Baron

Much the same as Ong suggests that we cannot in our society visualize a concept or a thing without visualizing the word in and of itself, Baron says that now that we have computers and have digitized text, he cannot write well without the amenities of technology.  Ong says that written words are now essential to our understanding and functionality of literacy, and Baron says that technology is essential to our production of writing.

I think both of these authors evoke a fundamentally mind altering thought process that alters my understanding of literacy.  I use technology to transform my thoughts and feelings into text every day.  After typing it up, I typically put it in some form on the internet and share it with my friends and family.  The days of penning letters are few and far between.  I remember having a pen pal in elementary school once. Other than that, when I hand write things: letters, lists, papers...anything, I am doing it for the sport of it, not out of necessity.  A couple of summers ago, I remember having to write "Thank You'" notes to 200 people after my wedding.  It was truly a chore.

On a daily basis, I usually update my Facebook status with some witty retort about traffic or some other easily relatable irritant.  I share photos via text message to my in-laws and siblings. And I tweet about something funny.  Technology has revolutionized the way I communicate with my friends and family.  It has transformed literacy.  Before bed tonight, I will read a few chapters of a novel on my iPad. I have no use for going to the library any more.  My library allows me to virtually check out books and download them to my iPad. 
The merge of literacy and technology for me is liberating and exciting.  It makes life easier and communication possible that would not have occurred otherwise. 

I have really focused over the past day on Ong's assertion that people who write and read written words visualize their spoken sounds and ideas in words.  We think in words. It is crazy.  It makes me feel like I am in the middle of the 'which came first (chicken or egg) dilemma'.  Do I think of the actual thing first? Or the words? Are they synonymous? Ah! It makes my skin crawl!  Very interesting topic.