Some people claim that with the offspring of the Youtube and similar sites, each day the ability of read and write will become less necessary.
I believe on the exact opposite; on the internet the ability to read and write are more important than never was before.
The fist and most obvious advantage of the written language is that overcomes the time limitation.
The philosophy created by Plato in more than 200 years ago only survived because he wrote it.
Everything we know about Socrates we own to Plato, who wrote what he had been taught by his master.
I can use my experience as an example; I write a journal and, once in a while, I like to review the things that I have written.
It is a chance of the old me meet with the present me.
I can evaluate my growing and my maturation process.
The things people wrote in ancient times are now a window to the past.
It is true that the same is possible with videos, but there is something about the written words that it is impossible to find on images.
While videos are translations of the sight, texts are translations of the thought.
Further, written things overcome geographic barriers.
One text can be sent to any part of the word without effort, with just an e-mail.
For thousand of years of history, people have written to each other, and that has put then closer.
True, the same can be done with Skype or other communication tools, but nothing substitute the pleasure of read words.
In favor of letters, e-mail do not lay in time zones differences.
Finally, it is unheard of a better way to learn new matters.
The best and most reliable knowledge are in textbooks or encyclopedias.
Classes are good, talks are good, but they are instantaneous.
When something is written is stone, people tend to remember it, or they can consult it.
Discoveries, inventions and scientific theories should be index; they are the most valuable asset of the mankind.
In addition, there is fiction; the world would but a less interesting place without all short stories, novels and poetry.
May 2013
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