The landscape of literacy is undergoing a significant shift, as the value of written words appears to diminish in comparison to spoken words, still images, and videos. Structural factors are driving these transformations.
Throughout history, the advent of moveable type and the printing press granted printed words an advantage in terms of production and widespread dissemination. Conversely, printing pictures required intricate engraving and later involved the use of half-tones to create varying shades of gray through black and white dots. In contrast, typesetting was a simpler process.
Even in the early stages of the digital era, words maintained their primacy. Computers responded to keystrokes that selected letters and punctuation marks, facilitating easy rendering of words. As personal computers became ubiquitous in the mid-1980s, followed by the widespread use of laptops, words could be accessed on increasingly portable devices such as Palm Pilots and cell phones. Still and moving images struggled to make a substantial impact on these devices.
However, the past decade has seen a dramatic shift. The majority of individuals now possess smartphones and tablets capable of rendering images flawlessly through broadband connections. Furthermore, these devices enable users to capture and create their own images and videos, eliminating the reliance on film and the associated complexities and costs. Users no longer need proficiency in keyboard skills or spelling to capitalize on these capabilities.
The impact of this transformation has ignited a communication revolution. The surge in video content pervading our digital existence can be ascribed to both a surge in supply and the simplicity of distribution, rather than being solely dictated by demand.
In our present era, where visual and auditory experiences are more accessible to the masses, it is imperative that we reconsider, adapt, and wholeheartedly embrace novel modes of self-expression.
