"There's Something Strange Going On Tonight.."

“....There’s something going on that’s not quite right.” A big fat pat on the back for whoever recognizes the title of the song, the artist that song comes from, and the album it was on. I digress, however.

There is something strange going on tonight. Topically, I am not coming up with much. It’s been another one of those days where nothing in particular has struck me as being worthy of attention. The country’s going to hell in a handbasket, we’ve already established that. The tsunami relief thing is a giant crock of crap, we’ve covered that one as well.

We’ve talked about religion a bit here lately. That’s usually pretty entertaining, at least for me. If nothing else, it allows me a format to work out things in my tiny little mind.

Of course, we’ve talked about all manner of weaponry, which is another fun subject for me. It’s a love of all things that roll and explode.

I noticed that I haven’t really discussed books much on this blog. This is strange as well, because I spend a lot of time reading them. I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for a love of reading. Some would say I’d be better off, but I digress yet again.

Books are a dying art form, and writing a skill that is de-evolving in our culture. Not for the better, I might add.

For instance, the younger generations are becoming less and less literate. This is evidenced if one takes a look at other blogs out there. Should one come across something written by a younger person, they would find things that would land my high school English teachers in the insane asylum. My junior-year teacher should have been there anyway, but again I digress. People can’t write anymore, and they can’t spell worth a rat’s butt. Especially the younger generation. I see things on these blogs that are mind-blowing. Words spelled phonetically, incomplete sentences, dangling participles, the list goes on.

Not that I am a perfect writer, mind you. I know I commit various grammatical atrocities. However, I at least try to do it halfway right. One of the reasons I do this blog is to try and hone the writing skills. One day, I will create the great American novel.

I have developed a theory about all of this, based in part on my experiences as a trial attorney. I think that people’s minds are becoming a bit more lazy than they were before, in part because they seldom read a good book. The information age is upon us, and the electronic media bombards us with information at a high rate of speed. Images are thrown at us from television and the movies, at the speed of light. Information is available on the Internet, at our fingertips.

There are both good and bad things about this. The bad thing I see is that people no longer have to engage the imagination. Movies create the images for us. One does not have to create an image of a scene or a character; it’s been ready-made for us. As a result, the imagination becomes stagnant. The brain needs exercise as well.

Nobody has to read anymore, so the rules of grammar and good writing are not being followed. This is simply because there is less exposure to it. Take a look at some of the writers from the turn of the 20th century. Take Edgar Rich Burroughs, for example. If one were to read anything by him, one would notice an incredible command of the English language. Scenes are painted vividly by his words. He uses words and turns of phrase that are almost alien to us today. Pages upon pages are used to describe scenes or characters. The reader creates an image in their minds of alien landscapes, monsters, and beautiful people.

Now compare that to your average sitcom. Less than thirty minutes of nothing which would engage the imagination. Slang terminology abounds. Poor grammar is the rule, and not the exception.

I learned in a jury seminar that juries want quick sound bites, with just the bare facts. They no longer appreciate a good orator, who can spin a great story. They think it’s a waste of time. They want everything reduced to its component elements, which they can take in and move on to something else. That’s why sitcoms are the most popular form of television show. They are quick and to the point.

So the lack of writing ability we are seeing on younger blogger’s websites seems to be a function of the electronic media as whole. Nobody can write, because they don’t read books anymore. They don’t want to read books because it forces active thought. This takes more time than what people want to spend. Why think about it when one can have it blasted directly into the cerebral cortex via electronic imaging?

I have to say this may seem a bit of a dichotomy. I love movies. Partially because I still think it’s a medium that requires more active imagination than the average television show. The plots are more intricate, because of their length. It beats a sitcom hands-down. However, were I forced to choose between losing either movies or books for the rest of my life; I can say with certainty that I would never give up my books.

I would venture to say that the decline of writing skills in our youth is not a positive thing. It seems indicative of an overall lack of cognitive ability, not just poor grammar. I blame this on the fact that nobody reads anymore.

Now I’m off to watch SOUTH PARK.