I am thinking about the process
of reading as actually a process of collaboration. Certainly it is a form of
communication. That people read deliberately to take in ideas and information
can be assumed. Reading (or even listening to
recordings, films or broadcasts) is a form of dialogue between at least two
people. If the authors are multiple and more than one person reads the text in
question, then it is a discussion among many persons. Because ideas are never
stagnate, the reading combined with the exchange of ideas can be understood as
a collaboration. Whatever the motives of either the author or reader, ideas are
stimulated and communicated. A writer or team of writers puts
herself/themselves in the position of being the primary speaker who speakers to
the reader or readers. The reader can answer back. The reader can contact the
author(s) directly or put an answer to writing or voice in one form or another
and indirectly give a response, such as in a review or other kind of editorial,
or as a reference in one’s own text, film or recording. A response can come up
in everyday conversation or letter writing as people share their experiences
and opinions and the topic of some kind of writing comes up. It can come out in
a classroom, where the instructor uses a textual material or film, or cites it
in a lecture, or it is a topic or reference in debate or discussion. People seek experiences and
knowledge through reading, and film viewing and audio recordings. Even if they
just desire entertainment, they receive ideas that stimulate the mind and
emotions. Knowledge and thereby culture is passed along, not just passively
received but acted upon and changed because people process and exchange the
ideas being delivered. It is reasonable to say that
people seek knowledge when they read. We want children to go to school mainly
to learn to read and write so that they have skills of communication and can
engage with society, be acculturated and grow as fulfilled humans. In Western
societies, it is expected that they develop opinions and engage in discussion,
the exchange of opinions and information. It is expected that they thereby
contribute to knowledge production and accumulation. This is actually collaboration.
They consult those who have presented ideas, absorb and process them to reflect
and, in turn, put out further ideas. They must work together, communicating
with others, in order to participate in learning at all. Therefore, there is a “market” or
demand for textual and other forms of knowledge materials. It is a limitless
and never-ending exploit. Once writing begins and others are taught to use the
tools of writing, a bottomless well of knowledge is opened up and the waters released. Do not worry about the fate of
books these days just because a variety of learning and communications tools
have sprung up. Nothing will stop the creation, exchange and consumption of art
and knowledge. The added tools give us more options for forms of creations,
that is all. In fact, as harbingers of social media would no doubt say, they
provide more opportunities for the process to go on. People are extremely outraged at any attempt to curtail or plug up the well of knowledge and stem the tide of discussion. It is deemed anti-democratic and even repressive to try. It is anti-social and cruel, most people would say. In fact, it can be interpreted as a matter of life or death. Being able to exchange knowledge and discuss is living, and is therefore considered a right by many figures in the world—something worth investing in, treasuring and defending with all one’s might. Teachers, veteran writers, literacy advocates and publishers are all indispensable figures in ensuring that writing goes on. They must collaborate with each other and with actual or potential readers to fulfill this role. |
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Categories//communication and living communication, living, positive thinking depression journal writing just peace late career development new poetry relationships social justice and change teaching transition |
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