enjoys his quiet time.Whereas, a vibrant, outgoing, and gregarious person would find it a lot easier to do a video - although without a script not sure how valuable the content would be.

Writing has changed my life. The process of organizing my thoughts, editing to make a cogent point, and sharing it with the world has spurred a great deal of personal growth.

I agree Rosa, dressing down when home and using our voice (audio) to present a professional image is great.

Lastly, nothing will or can replace the written word except new expressions of the written word i.e. blogging etc.

Everything we do, think, and become comes from the word. Every conscious thought is a word. Every action we take is birthed from the word. Powerful.

[Phil Gerbyshak]

I think writing is often a more solitary form of communication, and thus will never go away, and will assuredly not be replaced by video. Would you be comfortable re-watching your inner most thoughts and feelings on your TV, as you are reviewing your writings? I sure am not.

As Greg said, videos are more work, and I agree, especially if they are done right.

I think there's room for multiple mediums, and writing is here to stay, even if there's a way to suck the thoughts right out of our head. We will always want to organize, re-organize, modify, and delete our writings to make them better.