My Wisest Tee

By Laura Walcher  Presidio Sentinel San Diego, MARCH 2011

With due respect to the Presidio Sentinel, to say nothing of the New York Times, et al, it has become a well-accepted phenomenon that … more of us write, than read.  And if we do read, said James Billington, a librarian of Congress,  we  “ … dabble, rather than follow a full train of thought,” Has Twitter proven that by now?

I can confirm this phenomenon.  Many a time these fascinating columns soar into the stratosphere, never to be seen (never mind read) again. Oh, O. K.  I’m probably in good company with, say,

Samuel Pepys whose 17^th century diaries (Blogs!)  have undoubtedly been better read after his death than when he lived. At least he got a lot of angst out of his system. But heaven knows its easier to “read’ now if one were only so motivated. Still, I occasionally quote or refer to others who are perfectly indifferent to even reading about themselves, While I don’t actually advocate ego-centricity, this is really going too far.

Mark Twain scribbled in the margins of the books he read; he’d be amazed that those early 19^th century “tweets” now comprise a best seller.. That’s my goal, of course, tho’ I much prefer to be alive to enjoy it. 

Could today’s indifference to reading be a little-appreciated holdover from pre-Pepys centuries ago, when reading and writing held all kinds of perils?  Says author Robert McCrum, “writers went to extraordinary lengths to remain anonymous …” Back then, he reports, books (could be) …” a matter of life or death ,,,”  Especially translations of the Bible, he continues, noting that its first English translator was burned at the stake, along with a select group of his readers.  

Perfectly clear writing is a related conundrum– in which case, the Bible issue may be understandable. Conflicting interpretations of said Book have divided us into numerous camps, in which disparate practitioners are determined to kill off those of us whose “read” into scripture strays from their own.  So interpreting what one reads actually poses additional hazards … to this day.

(Another example, says writer Lisa Miller, “is the story of Sodom and Gemorrah.,’’… it’s a story of God’s judgment against homosexuality, promiscuity and other kinds of illicit sex …” but exceptions exist in every case.”   Besides that, she opines, it’s more correctly a story, “about the danger of having sex with Angels.”  (Hmm. Why didn’t I think of that?)

In any case, it’s clear:  our history is fraught with the dangers of both reading and writing.  No wonder we’re in this mess.

Writers today have immense freedom – with no consequences, like being drawn and quartered -  to indulge many guilty pleasures:   fantasies, dogma, defenses, complaints that don’t require fact-checking. Unless you do your own research into the truth of a subject, don’t think you know what’s really happening ... trust me.  This situation is not confined to the Bible. 

If one is to be a rich/famous writer now, one must be be prepared to market his/her own work (a practice considered “stupid” by Mr. Twain.). We must be  “linked,” and “…must, really must, produce a ‘Blog,’ “ say my advisors (BLOG = a blend of “web” and “log”). Am I sufficiently linked? Are my columns and features, my journals, diaries, grist for my Blog?  Does this future Blog of mine support my daily travails on Facebook?  Should I ever produce pieces that exceed140 characters?

When do I get time to walk the dog?

Writing.  Reading.  It all lays heavily on we wordsmiths.  And here’s what it’s come to: the sadly realistic message on my t-shirt is the wisest fool of all:  “MORE PEOPLE HAVE READ THIS T-SHIRT, “ it says, “ THAN HAVE READ YOUR BLOG.”  

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