Comments on: E-mail and The Decline of Western Civilization: An Open Letter http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/ Ramblings From a Glass Half Full Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:22:36 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Travis Retzlaff http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-1672 Travis Retzlaff Thu, 08 May 2008 14:38:09 +0000 http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/#comment-1672 The amount of throwaway/garbage writing has increased to be sure, but I think the amount of thoughtful writing is increasing as well... In the end it is our reactions and usage patterns of the technology that need adjustment. The technology, be it email, twitter, blogging, etc, is just a tool. The technology can cause a "step backwards" in terms of overall progress, but sometimes that is necessary to see the path forward.. The amount of throwaway/garbage writing has increased to be sure, but I think the amount of thoughtful writing is increasing as well…

In the end it is our reactions and usage patterns of the technology that need adjustment. The technology, be it email, twitter, blogging, etc, is just a tool. The technology can cause a “step backwards” in terms of overall progress, but sometimes that is necessary to see the path forward..

]]> By: Starbucker http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-1669 Starbucker Tue, 06 May 2008 23:08:00 +0000 http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/#comment-1669 Thanks Brad for the clarification Hi Susan -thanks for stopping by. I'm so happy this post has helped you, like it has helped me. I'm still working on it, but getting there.... All the best! Thanks Brad for the clarification

Hi Susan -thanks for stopping by.
I’m so happy this post has helped you, like it has helped me. I’m still working on it, but getting there….

All the best!

]]> By: susan http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-1658 susan Tue, 06 May 2008 05:49:47 +0000 http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/#comment-1658 After reading your post I went and wrote 2 thank you notes. Now I am back to say thank you for making me think and get past my typical "instant" way of communicating. I, too, want to make this a way of life. After reading your post I went and wrote 2 thank you notes. Now I am back to say thank you for making me think and get past my typical
“instant” way of communicating.

I, too, want to make this a way of life.

]]> By: Brad Shorr http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-1638 Brad Shorr Mon, 05 May 2008 12:21:56 +0000 http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/#comment-1638 Terry, I said diary but it's a collection of letters. Title, "The Letters of Noel Coward". Terry, I said diary but it’s a collection of letters. Title, “The Letters of Noel Coward”.

]]> By: Starbucker http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-1636 Starbucker Sun, 04 May 2008 16:47:32 +0000 http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/#comment-1636 Hi Jesse, Jared, Nadine, Tom, Mario and Brad - thanks so much for stopping by (I apologize for the delay in responding - I've been at SOBCon08 this weekend) Jesse, yep, even 6 words can have the same force as, say, 140. :-) Jared, SO great to visit with you at SOBCon, and thanks for reading those words of mine - I'll gladly return the favor. Nadine, thanks for finding me! And I appreciate your eloquent comment. Come back again Tom, we do think alike quite often, don't we? Mario, words, especially the richer ones, are such wonderful tools to convey thoughts and emotions. May we never lose that in our language. Brad (great to see ya at SOBCon), now I need to read that diary. And I love your use of the word vigorous. All the best to you all! Terry Hi Jesse, Jared, Nadine, Tom, Mario and Brad – thanks so much for stopping by (I apologize for the delay in responding – I’ve been at SOBCon08 this weekend)

Jesse, yep, even 6 words can have the same force as, say, 140. :-)

Jared, SO great to visit with you at SOBCon, and thanks for reading those words of mine – I’ll gladly return the favor.

Nadine, thanks for finding me! And I appreciate your eloquent comment. Come back again

Tom, we do think alike quite often, don’t we?

Mario, words, especially the richer ones, are such wonderful tools to convey thoughts and emotions. May we never lose that in our language.

Brad (great to see ya at SOBCon), now I need to read that diary. And I love your use of the word vigorous.

All the best to you all!

Terry

]]> By: Brad Shorr http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-1635 Brad Shorr Sun, 04 May 2008 12:03:09 +0000 http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/#comment-1635 Terry, all - I'm with Rosa. There is something warm and joyful and real about receiving a handwritten letter. But our steady movement to keyboards is not something I can get too worked up about -- technology is always changing and we're lucky Adams and Jefferson weren't using chisels on stone tablets. However I think all this online shorthand reduces ideas to caricatures and ought to be used judiciously. Even when it comes to the most mundane things, vigorous use of the English language can elevate a conversation to unexpected heights. The other day at my parents' house I was reading a collection from Noel Coward's diary. The man could talk about his breakfast and have you questioning the fate of England. Terry, all – I’m with Rosa. There is something warm and joyful and real about receiving a handwritten letter. But our steady movement to keyboards is not something I can get too worked up about — technology is always changing and we’re lucky Adams and Jefferson weren’t using chisels on stone tablets. However I think all this online shorthand reduces ideas to caricatures and ought to be used judiciously. Even when it comes to the most mundane things, vigorous use of the English language can elevate a conversation to unexpected heights. The other day at my parents’ house I was reading a collection from Noel Coward’s diary. The man could talk about his breakfast and have you questioning the fate of England.

]]> By: Mario Vellandi http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-1634 Mario Vellandi Fri, 02 May 2008 19:18:31 +0000 http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/#comment-1634 Terry, I finished the audiobook last night on my drive home and was getting teary-eyed myself. The lesson learned for me learned is that with all communication now through email, I must try and be cognizant of applying differing writing styles, richer vocabulary, and varying lengths appropriate to the situation. Also important, is to reach out per telephone as well - a short 3-5 minute phone call and hearing someone's voice can be an intensely personal experience, and a great way to add that special touch. Terry, I finished the audiobook last night on my drive home and was getting teary-eyed myself.
The lesson learned for me learned is that with all communication now through email, I must try and be cognizant of applying differing writing styles, richer vocabulary, and varying lengths appropriate to the situation. Also important, is to reach out per telephone as well – a short 3-5 minute phone call and hearing someone’s voice can be an intensely personal experience, and a great way to add that special touch.

]]> By: Tom Vander Well http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-1633 Tom Vander Well Thu, 01 May 2008 13:21:07 +0000 http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/#comment-1633 Well written, Terry - and thank you. My thoughts have been running in a similar vein: http://creativepath.typepad.com/wayfarer/2008/03/intimacy-lost.html Cheers! Well written, Terry – and thank you.

My thoughts have been running in a similar vein:

http://creativepath.typepad.com/wayfarer/2008/03/intimacy-lost.html

Cheers!

]]> By: Nadine Touzet http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-1632 Nadine Touzet Thu, 01 May 2008 08:18:31 +0000 http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/#comment-1632 I came across this blog by chance, and I'd like to thank you for these words, I feel very much the same about these new developments, even though I must admit that in other ways (business-wise), e-mail has really been immensely useful. Alas, in my own field of non-literary translation, the situation is just as bad. The fascination for all forms of automatic/machine translation is turning written, and indeed any kind of words, into spiritless units that you can slice and dice and rearrange with little respect for what language is all about. I came across this blog by chance, and I’d like to thank you for these words, I feel very much the same about these new developments, even though I must admit that in other ways (business-wise), e-mail has really been immensely useful.

Alas, in my own field of non-literary translation, the situation is just as bad. The fascination for all forms of automatic/machine translation is turning written, and indeed any kind of words, into spiritless units that you can slice and dice and rearrange with little respect for what language is all about.

]]> By: Jared Goralnick http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/comment-page-1/#comment-1631 Jared Goralnick Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:51:57 +0000 http://www.terrystarbucker.com/2008/04/29/e-mail-and-the-decline-of-western-civilization-an-open-letter/#comment-1631 Sigh...I also agree that the written word is in decline. I think if we all slowed down, wrote some real correspondence, and got to know each other better we'd be much better off. But instead I'll be seeing you with 300 other people at SOB Con ;-). Looking forward to it, and will continue to check out your writing (I actually <a href="http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/07/07/what-happened-to-personal-letters/" rel="nofollow">lamented similarly</a> a while back on my personal site) Sigh…I also agree that the written word is in decline. I think if we all slowed down, wrote some real correspondence, and got to know each other better we’d be much better off.

But instead I’ll be seeing you with 300 other people at SOB Con ;-) . Looking forward to it, and will continue to check out your writing (I actually lamented similarly a while back on my personal site)

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