Comments on: Free Culture and the Undead Art of Writing on the Web

By: CrazyDreamer

CrazyDreamer — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:43:35 +0000

Very interesting. I think that I’ll take a look through the rest of your archives as well, even if you don’t seem to post here anymore.

By: Mariyam Ahmed

Mariyam Ahmed — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 19:42:12 +0000

yes exactly. I love what you are saying and i love how this site looks. Am in a hurry but i am going to settle down later and browse. thanks

By: James Smythe

James Smythe — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:49:57 +0000

Fascinating article, and the book sounds great. I always argue (mainly talking about fiction on the web) that it’s the lack of editorial control or influence that drives quality down, and I think this holds true when talking about ‘quality’ articles, reviews, interviews etc as well. For the majority of websites I visit I am struck by this odd feeling — and it’s a feeling that hits me in day to day life as well, at the office, say — that just because somebody has either an A-level (or equivalent) in English or a degree of any description they think that they can write something passionate and/or meaningful and/or worth my time to read. And, most of the time they can’t.

With fiction, this has gotten to a state of disaster: the most widely read fictional blogs, for example, or some nominees for the Blooker prize, for example, show a disasterous lack of talent. If you google Fictional Blogs, some of the first actual pieces of fiction that you stumble across may be enough to drive you away from reading fiction on the net for life.

By: Lemius

Lemius — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 20:49:50 +0000

I want to believe in the … potential of posterity as well. But I myself am probably the only semi-well read individual of my graduating class. I meet people may age every other day and most do not read. Most of their parents don’t read. So there goes the cultural heritage aspect right there.

A generation of people who’s main window into culture is MTV (which doesn’t even play music anymore for christ’s sake)with an average knowledge of our literary heritage that is limited to that Dicken’s book they were forced to read in highschool. It really –doesn’t– look promising.

Well, I forgot Harry Potter and Anne Rice books. Certainly not to be scorned, but when that’s all you’ve read I’d venture to say you are starving yourself.

By: Hrishi

Hrishi — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 22:56:23 +0000

I happen to be of that generation. Your worry is reasonable, Amber, if you define my ‘generation’ only by those who lrn 2 wrt by txtg :-)

Instead, if you focus on the ones who do still recognise and value the importance of good language, you can safely fire the slackers. Again, it’s similar to the customer management strategy you speak about.

It’s very tempting to think that things are going downhill and the future will only be worse, but it’s not true very often.

By: amber simmons

amber simmons — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:50:55 +0000

*laugh* I make far worse mistakes than that all the time ;)

»It’s going to take a fresh generation to break away from the mindset that the internet is computer technology and computer technology vernacular and thought processes must be used on it.«

What worries me, though, is that upcoming gneeration who grew up with text messages and the internet seem to have adopted a languge for themselves of their devising, one which I can scarcely read. That’s another article in itself, but Ii do wonder: what is the future of literature given that the people shaping it are learning to write by texting?

By: Lemius

Lemius — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 20:22:43 +0000

I may love words. But I never said I was the best with them. Principal*

By: Lemius

Lemius — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 20:14:20 +0000

Thank you for this. I was thinking along these very lines when I came upon your blog here. These thoughts ring many chords for me. As a long time literature lover and would-be writer it pains me to see the lack of attention and respect payed to words on the internet. It’s going to take a fresh generation to break away from the mindset that the internet is computer technology and computer technology vernacular and thought processes must be used on it. That generation happens to have just arrived en masse, but if someone doesn’t start to beat the path for them will they learn to create or will they just stagnate in the old ways?

As a designer it hurts even more.. I’m currently working on a site to help a small private school gain some attention. When I went to the principle and tried to discuss the content she was very flippant about it. “Just use the dates and schedules and the staff pictures.” at which point she walked away very quickly before I could say anything else.

Maybe I should contact the grammar teacher instead of the principle/math teacher.