The importance of writing
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Lately I've been thinking about the sheer and utter power of words. When I say that, I don't mean words carry power that can hurt you or anything lame like that. When I speak of the sheer energy that words posses I speak of their lifespan. My uncle [whom I was very close to] died close to five years ago, yet if I surf the net, I can still find his words. I can still dig up his thoughts, ideas, dreams and aspirations. Hell, if I go the the bloody library I can dig up words of those whom have been gone for centuries. Words damn near have the power of eternal life my friends. In light of the invention of the Internet, I don't think words could have gotten any stronger than they did at the time of the Internets' birth. I suppose this post is about the importance of writing. Any time one of us writes [or types in this case] it creates a portal and resides there, where time is nonexistant. Anything we create now, any particular string of words or letters from whatever language we wield, is left behind when we pass on. Most would consider me strange for finding comfort in this fact, but the truth still remains. I am oddly comforted by the knowledge of my words living on once I take the contriversial dirt nap. While people pack my grave with a shovel, I will be holding conversations on the Internet and on the pages of any books that my words somehow make themselves home in. What I want to know is, simply stated, what are your thoughts on this if any? What do you feel every time you conjure up a sentance or two of everlasting life? I know that not everyone writes poems, likes journalism, etc. But for those that do, I wonder if it brings a smile to your lips not when you publish something, but when the knowledge hits you that your published work will shine on after you cash in your final chips. Words are great. Use them well. -AT9-
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We aren't all immortalized in our words. And some of us probably don't want to be. This sort of "everlasting life" can be a pain, too, because people can still argue with you once your dead. Not that you will care either way, being dead. And people have been immortalized by anything they do, if it is great enough. I don't know if they average man deserves to be eternal just because he wrote something clever on the internet once, to me it sortof demeans the effort put forth by real genuises, the people who deserve to live forever through their words and actions.
I appreciate the gravity of words, but I also apreciate that maybe not everyone can or should be able to take advantage of that.
I appreciate the gravity of words, but I also apreciate that maybe not everyone can or should be able to take advantage of that.
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Dante1214 wrote...
We aren't all immortalized in our words. And some of us probably don't want to be. This sort of "everlasting life" can be a pain, too, because people can still argue with you once your dead. Not that you will care either way, being dead. And people have been immortalized by anything they do, if it is great enough. I don't know if they average man deserves to be eternal just because he wrote something clever on the internet once, to me it sortof demeans the effort put forth by real genuises, the people who deserve to live forever through their words and actions. I appreciate the gravity of words, but I also apreciate that maybe not everyone can or should be able to take advantage of that.
Well said amigo. I posted this not because I can, or because I want to leave something behind, but because I am interested in the opinions of others on this matter. Just because I find it comforting doesn't mean anyone else will. And yes, it is very true that the masses do not wish for words to linger. I myself do not wish for everything to be left behind, nor do I consider anything I write clever. On the other hand, I have grown quite used to the fact. Anyway, very well said. Kudos.
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A lot of stuff that was popular in the past isn't known at all nowadays, and a lot of the stuff that's popular now won't be remembered at all in a hundred years. And I don't just mean that RickRolls won't be remembered in a century. Stephen King will probably be forgotten a century from now, and look how famous he is. Then again, it may take two hundred years for his writing to fall out of favor.
My point is, "immortality" cannot be determined. H.P. Lovecraft wasn't liked during his time, but now he's considered one of the most important horror authors. On the other side of the spectrum, authors that were liked during his time aren't read often nowadays. There are, of course, exceptions, and there always will be, but it's almost as if things that are popular decades after they are created are popular solely because of luck.
My point is, "immortality" cannot be determined. H.P. Lovecraft wasn't liked during his time, but now he's considered one of the most important horror authors. On the other side of the spectrum, authors that were liked during his time aren't read often nowadays. There are, of course, exceptions, and there always will be, but it's almost as if things that are popular decades after they are created are popular solely because of luck.
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With the explosive increase in written words since the internet, I doubt people will really bother with most of it.
On the other hand, I do agree with you.
People have been talking all days since the first languages, so spoken words are of even less value.
And I think it propably is even more likely you will be remembered on the internet than anywhere else, as it just is a much more efficient system of communication and hopefully will last longer than any human memories.
Information is the true nature of the self, and thus immortality is to let your information lose and let it mutate everyone around you into beings that share your culture and ideas, to let your views exterminate others in favor for 'your' survival.
With this in regard, I try to spread my memetics as often as I can. I seed good torrents to make my taste availble, I post on sites I like.
I even run spam scripts at times, and I can admit to participating in some DOS attacks at times when it is to silence what I do not like. Or to lend my power to the hivemind. After all, it isn't overdoing it as long as it is benefitical for you, and this is propably more important then any other social relationships with a possible exception of reproductive ones. And it is automated!
I can't wait for cyberbrains.
On the other hand, I do agree with you.
People have been talking all days since the first languages, so spoken words are of even less value.
And I think it propably is even more likely you will be remembered on the internet than anywhere else, as it just is a much more efficient system of communication and hopefully will last longer than any human memories.
Information is the true nature of the self, and thus immortality is to let your information lose and let it mutate everyone around you into beings that share your culture and ideas, to let your views exterminate others in favor for 'your' survival.
With this in regard, I try to spread my memetics as often as I can. I seed good torrents to make my taste availble, I post on sites I like.
I even run spam scripts at times, and I can admit to participating in some DOS attacks at times when it is to silence what I do not like. Or to lend my power to the hivemind. After all, it isn't overdoing it as long as it is benefitical for you, and this is propably more important then any other social relationships with a possible exception of reproductive ones. And it is automated!
I can't wait for cyberbrains.
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dålif wrote...
I can't wait for cyberbrains.I can see it now - hundreds of thousands of cases of comas and seizures, caused by hackers with too much time on their hands.
Because no matter what sort of security a system has, there is at least one person who can break it, and that person is probably willing to teach others.
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ShaggyJebus wrote...
dålif wrote...
I can't wait for cyberbrains.I can see it now - hundreds of thousands of cases of comas and seizures, caused by hackers with too much time on their hands.
Because no matter what sort of security a system has, there is at least one person who can break it, and that person is probably willing to teach others.
Those people are also often capable of designing new software to protect us against such things. Some of the best hackers in the world have been hired before to design and implement security software/router firewall technology by the government. A lot [not all] of people that attack do so because they have no other way to use their skills, and they way to be heard and felt too. Don't get me wrong, I don't condone viruses in ANY way, but I understand some of the people that make them. Not all of them are malicious.