For the vast majority of years since Gutenberg enabled mass produced written communication, those thoughts which become “published” existed in the mind of an author, being the fruits of that author’s imagination and experience, and generally speaking, good quality writing was a craft which took a lifetime to perfect.

But with the advent of the global digital network, traditional communication has been radically redefined. With microblogging, the trend towards a zero-delay publication of our thoughts continues apace.

Fans of this accelerated culture will no doubt praise the immediacy and reach of global conversations. Many people now, it would appear, orient themselves around the Facebook model of social interaction. These, then, are the questions: We’re connected to all, but present to how many? We interact, but is there any sustained conversation?

In our 21st century reflections around media, perhaps it’s time to revisit the wisdom of Marshall McLuhan.

Read on …