The classical Greek philosopher Plato theorized that writing would corrupt memory, and give a false notion of knowledge for its readers. Surprisingly, one of the founding figures of the western worldview was not a fan of the written word, as he concluded it was the less-honorable route to gaining enlightenment.
I am glad that Plato’s outlook was not widespread, for he vastly underestimated the intrinsic value added when writing complemented experience. Writing birthed a variant of consciousness – it lurched from the skull and coalesced upon the papyrus, scrolls and tomes that would long outlast otherwise biological and fallible stores we had known prior to this utilization. While I understand Plato’s argument that one can ascend to Herculean feats of memory and knowledge if they solely store and remember everything from birth to death within the confines of their selves, what happens when they perish or degrade?
All of that genius and intrigue given from tribulations and joys, transported away from the physical world and all of the rest of humanity. All of that information needing to be relearned. It will take a lifetime to reach certain heights of outlook and intrigue. Would we remember the name Plato without his writings surviving throughout the epochs?
Without writing, would I know of a man named Plato?
By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. -Confucius
Why write a blog? Who will even read your posts? What is the audience?
Who do you think you are?
There are the questions laid upon every individual when starting up a new blog.
Life goes by at a onward, torrential pace. I have long clung to the fallacy that sharp and entrenched memory will never dull – I increasingly come to realize that I will eventually forget. From here forward I have come to the following outlook: To be better humans, we need to offload some of the most valuable and learned of our thoughts, before they perish within the confines of one’s cavernous cortex. This has long been the function of libraries and histories and the written word itself: humanity wants to remember. These constructs are bastions of human lessons and knowledge, lessons that are not pure truth but contain both experiences in being right and wrong, the struggles of a whole experience. Sometimes the hapless and dreaded journey teaches a greater lesson than a plush and comforted existence. This site will serve as a repository of thoughts that I happened to find eating at my being. So, the audience for these writings is a much my future self as other readers.
I am not writing because I think that I am a skilled, or that I produce interesting work. I myself have thought that it is not necessary to address the outside world with boxed up tellings given by my soul, expressed with otherwise unimpressive english. I hope to see that this space will serve as a virtual extension of my self, one that will be used to channel an attempt to meditate my thoughts, feelings and experiences.
Sidenote – This content was originally published Oct 4th, 2013 on another site that I put together that is now offline. In order to have this content continue to live I am republishing it here.