Because It Speaks in Words
The author reflects on the value of the internet, arguing that its most important function is not connecting people or providing convenience, but its ability to record our words. By storing and indexing text-based conversations, the internet preserves human thought and experience for future generations, making it our civilization's most lasting record.
Background
- Brian Schrader is an independent software developer and blogger who writes about technology, culture, and the open web.
- This post is part of a long-running debate about the value of the open web and blogging versus centralized, algorithm-driven platforms like social media.
- Schrader argues that writing in full sentences and paragraphs (words) forces a clarity and depth that short-form, multimedia, or algorithmically curated content lacks.
- The piece implicitly pushes back against the trend toward AI-generated content and the decline of human-written, thoughtful long-form writing on the internet.
- "Because it speaks in words" is a defense of the written essay as a uniquely human and effective medium for conveying complex ideas.