We have words paper and words on screens. While writing we have the option to go the traditional route where we use pen and paper. Another option that we have now is writing on our computer. However, the space that we choose to write affects our texts. Let’s take a look at print and online papers, magazines, journals or newspapers. We have different outlooks about texts depending on whether they are print or digital. As J. D. Applen explains “Because we can write and change what we wrote so readily with words processing software, what is written loses its force as a powerful, perfect, and unchanging body of words” (13). However, I believe that thanks to remediation we can improve our writing. Let’s think about how long it took to make copies of texts when they had to be done by hand or using a printing press? Now we can easily make as many copies of texts as we need.
Which technology is better?
As with any technology, we tend to be a little skeptical about change but we have to constantly change our views and adapt to newer communication technologies. Nonetheless, when it comes to choosing a technology to write on, we have to consider our purpose. We can consider that a handwritten letter is more meaningful than email or a text. Meanwhile, as Applen points out, “Writing on a computer makes it easy to experiment and rewrite…” (19). It all comes down to the situations that we find ourselves in. Neither of them are bad or better than the other. Both technologies can be used or the one that we feel is more comfortable. We have words on paper and words on screens and we can take advantage of both of them. Let’s take into consideration how technology can help us.
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