🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <3893@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu> lee@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu (Greg Lee) writes:
}From article <4352@ttidca.TTI.COM>, by hollombe@ttidca.TTI.COM (The Polymath):
}" In article <2000@trantor.harris-atd.com> chuck@trantor.harris-atd.com (Chuck Musciano) writes:
}" 
}" If you think the crap and pap that even the best of TV programming
}" presents can replace books, you must be pretty illiterate yourself.  Film
}" isn't significantly better and radio isn't even a visual medium.
}
}Let's try to distinguish prediction from wishful thinking, shall
}we?

Let's.  If you say it, it's prediction.  If I say it, it's wishful
thinking.  Right?

}It can happen that TV replaces books even if you don't
}like that.  Because the future may be horrifying won't keep
}it from happening.  If freedom really depends on literacy, it is
}certainly an odd way of reasoning to assume that we will have
}freedom and to conclude that therefore literacy must endure.

TV may _supplant_ reading, as the reading skills of the general population
decline, but it will never _replace_ reading.  I can't foresee a world
where every technical paper, every high school exam, every master's thesis
etc., etc., is presented as a totally audio-visual experience with no
recourse to writing or letters at all.  Economically, it's far cheaper to
produce and publish a good book than even the worst film or TV show.  Look
at how many books are published annualy vs. TV shows, even though there's
at least one TV in nearly every home in the nation.

TV has its place and books have theirs.  The fact that some people can't
or won't read doesn't mean one is going to replace the other.

-- 
The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe, hollombe@ttidca.tti.com)  Illegitimati Nil
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