Five Forms of Text

Although Ong thinks that printed word is dead, it still holds a place in society and is very useful. Newspapers are still in business because a generation (or culture) of people prefer to get their news in printed form, rather than viewing it online. The same could be said for magazines, lottery tickets, and bills. Printed, written, words still hold a place in our world. Since Bazerman and Russell see writing as a "living thing," I featured five forms of text below that I think still serve a purpose in our society. - Deyla Gantt

1. Blogs - Blogs give us opinionated views through think pieces, regular news updates, or specific, niche news that caters to a certain audience. Blogs have been evolving since the early 2000's and most people have at least one or two blogs that they check daily. 

2. Newspapers - Although I haven't held, or even read, a newspaper in years, they still serve a purpose. In my hometown you can only find out about what's happening in the town through the newspaper. For some cultures, the printed page is all they have. Updates on news, weather, dining, and entertainment, keep readers "alive." 

3. Scrolls - Even though most of the scrolls we have are extremely old, researchers are still pulling information from them thousands of years later. New languages, and a look into our ancestors can be found on the writing of scrolls. Although their original owners may have used them for pretty mundane things, we find them extremely useful. 

4. Advertisements - They tell us what to buy, how to live, and even how to think. Advertisements are one of our biggest forms of texts, and the most visible form of text we see on a daily basis. 

5. Graffiti - This form of text mashes together Ong's idea of high and low style. While most people see graffiti as vandalism,  for artists like Banksy, they're sending a message and expressing their views through art. Graffiti is often used for everyday people to express their views, and to be seen on a national scale. You can look at the anti-FIFA graffiti in Brazil as a perfect example of this.