Read These Words
Harry Scherer
Class of 2022
(5/2019) Prove it. Show me! Do you
have any pictures?
These commands, exhortations and
inquiries are repeated many times a day by skeptical,
pushy or inquisitive persons. We live in a world in which
the written word, or words of any kind, are given little
credence. The claim that a picture is worth a thousand
words is peddled by tabloid editors and social media
gurus. Do we have to surrender to this mantra and
relinquish our powers as functioning, rational human
persons that are able to competently convey meaning
through words? Absolutely not.
The root of the problem of
accepting images as superior to an eloquent and meaningful
combination of words seems to lie in the shift in emphasis
in secondary and higher education. The building blocks of
impactful speech, logic and rhetoric are not intentionally
taught to high schoolers and college students, leaving the
future generation defenseless against the influences of
illogical reasoning and dissonant speech. Unless one is
taught at an institution which attempts to mimic the
merits of a classical education, students must fend for
themselves in the world of flashy pictures and seven-word
headlines.
With this incompetent formation,
one without even rudimentary foundations of philosophy,
our generation fails to recognize the existence and
influence of absolute truth, one that is the case in every
time and place and in every circumstance. Instead, words
are used to craft "interpretations," which cloud the
understanding of the reader, rather than clarify.
Another factor which has led to
the degradation of the written word is the frequent use of
social media. By the very use of the instrument, persons
necessarily limit their actions and personal development
into a series of recent pictures or a 280-character stream
of thoughts. There is no room for explanation or analysis
in these media. Instead of actually seeing the changes
that persons make in their actions or the eccentricities
of their thoughts, a recognition requiring personal
contact, we are confined to pictures and tweets that
submit to the "wow" factor.
Nowhere is this more evident than
on "Catholic Twitter," an informal group of Catholic
laymen, priests and religious who share their thoughts on
Catholic life, culture and recent events. Because users
are limited to 280 characters in describing the beauty of
life in a Church which claims to house the limitless, the
problem of incomplete and confusing narratives arises.
Well-meaning tweeters succumb to shining the spotlight on
fellow members of the Church with whom they disagree,
furthering confusion with regard to love and respect for
the Papacy, and even minimizing the breadth and influence
of the faith. With all of these unfortunate effects of the
medium, there is little emphasis on being cogent, lucid or
respectful in the way ideas are presented.
In the same way, reading and
writing have become less impactful today because of the
instant gratification surrounding these media. Instead of
sitting and analyzing a text or laboriously meditating on
the most impactful manner in which to use words, persons
prefer to digitally blurt out whatever comes to their
minds, without consideration to diplomacy, or read a
misleading headline from the source which most aligns with
their political ideology.
The degradation of political
dialogue is another symptom from an apathetic view of the
written word. Instead of genuinely considering political
philosophy and thoughtful political analysis, citizens are
left to fight for who can embarrass persons on the other
side of the political spectrum. We have no weapons with
which to fight those with whom we disagree other than
personal insults and purely pathetic arguments.
With all these complaints, it lies
in our hands to change the course of linguistic
appreciation. Because the future of our political,
religious and cultural discourse revolves around an
intentional use of the written word, we have the
obligation to recognize and act upon the benefits of a
proper use of the language upon which we have been
bestowed.
It would benefit us to read works
which stretch our literary comfort. Instead of only
reading entertaining science fiction novels, it would be
beneficial to read a historical account of a time period
for which we have previously given little thought. An
ability to competently read across genres is a specialized
skill which few people have and benefits us to see the
different perspectives from which many different persons
come.
In addition, it would be
beneficial to explore the details of news stories beyond
the cover picture and catchy headline. The purpose of
these two marketing necessities is to draw in the reader
to the content by whatever means necessary. For example,
headlines can be unintentionally misleading by forgoing
context and other essential information which is analyzed
in the text. Also, pictures capture that onto which the
eyes latch. Instead of informing, the cover photo
attracts.
Satisfaction with simply absorbing
incomplete information from a headline and photo can
immediately lead to misunderstanding and ignorance.
Because much of the thoughts and opinions which we all
have are informed by nuanced understandings of
information, it is essential to recognize the perspective
from which another person is coming so that we recognize
the flaws of our own thoughts or the way in which we are
portraying them.
Finally, for the young who feel
that they have received an incomplete education and fear
that the future leaders of our generation think
illogically and speak unclearly, it would greatly serve us
to invest in a short guide to logical thinking and grammar
book. An ability to think in a lucid manner and speak
eloquently is a lost art for our generation and will
predict who will lead our culture into the next decades.
We should be armed with the defenses of clear thought and
coherent words so that we may rightly inform the
uninformed about the truths of our world and effects of
our actions.
Read it. Say it! Do you have any
thoughts?
Read other articles by Harry Scherer