There is commonly a hefty association of all things technology when it comes to thinking of the term “digital” and what it means. When I used to think of the term, I would think solely of electronics such as phones, computers, and tablets. I couldn’t comprehend that such a term such could have any other meaning behind it because it just sounded technological to me. Well, I was definitely wrong. Doug Eyman, in “Defining and Locating Digital Rhetoric”, discusses the vast definition behind ‘digital’ and what it truly means. The term doesn’t just refer to electronics, it refers to fingers that can represent digits and morse code, writing, and the braille alphabet. It’s a vast term with a list of examples, all of which surround the basic concept of 1s or 0s and on or off.
A Common Misconception
Looking online to find material that correlates with this concept also being physical has been difficult. Many articles focus on the differences between physical material, including writing and digital material being completely different entities. I think that it’s hard for people to admit, or see, that things such as writing can be considered digital due to a preconceived definition in many people’s heads. I had fallen victim to the idea of it being one entity, so it’s not surprising that many others had this idea in their head as well.
Future Digital Difficulties
Mike Welsh, in an article titled “The Future is Phygital: Physical and Digital”, discusses a “phygital” concept in which digital and physical meet. What he fails to recognize is that they already do, in many different ways. I think the problem with Eyman seeing the connection between the two is that many other people won’t. There is a harsh distinction between the two for many people and changing that preconceived notion will be extraordinarily difficult.
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