People write because they can. I know that seems a bit simplistic, but it’s still true. Cognition, time, and necessity have given us the ability -dare I say compulsion- to record our thoughts for propagation and posterity. If not, we would never have reached the current height of technological evolution. Before written language information was passed by oral traditions. Griots in Africa passed down historical lore and cultural knowledge by telling the most amazing stories. Considering how stories change now a days, we may question the veracity of those stories.
Writing has gifted us with the ability to distribute information to a much wider audience and allows us to encapsulate thoughts and ideas in much more permanent ways. Consider how information gleaned from ancient writings have enlightened the work of archaeologists, theologians, linguists, anthropologists, and historians. From ancient writings on stone tablets, papyrus, and parchment researchers have been able to gain insight into the historical perspectives, religious beliefs, and philosophical ideals of our predecessors. Written expression -coupled with the ability to interpret them (ie.: read with insight)- has yielded a vast amount of knowledge and information on a plethora of topics. Today, both historic hard copy (books, journals, newspaper, etc.) and modern electronic publications (ebooks, internet sites, blogs, etc.) transport data, information, and ideals globally.
The bottom line is simple. Writing allows the communication of ideas and the expression of one’s thoughts. So humans find great utility in writing. Although, arguably, visual and oral communication have blossomed with the advent of internet technology and social media –factual knowledge and ideas are heavily dependent on written text for durability. To that end, writing provides humans with a vibrant and robust means to communicate and disseminate their amazing ideas, their quirky humor, and/or what ever may venture out of their mind. And we hope that what comes out will be interesting, entertaining, or otherwise worthy of our consumption.
Ronald L Gay 