Class Discussion February 9th

Sometimes I don't like speaking in class. I don't know why, it depends on the day. I'm just really afraid to talk. So I will write down some of my thoughts here.

I disagree that one cannot really have a conversation with the writing. I disagree that one cannot object to writing. It just depends on what kind of writing it is. With books, well, of course one cannot really talk back to books-- especially if the book was authored by someone who has died since publication.

However, I am writing in a blog right now and if someone wants to object to what I'm writing, they may leave a comment.

Additionally, I also wanted to say that I used to be in Forensics in high school and that required me to memorize speeches/short stories/poems/etc. and then perform them. If a poet from pre-literary times forgot part of what they memorized (even though they don't necessarily memorize anyways), they would be capable of making up things or filling in the holes. I, on the other hand, just stand there and go blank if I forget something. It is embarrassing.

Something I can do, however, is make up music on the instruments I play. I wonder why I can do that but cannot "improvise" speaking?

Update: About writing being artificial, I also disagree. I think if writing is artificial, then so is speaking. Why? Well speaking is a form of communication. It is a medium through which our thoughts and ideas reach others. It is a way our brain can connect with other brains.

The same goes for writing. It is a medium through which our thoughts and ideas reach others.

Just because we need a pencil or pen does not matter. I mean, we could use our blood to write and then it would be more "natural," but I don't think we want to resort to that. Our ideas are still there, regardless of if we speak or write them.

And what about that deaf person that can only read and write? Is he/she forced to live a life of artificiality? That seems a bit ridiculous, to me. No?

AHA! ANOTHER UPDATE!!! AN EPIPHANY!!! I have some good (I think) reasoning why writing is natural. In fact, I have reasoning why writing is more natural than primary orality. You see, in primary orality, people had to repeat things over and over again. Why? Because people would forget otherwise. This means that the human mind was not meant to remember things. It is rare that a person remembers everything they have seen/learned. Writing does for us what our minds are not meant to do... Does this seem like a good theory?